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IN THE CARDS
Canfield has experience, balance on its side
All offseason, the Canfield High School girls soccer team was forced to relive a crushing 2-1 overtime loss to Hathaway Brown in the Division II Region 5 final.
It was the Cardinals’ second straight regional final exit — the first coming to Walsh Jesuit in 2012.
With the memory of Hathaway Brown celebrating in front of them still fresh in their minds, Canfield began the 2014 season by thumping the Blazers, 5-0.
“We came out on fire in that game because of that [memory] I think,” Cardinals coach Phil Simone said. “I know it’s been in the back of their minds and I think this group of girls is motivated to get over that hump, so to speak.”
The Cardinals will play in their fourth consecutive regional semifinal tonight at Brush High School. Despite being on the same side of the regional bracket as nemesis Hathaway Brown, Canfield will face newcomer Mentor Lake Catholic at 7 p.m. for a berth in the regional final.
“We just finished up practice and we talked to the girls about the other team,” Simone said on Monday. “This is [Lake Catholic’s] first regional game with this group.
“They’re a little young, while a lot of our girls have been there three or four times, so we have to use that to our advantage.”
The second-seeded Cougars (14-3-2) earned their way to a regional semifinal by defeating Jefferson 9-0, Geneva 7-1 and then Hathaway Brown 1-0 in the district final.
The top-seeded Cardinals (15-4) advanced by way of shutout victories over LaBrae (6-0), West Branch (1-0) and Niles (3-0).
“The first five minutes is crucial,” Simone said. “If we come out firing on all cylinders, and get after them a little bit, I think that’s when our experience will play a big advantage.”
It also helps to have a balanced scoring attack, which is a big reason why the Cardinals have been so successful this season. They are led by three different goal scorers, which on any given night, the offense can run through.
Senior Bailey Fischer leads the team with 17 goals and 17 assists. Then it’s a pair of sisters, Sophia (senior) and Anita (sophomore) Mancini, who are second and third.
Sophia has 17 goals and five assists, while Anita has 17 goals and three helpers.
“I think that balance is part of the problem that other team’s have with us,” Simone said. “Teams can’t just shut down one kid, because someone else will be there to fill in the production.”
If the Cardinals defense continues to play the way it did in the district tournament, one goal from the offense will be enough. The unit has yet to allow opposing teams to score in three games.
“We’ve talked about it,” Simone said. “The old saying of defense wins championships is something we believe in.
“We asked the girls to tighten up defensively a little and I think they’ve responded.”
Mooney vs. Rootstown
Fifty-seven goals would be a respectable total for some teams over the course of a season.
For Cardinal Mooney senior Julie Vazquez, that’s her individual goal total for 2014.
The high-scoring Cardinals will try and shoot their way into the Division III, Region 9 final when they take on tournament Cinderella Rootstown.
The regional semifinal will be played tonight at 7 at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.
The sixth-seeded Rovers (10-7-2) upset district top-seed Warren JFK in the opening round. That was followed by shutouts against Garfield and Champion.
The top-seeded Cardinals (15-3-1) have outscored their opponents 28-3 in three tournament games so far.