Mooney soccer falls in OT, 1-0

Mentor Lake Catholic won its first regional title and moved on to the state semis.

By DOUG CHAPIN

Vindicator Correspondent

LYNDHURST — The nature of postseason play in Ohio high school athletics — single-elimination tournaments — lends itself to the sudden end of a team’s season.

In soccer, that feeling is intensified when a match goes into overtime. If your opponent scores, you can’t come back to tie. The game is over and so is your season.

The Cardinal Mooney High boys soccer team experienced those feelings Saturday night in a 1-0 overtime loss to Mentor Lake Catholic in the Division II regional championship game at Brush High School.

“I told the seniors to be proud of what they have accomplished,” Mooney coach Larry Lencyk said. “They were one of only eight teams left in the state. A lot of people wrote us off because we lost so many players from last year.

“I thanked the seniors for their leadership, for being coaches on the field. We have a lot of young players and they encouraged them and helped them and gave them direction. And they put the team on their shoulders, they carried them this far, to the final eight. It’s quite an accomplishment. I’m proud of all of them.”

Emmanuel Valderrama scored on a header off a throw-in from Ben Bukoves with 6:20 remaining in the first 15-minute overtime session to send Lake (15-4-2) into the state semifinals.

The Cougars had a 13-8 edge in shots, including a 9-3 edge in shots on goal. Mooney keeper David Perry had seven saves.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t give up the long-distance shot,” Lencyk said. “They have some dangerous players, but we wanted to play our game and shut down that long shot, and we did.

“We had scouted Lake and they pretty much did what they had done in the past. They attack with one or two players and just defend, hoping that something like this happens.”

Lake Catholic had not won a district title until this season, while the Cardinals (11-8-2) have an impressive tournament record over the last decade.

“Lake beat Chagrin Falls and then they beat Walsh Jesuit to get here so they’re for real,” Lencyk said. “The Chagrin Falls coach, who’s been there for over 30 years, said that’s the best team he’s had since he’s been there and this team [Lake] beat him.

“I was happy with the way we played, just not with the end result. I thought we could put it away. We had opportunities. I thought we out-shot them, I thought we out-played them. For the most part possession was good and our defense was good.”

Mooney’s best chance to win came with 3:23 remaining in regulation when Thomas Beck fired from about 12 yards out but had his shot deflected over the crossbar.

The Cardinals foiled the Cougars’ best scoring chance in regulation when senior defender Cory Ryhal slid across the goal mouth to block a shot. The shot came off a rebound after Perry made an initial save on Lake’s Jake Alicea.