Sunday, October 31, 2010
By Doug Chapin
AUSTINTOWN
Freshman midfielder Seyla Perez scored on a penalty kick and assisted on Howland High’s only other goal as the Tigers defeated top-seeded Fitch High, 2-0, Saturday night in the girls Division I district championship game.
Howland (15-4-1) faces West Geauga (18-0-2) in a regional semifinal on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High.
“I can’t say enough about our girls,” Howland coach Pat Hovance said. “They were focused and we’ve had great practices this week. That’s all you can ask for as a coach.
“To win this district this year with the competition, Poland, Canfield, any one of them could have been here in this game tonight,” Hovance said.
The penalty kick by Perez came at the 19:19 mark of the first half after Olivia Nicholas was fouled in the area. Nicholas was set up on a run toward goal by passes from Taylor Williams and Heather Seagraves.
Less than three minutes later, at 16:30, Perez set up Nicholas who maneuvered against a Fitch defender for a shot from about 15 yards out. Fitch keeper Ali Tolich got a hand on the ball but could not keep it out of the net.
“We talked before the game about how some of our role players had to step up today and they did,” Hovance said. “Especially our freshman, Seyla Perez, she took over the game. I can’t say enough about how she controlled the ball in midlfield and was responsible for our early chances.”
Fitch (15-2-3) had two early opportunities, including a shot off the post less than four minutes into the contest and what Falcon supporters thought should have been a penalty kick about 12 minutes into the first half.
“Unfortunately it took the official until the second half to start calling the fouls, but what are you going to do?” Fitch coach Carlo Trafficante said. “We knew it was going to be a physical game.
“I don’t know if he knew it was going to be a physical game, he’s not from the area. But I thought he missed a few in the first half.”
“If we’re going to play anywhere else around the state, that’s how they [the officials] are going to call it,” Hovance said. “So we were happy to see that kind of play. It did get a little crazy in the second half with how many times the whistle blew, but I have no control over that.”
The Falcons wound up with 22 shots, compared to Howland’s eight. Freshman keeper Emily Price was credited with 11 saves and Ali Tolich had three for Fitch.
Fitch came into the contest 77 goals for and just eight goals against, including a 45-1 margin in nine straight victories before Saturday.
“In the first half as it started getting a little more physical, our girls got out of their game a little bit because they were getting frustrated with the calls and the non-calls,” Trafficante said. “We tried to calm them down at halftime, and they did, and I thought they played with a lot of heart and a lot of passion in the second half.”