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Red Devils’ ‘fantastic’ season ends
By BOB ETTINGER
STREETSBORO
Giving up a goal or making a save early in a regional soccer match can alter a team in immeasurable ways. Campbell fell victim to both an early goal and had an early shot rejected and the Red Devils never recovered in Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Kirtland in a Division III regional final at Quinn Field.
“We were hesitant at times,” Campbell coach Phil Atsas said. “A big momentum shifter is who scores first. They scored the first goal and they had the momentum.
“Kirtland is a very good team and they got the best of us,” Atsas said. “They jumped on us quick on what was a mishap. They did a good job.”
The Red Devils (17-4) were left stunned following the end to just their second season back as a varsity program.
“I’m proud of the kids,” Atsas said. “We had a great year. It was the first time were conference co-champs. It was the first time we won the district.
“We played in a regional final,” he said. “It was a fantastic year. The game is the game. It’s a part of life. Somebody had to win today. There’s a winner by the scoreboard, but the other team, wins, too, if it’s done its best. When you lose, look in a mirror. You can’t cheat yourself. If you did your best, you can live with it.”
Kirtland (17-1-3) will play Archbold (20-1) in a Division III state semifinal Wednesday.
“Independence is in our conference, so we know them very well,” Kirtland coach John Valentic said. “Archbold is very good and there are rumors they have the best kid in the state on their team, so it will be fun.”
Henry Perdomo-Mejia attempted to put Campbell on the board first, but Hornets goalkeeper Tyler Banyasz made the save.
“I think the biggest moment was the save on the shot [Campbell] had in those first couple of minutes,” Valentic said. “That, for me, was the wake-up call we needed. Once that happened, we settled down and the offense got its bearings. That goal we scored [late in the first half] was hard to come back from.”
Moments later, Jeremy Lunka rebounded Josip Mijic-Barisic’s shot off Campbell goalkeeper Miguel Gonzalez’s gloves and tapped it into the net for a 1-0 Kirtland lead in the 10th minute.
Evan Dures drove a stake through the hearts of the Red Devils with a goal in the 38th minute to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead at intermission.
“When they put in that second one, who knows?” Atsas said. “It didn’t completely take the wind from us, but it hurt us quite a bit. That second goal made it a lot tougher on us.”
Campbell attempted just the one shot on goal in the first 40 minutes and went on to attempt just one more the rest of the game.
“[Kirtland] defended well,” Atsas said. “They knew how to cut down the open spaces. When we touched the ball, there were two guys there. It would’ve been a game changer for us if we could’ve snuck one in there in the first half.”
Kyle Lutz scored on a header off an Ethan Garcia corner kick to put the game out of reach, 3-0, in the 32nd minute of the second half. Garcia assisted Lunka in the 38th minute.