43
High school Soccer - Tournament Preview
Photo
CANFIELD - GLENOAK - (21) Nate Merhaut of Canfield tries to stop (17) Spencer Semple during their game Wednesday night.
REGIONALS
Boys Division II
Pairing: Cardinal Mooney (16-3) vs. CVCA (16-2-1) When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Solon High School Other semifinal: Peninsula Woodridge vs. Chagrin Falls (17-1-1) Regional championship: Saturday, 3 p.m. at Brush High School Of note: Mooney is playing in its eighth consecutive regional tournament. CVCA defeated Mooney 3-0 on Oct. 7. Defending state champ: In 2007, CVCA defeated Mooney 2-1 in a regional semifinal then shut out three straight opponents to win the Ohio crown. State ranking: In the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches poll, CVCA was ranked first in the state, Mooney was ranked second and Chagrin Falls was sixth.
Boys Division III
Pairing: Badger (17-2) vs. Gates Mills Hawken (17-1-1) When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Twinsburg High School Other semifinal: North Ridgeville Lake Ridge Academy (15-2-2) vs. Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (7-7-5) Regional championship: Saturday, 3 p.m. at Kent Roosevelt High School. Of note: Badger defeated Warren JFK 3-1 in the district championship. Marcus Heath of Badger scored twice against JFK, giving him 37 goals this year, fifth highest in the state. Hawken allowed only 11 goals all season with 13 shutouts. They’re back: The same four teams played in the regional last fall. St. Thomas Aquinas beat North Ridgeville 2-1, Hawken defeated Badger 6-0 then downed Aquinas in the regional final, 4-1. State ranking: In the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches poll, Gates Mills Hawken was top-ranked in the state. Hawken lost the state championship game in 2007 in overtime, 2-1.
Girls Division I
Pairing: Howland (16-0-3) vs. Shaker Heights (14-5-1) When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Twinsburg High School Other semifinal: Massillon Jackson (16-2-2) vs. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (16-1-1) Regional championship: Saturday, noon, at Rocky River High School. Of note: Shaker Heights outscored its opponents 77-24 in 20 games. Massillon Jackson lost to Walsh Jesuit 4-0 during the year. Walsh Jesuit allowed just 14 goals in 18 starts. Walsh Jesuit beat Jackson 3-2 in the regional final last year. Howland’s last trip to the regional came in 2006. State ranking: In the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches poll, Walsh Jesuit was fourth and Howland was ninth.
Girls Division II
Pairing: Cardinal Mooney (14-4-5) vs. Chagrin Falls (16-1-3) When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Kent Roosevelt High School Other semifinal: Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown (11-4-3) vs. Avon (17-3-0) Regional championship: Saturday, noon, at Medina High School Of note: Mooney tied Chagrin Falls 1-1 on the road on Oct. 6. Chagrin Falls defeated Salem 3-2 for the district championship. Hathaway Brown lost to Mooney 3-1 on August 27. Avon scored 88 goals this year but permitted just 18. Avon lost a regional semifinal in 2007. Defending state champion: In 2007, Hathaway Brown beat Mooney 3-2 in overtime in the regional semifinal then defeated Chagrin Falls 2-1 in the regional final before winning the state title at Columbus Crew Stadium. State ranking: In the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches poll, Chagrin Falls was fourth and Mooney was seventh.
Bill Sullivan