Howland falls to N.C. Hoover, 4-3

The Tigers squandered a 3-1 lead in the last 11 minutes.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HOWLAND -- Tournament time in high school sports often is one of bitter disappointment because of the finality of defeat -- especially if that defeat comes in a close game.
The Howland High girls soccer team experienced that disappointment Wednesday at Lombardo Field, losing 4-3 to North Canton Hoover in a Division I district semifinal when Hoover's Amanda Waltz scored with 3.2 seconds remaining in the contest.
What made things worse for Howland was the fact that the Tigers led 3-1 before Waltz scored three goals in the last 10:30.
Waltz's late heroics overshadowed another fine performance by Howland senior forward Leah Albani, who tallied two goals and assisted on the Tigers' third tally.
Albani also scored twice in Howland's 5-0 tournament victory over Uniontown Lake.
Burned: Disappointed Howland coach Gary Anderson's only comment Wednesday was about the officiating.
"Ask the refs if they want to say anything," Anderson said.
The coach received a yellow card for protesting a free kick awarded to the Vikings with 10:30 remaining in the game.
Waltz, a left-footed sophomore, started the Hoover comeback with that free kick, bending a 20-yard blast from the right side just inside the right post. At the time, it seemed like an innocent enough goal, simply making closer a game in which Howland had played better throughout.
But Waltz tied the score with 3:08 remaining when Alyssa Plakas sprung her loose with a header. Neither team mounted a serious threat over the next three minutes, and it looked like the game was headed for overtime.
Waltz, though, took a pass near the top of the penalty box, worked herself free of two defenders just long enough to blast the game winner over the head of Howland keeper Tracy Moore.
Howland had built its lead over a 14-minute period in the middle of the game. Albani scored with 7:51 remaining in the first half after getting free on a throw-in by Lisa Hlaudy.
Aleesha DenMeade evened the score for Hoover with 5:48 remaining in the half, scoring from the right side after running down a pass from midfield by Plakas.
Right touch: With 4:23 remaining in the half, Albani had just the right touch to drop a free kick from about 32 yards out behind Hoover keeper Ashley Muffet. Albani then fed Sarah Mangiarelli for the Tigers' last goal just over six minutes into the second half.
Both keepers came up big on penalty shots in the second half. Moore stopped Plakas with 27:10 remaining in the game and Muffet made a fine save on Tiffany Garcia of Howland.
The Tigers (13-4-1) out-shot the Vikings, 19-14. Moore, a sophomore, made nine saves for Howland.
Hoover (16-2-1) has beaten three Valley teams (Niles, Fitch and Howland) in the tournament. The Vikings will play Canfield in the district championship.