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Canfield looks to break through
By ryan buck
canfield
For a team about to play the biggest game of the year, with its season on the line, the Canfield girls soccer team certainly has a calm appearance.
It should not be a surprise. The Cardinals, ranked eighth in the latest state coaches’ poll, are in a Division II regional championship game for the second consecutive season on top of winning three straight district titles.
Today they will take on Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High with a state semifinal berth at stake.
Last season, Walsh Jesuit eliminated Canfield on the very same field. This year, the Cardinals are right back where they expected to be.
“A lot of the girls on the roster, this is their third time in the regionals and second straight year in the regional final,” said coach Phil Simone. “That experience is a big plus.”
Last year, Canfield knocked off Hathaway Brown, a traditional state power, in double overtime before Walsh Jesuit eliminated the Cardinals on their way to the state title.
Simone, who also led the Canfield boys team to a district title this year, says this time around feels different.
“They’ve come in with experience before and [are] always the underdog by quite a bit,” he said, “and this year it’s pretty even coming in so I think they’re very confident and should be relaxed going in.”
Not only that, the Cardinals (15-2-3) have seen Hathaway Brown (14-3-3) already this season. The Blazers defeated Canfield, 2-0, at their home field at Ursuline College on Sept 21.
“It’s nice to have an idea of how you match up with someone,” Simone said. “We did lose that game, but feel that with some changes and some healthy bodies that we can compete with them and potentially beat them.”
The Cardinals are coming off an emotional overtime win over Richfield Revere in the regional semifinal. They overcame three one-goal deficits to win 4-3 on the blue turf of Ravenna’s Portage Community Bank Stadium Tuesday.
Simone was curious as to whether there would be an emotional letdown, but three practices eased those worries.
As thrilling a game and finish the Cardinals put on, he knew there was work to be done. His team listened.
“The win the other night, we still worked on our defensive shape the last few days trying to tighten that up, but found out that we can come back,” he said. “If we’re down a goal, and we found ourselves down three times, we were able to come back. The girls never quit and we found out their heart is there and they can do it.”
With unprecedented success the past three seasons, another year of facing an impressive non-conference schedule has prepared the Cardinals for this.
Simone was asked what separates the elite teams from the rest.
“That experience,” he said. “Also the mental toughness. Can they handle that?
“And then a lot of times, how healthy a team is and we’re pretty healthy right now so we feel good about that.”
Canfield, led by an offensive attack made up of upperclassmen, averages more than four goals per match. In the tournament, they’ve allowed just over one.
The winner of today’s match will play the winner of another regional final between Rocky River and Celina on Tuesday.