Eagles edge North Royalton, 1-0, to reach girls soccer regional finals

RAVENNA, Ohio—It’s a simple formula, really. And it’s one that could take Avon’s girls soccer team far.

Step one: get your superstar, Ohio State commit Sydney Thomas, to electrify things by bursting through the opposing defense to score an early goal.

Step two: rely on your smothering defense to not give the opponent as much as a whiff of your goal.

Step three: celebrate another victory.

Playing in a Division II regional semifinal Nov. 3 at Ravenna High School, the Eagles followed that formula to a T, taking a hard-fought 1-0 victory over North Royalton. Next up for 14-3-2 Avon is a regional final matchup at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jeromesville Hillsdale High School against Sylvania Northview.

However, coach Attila Csiszar was not especially pleased with how his team played.

“That was hectic,” he said. “I almost had five heart attacks on the sidelines. The ball was bouncing everywhere, going back and forth. They pressed us, and we struggled to play the ball on the ground and play our game.”

Despite the fact that the Eagles reached the regionals finals last year and played several matches against outstanding teams this season, they still played a very nervous match.

But at least they had Thomas come through, giving them an early leg up on the Bears. The junior found the nets just under 10 minutes into the match, using her astounding speed to befuddle the North Royalton defense as well as goalkeeper Juliet Reinhardt.

“That was very important,” Csiszar said. “It helps with the psyche. Once you’re up, you feel a little more confident. But being up 1-0 in this type of game, this type of environment, it’s anyone’s game. The nerves were there from the minute we started until the time we ended. We didn’t settle in, and the longer it takes for us to settle in, the harder it’s going to be once we get deeper into the playoffs.”

Csiszar kept urging his players to relax and slow down, but it didn’t really work.

“I feel like we were panicked,” Thomas said. “We got that first goal, and then we were panicking. We were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. We were just defending, defending, defending when we should have been playing our game and attacking. It wasn’t our best game, but you know what? We got the next, and we’re going to fix it.”

Thomas’ goal was another example of why she has been recruited by some of the top college programs in the country. Defender Ashlyn Hider sent a long, curling pass in the direction of Thomas, but there was a little problem of three defenders being between her and the ball. Her solution often is to use her outstanding speed, which she did again, jetting through the defenders.

“Ashlyn Hider … great assist,” Thomas said. “She played it through, and I could kind of see it. I knew she was going to kick it over, and the defense was flat-footed. I knew it was curving and I could run. I timed it. I just said, 1-2-3, and I hit it back post and low where the goalie couldn’t get it.”

It’s the type of play that Csiszar has grown accustomed to seeing from his star player.

“Syd’s just a train,” he said. “She’s like a locomotive. I would not want to be in her way when she takes off. She’s going to Ohio State for a reason. The girls is that good. She causes a lot of disruption and chaos.”

After Thomas completed step one, it was time for the defense of Olivia Sabo-Alexander, Campbell O’Malley, Hider, Eva Cseh, Kaitlyn Buchino and goalkeeper Haylee Ostrander to move into step two.

North Royalton came into the match as a hot team, having won or tied its last eight matches. However, the Bears and star Draya Sanders were unable to muster much of anything against Avon’s stout defense.

“I think we were very strong on the ball,” said Sabo-Alexander. “Everybody worked together. Credits to Campbell, Ashlyn, Eva and Kaitlyn. They did amazing. And Haley for saving our butts back there.”

Ostrander didn’t have a lot of action, but she did make two key plays. With about 19 minutes to play in the first half, North Royalton had a semi-breakaway, but the Avon junior sprinted off her line and slid into the ball before anything could be done with it. Later, about midway through the second half, the Bears powered a shot from long range that appeared to be heading to the top of Avon’s goal, but Ostrander tipped it into the crossbar, and the defense cleared it away.

“I think we’ve got a solid defensive line,” Csiszar said. “Olivia and Campbell, they know each other well and they do a really nice job of when one’s marking, the other one’s tucked behind. Their communication’s good. Having a senior back there like Olivia, who’s technical and has a big foot to clear it out of danger, that’s a benefit to us.”

So now it’s on to the regional final, the point where Avon’s season ended last year with an overtime loss to eventual state champion Whitehouse Anthony Wayne. Ironically, Northview lost to the Generals twice during the regular season, 2-0 and 1-0, but came up with a 1-0 upset in their district final. Avon also played Anthony Wayne this season and the match ended in a 1-1 tie.