Monday, October 30, 2006
Coach Joe DeMay has two Cardinals' squads playing in the state's Final 16.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Area volleyball and soccer coaches preparing their teams for this week's regional matches have their hands full.
It's safe to say that Mooney High coach Joe DeMay has his hands and feet scrambling.
This year, DeMay coaches the Cardinals' boys and girls teams. Both have advanced to the regional.
Saturday, Mooney rallied from a 2-1 second-half deficit for a 3-2 victory over Ursuline in the Division III boys district final.
Last Thursday, the Cardinals girls blanked the Irish, 4-0, to win the Div. II district.
Tuesday, the Cardinals boys team will meet Wellington at Canton Central Catholic High at 7 p.m. The next evening at the same place, Mooney's girls team will play Parma Heights Holy Name.
If Mooney wins both games, both teams will play for state berths Saturday.
Quiet demeanor
"I'm calm," DeMay said after Saturday's comeback. "If you get too wrapped up in coaching, then you can't look at things with perspective to see the way to fix things. So I try to keep on an even keel."
Mooney's boys team was the Div. III state runner-up in 2005 and the Div. II state runner-up in 2004.
Last season, DeMay was an assistant coach for boys coach Lenny Krispinsky.
"I did a lot of the work last year so I know what it took to get there," DeMay said. "I know that there is pressure with the program but it's good pressure.
"It's nice to have that pressure. I'd rather be in position where you are expected to go very far in the tournament every year than to be with a program where the expectations aren't that high."
DeMay credited his midfielders for the rebound against Ursuline that was capped by two goals by Dom DiPasquale.
"We needed to pick it up to make sure for the seniors that it wasn't their last game," DeMay said. "The midfield really started to step it up. And Dom started to get his foot on the ball and making some things happen."
Howland, Canfield have games
Also qualifying for regional games are the Howland and Canfield boys teams. In the Div. I district final, the Tigers defeated Green, 1-0, in overtime. In Div. II, Canfield shut out West Branch, 4-0.
Tuesday at 7 p.m., Howland (16-1-2) will play Solon (18-1) a Ravenna Stadium. At the same time, Canfield travels to Alliance to play Walsh Jesuit (17-2) at Rockhill Elementary School.
The Div. I girls district final between Poland and Howland was postponed Saturday and will be played tonight at 7 at Howland High. The winner will play Federal League champion Massillon Jackson (17-2) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Ravenna Stadium.
In volleyball, two Columbiana County teams have qualified for regionals. Wednesday at 6 p.m., undefeated Salem will take on one-loss Walsh Jesuit at Stow-Munroe Falls High in the Div. II regional.
Thursday at approximately 7:15 p.m., Crestview will play Gates Mills Gilmour Academy in the Div. III regional at Barberton High.
The volleyball regional finals will be played Saturday afternoon.