HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENTS Mooney advances

By John Bassetti

Cardinals pull away in 2nd half

Mooney will play Poland in the Division II district final on Saturday.

CANFIELD — Due to sloppy field conditions at the Valley Sports Complex, Mooney’s home soccer game against Lakeview was moved to Canfield High’s stadium.

Even there, all signs pointed toward all things Mooney.

The scoreboard automatically displayed “Go Cards” during the game and Mooney’s goal total registered under the permanent Cardinals sign.

But on the field, Lakeview had the Cardinals in a tight spot.

Andrew Gardner had just scored with 0:19 seconds remaining in the first half to tie the game, 1-1.

But 10 minutes into the second half, Tom Beck scored the tie-breaker and then the senior sealed the outcome with 8:40 left as Mooney won, 3-1, in the Division II district semifinal.

Sophomore Clay Hicks had the game’s first goal for the Cardinals (9-7-2), who play at Poland on Saturday in the district title game at 7 p.m.

Sean Sikich had two assists for Mooney.

“We came out strong in the second half, which is what we needed to do,” said Mooney coach Larry Lencyk. “I felt they had the momentum after scoring that goal [late in the first half], so we had to come out and score that second goal and start to put the game away. Obviously, it took a little bit longer than I thought.”

Mooney controlled the ball through most of the game as Lakeview goalie sophomore Alex Rosowicz had 16 saves. Mooney keeper Dave Perry needed to make very few stops, although Gardner’s goal put a scare in the Cardinals.

“The possession was there, the shots were there and the defense was there,” said Lencyk. “We just have to do a better job of finishing.”

Beck needed no assist on his first second-half goal, which was delivered from the left side of Lakeview’s goal to the right side of it with 30:40 remaining.

“I was on the left side at the touch line, then cut in,” said Beck. “Then there was an opening and I slid it in the back post,” he said of the kick off of his right foot. “It was a little tap into the back post that the goalie left open.”

The second and last goal for Beck, a center attacking midfielder, was scored from the right side.

“It was a cross from Sean [Sikich],” Beck said of the ball which came from the left side of the goal. “It started with a throw-in, which came back [because Lakeview (11-4-3) cleared it in front of the goal], then I was wide open and just knocked it in,” Beck said of tapping the ball with his right foot.

Sikich took his turn describing the game’s final goal.

“Our throw-in was cleared, but then I just knocked the ball past the guy [who cleared it] and I saw Tom making a run in and I decided to swing it in. Fortunately, it worked out.”

Sikich, a center back, said his left-footed cross was from 15 yards out.

Hicks’ goal came at 9:48.

“You could say I had the assist,” Sikich said. “The kid hit the ball off of me and it went to him [Hicks] and he scored. I didn’t really do anything. It was just lucky.”

Beck leads the Cardinals in scoring with a dozen, followed by next-best scorer Chris Felker.

Mooney beat West Branch for the Div. II district title in 2008, then lost to Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in the regional semifinal. However, CVCA is in Div. III this year.

Lencyk said that Saturday’s game is a big obstacle toward getting back to the regional.

“If we are fortunate enough to get through [Poland], we wouldn’t have to face CVCA because they’re the ones who knocked us out the last two years in the regional semifinal. If we play to our potential, I feel good about our chances.”

Lakeview coach Nate Mailach said that his Bulldogs had to contend with Mooney’s skill.

“There’s no secret what we were going to do. We wanted to pump the ball up the field and try to outrun somebody and see if you can either draw a foul or stick one in the net. We had the momentum going [with the late first-period score] but the worst thing that happened to us was halftime — it took all the momentum away and some guys started getting sore and some guys who were sick started coughing. But Mooney’s got a good team,” Mailach said, especially of Eric Ehrenberg.

“He was all over the field and a pain in our side.”

Gardner’s goal came as a result of Jeremy Shaw’s indirect kick from about 20 yards out.

It was Gardner’s 11th goal.

“We don’t have one superstar and that’s what we were preaching from the beginning: that we could beat you 7 or 8 different ways, so it’s difficult to mark us, but he [Gardner] was our main option tonight.”

Gardner said the Bulldogs overachieved for the most part.

“A lot of people had us winning four or five games after losing 12 seniors last year. Our senior captains led the way and we won another conference title and it was a very successful season.”

Of Rosowicz, a sophomore, has come a long way.

“He was probably the biggest question mark at the beginning of the season,” Mailach said. “But he’s going to be one of the best around [the next two years].”