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Early scoring paces Hubbard in semifinal win
Hubbard earns record shutout in rainy semifinal vs. West Geauga
By BOB ETTINGER
TWINSBURG
Hubbard senior Mike VanSuch might have experienced a bit of deja vu after scoring in the opening minutes of the Eagles’ Division II regional semifinal battle with Chesterland West Geauga on Wednesday night. That feeling was later replaced with something much better as Hubbard toppled the Wolverines, 2-0 in its first regional appearance.
“I had a dream just like that [goal] last night,” VanSuch said. “We do that in practice all the time. The ball went out to A.J. I saw him. He saw me. He played the perfect ball to me and I got the perfect touch and put it in the corner.”
VanSuch settled the Eagles into the match with a goal on an assist from A.J. Trobek in the fifth minute.
“The way the game started, both teams were pressuring,” Hubbard coach Cory Reinard said. “There was a little bit of control for both teams. That goal settled out nerves. Once they were settled, we were able to play our game. It helped us play the possession game we normally do.”
The Eagles (19-0-1) will play Richfield Revere in the championship match on Saturday at 3 p.m. at a site yet to be determined.
“We know they’ll be tough,” Reinard said. “They’re seasoned. They’ve been here time and time again. That’s what the playoffs are. That’s what the challenge is. The boys are ready for that challenge.”
That first goal was all Hubbard needed to carry it through the next 75 minutes.
“That was a big morale boost,” Trobek said. “We usually start really slow. That kept our spirit high for the entire 80 minutes.”
Dominic Colella faced just two shots on goal in securing the Eagles’ team-record ninth shutout.
“That was lockdown,” Reinard said. “[The defenders] were tight and they were organized. They were getting inside the gaps. We noticed how they liked to play it through [to the forwards]. The wings did a good job. A goalkeeper wants to face as few shots as possible.”
Jacob Gulu provided some insurance for the Eagles off an assist from Trobek in the 33rd minute of the second half.
“I dribbled down and played it to a teammate,” Gulu said. “He chipped it in and, luckily, I got to it, and I got it in. We needed that goal. Having just a one-goal lead, the game could easily turn. It helped how we were playing to have that goal.”
The goal knocked the wind from the Wolverines (12-7-1).
“The second goal definitely helps,” Reinard said. “But 2-0 is never a safe place. T helped the boys kill the game, especially the way they were playing and with just eight minutes left. You could see by [West Geauga’s] body language it got to them. It was a lot more uplifting for us. Anything can happen in eight minutes, but the way we were playing, it made it very difficult [for West Geauga].”