DIVISION III SOCCER Champion earns its redemption from '02

The Golden Flashes won a district championship, beating Ursuline 2-1.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CHAMPION -- Buried under a heap of celebrating soccer players, Nate Mailach was taking the brunt of the punishment.
Then, on a night when the temperature dropped below 40 degrees, Mailach looked up to find the least desirable thing: a bucket of ice water tipping in his direction.
If this is what must take place for the Champion High boys soccer team to win a Division III district title, Mailach will gladly accept.
"My gloves are soaked and I think I separated my shoulder at the bottom of that pile," Mailach said. "But it's all worth it."
One year after losing to Badger in a district semifinal -- on their home field, no less -- the Golden Flashes redeemed themselves Thursday night, defeating Ursuline 2-1 at Champion High Stadium.
"That's been in the back of our minds all year," Mailach said. "We write it on the board in the locker room every game -- 'Remember Badger from last year.'
"This is the result right here."
Cinderella story
The Irish (6-12-2) had been following in the footsteps of Warren John F. Kennedy, last year's tournament darling that won a district title without being seeded.
Wins over JFK, Maplewood and Badger put Ursuline one game from the regional. Top-seeded Champion (18-1) wouldn't let that happen.
It used a late first-half goal by junior John Emery as momentum, carrying it past the Irish and into Tuesday's regional semifinal at West Branch High.
The Golden Flashes captured their first district title since 1997 and will play Gates Mills Hawken, which defeated Wickliffe 6-0 in the Eastlake District.
"We're the underdog right now going against Hawken," Mailach said. "We like that role better than being the top seed and everybody's shooting at us. Right now, we've got nothing to lose."
Recovery
Emery came into the game fighting an illness, but he focused enough to score his 30th goal of the season.
"My stomach was all cramped up, and it was bugging me a lot. It could have been nerves," Emery said. "But once I got in the game, I started feeling better."
Emery and the Champion offense needed nearly all of the first 40 minutes to stake claim to the lead. The forward took a pass from senior Tim Oswald with 21 seconds remaining in the half and planted the ball into the net.
"The goal before the half was the killer. Without that, it would have been a lot different," Ursuline assistant coach Harry Leith said.
Senior Adam Lantz put Champion ahead 2-0 with 10:24 to play when he scored off a left-footed shot from about 30 yards.
"He's got the green light from about 30 yards and in," Mailach said. "He was on his dominant foot -- his left -- and just ripped it."
Ursuline made the final few minutes interesting, when freshman Nick Chaney scored with 3:16 remaining.
"We have a young team," said Leith, whose team started five underclassmen. "We're real excited about the next three years."
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