Girls Division III
Zschuppe’s Hat Trick Lifts Kirtland to Division III Girls Soccer State Title; Hornets defeat Cincinnati Country Day 3-2 (OT)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kirtland junior Erika Zschuppe became the second player in OHSAA girls soccer state championship history to record a hat trick, lifting Kirtland to its first girls soccer state title in a 3-2 (OT) victory over Cincinnati Country Day in the 2020 OHSAA Division III girls soccer state final at MAPFRE Stadium on Friday, November 13.
Zschuppe’s three goals marked the second time in OHSAA girls soccer state championship history in which a player has notched a hat trick, and the first time since Cincinnati Summit Country Day’s Addy Smythe scored three goals in the 2015 OHSAA Division III girls soccer state final.
Kirtland used the offensive attack from Zschuppe and 10-save performance from senior goalkeeper Corinne Aquila to help earn its first girls soccer state championship.
Cincinnati Country Day (17-1-4) finished the match with 13 shots on goal, and were led offensively by sophomore Sydney Bortz and freshman Piper Farris, who scored one goal apiece for CCD.
Zschuppe put Kirtland (19-1-3) ahead 1-0 at the 27:18 mark of the first half, scoring on a right-footed strike off an assist from junior Giuliana Vladic. Stingy defense from the Hornets and six first half saves from senior goalkeeper Corinne Aquila helped Kirtland to a one-goal lead at halftime.
Country Day scored two goals within 35 seconds of one another early in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. A chip from CCD’s Bortz tied the match, and Farris’ goal put Country Day in front by a goal, just over 48 minutes into the contest.
Kirtland’s Zschuppe equalized less than two minutes later, scoring with a one-touch finish to tie the match at 2-2 with 29:52 left in the second half.
Back-and-forth action saw the match go to overtime, where Zschuppe completed her hat trick, scoring on a breakaway to lift the Hornets to their first OHSAA girls soccer state title.
Girls Division II
Mansfield Madison Comprehensive captures first girls soccer state championship, tops Granville 2-1 in Division II State Final
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mansfield Madison Comprehensive put the exclamation point on an undefeated season and earned its first OHSAA girls soccer state title, topping Granville 2-1 in the 2020 OHSAA Division II Girls Soccer State Championship on Friday, November 13 at MAPFRE Stadium.
The Rams (21-0-3) were led by freshman Naveah Lewis, who notched a brace to become one of just nine players to score two goals in an OHSAA Division II girls soccer state final. Madison senior Ashleigh Bechtel and senior Taylor Huff each finished with assists for the Rams, who were making their second-straight appearance in an OHSAA state final.
Granville (19-1-2) was playing in its second OHSAA girls soccer state final since 2015, and its third girls soccer state championship all-time. Blue Aces sophomore Ella Schneider scored Granville’s goal, with senior Maddie Shoaps notching the assist.
Madison Comprehensive struck first. Just over two minutes into the match, Lewis scored on an assist from Bechtel, putting the Rams up 1-0.
Granville evened the contest with 7:38 left until halftime, when Schneider scored on a header with an assist from Shoaps to equalize, 1-1.
Lewis found the back of the net for the second time for Madison Comprehensive just over eight minutes into the second half. Off a free kick, Lewis was able to score, recording a brace and giving the Rams a 2-1 lead.
Madison Comprehensive goalkeeper Paige Eldridge finished the contest with six saves, and the Rams’ one-versus-one defense was solid throughout the second half en route to victory.
Girls Division I
Strongsville bests Lewis Center Olentangy 3-1, wins fifth girls soccer state title
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Strongsville captured its fifth girls soccer state crown after defeating Lewis Center Olentangy 3-1 in the 2020 OHSAA Division I girls soccer state championship at MAPFRE Stadium on Friday, November 13.
The Mustangs (20-0-0) capped off a perfect season to bring home state title number five, second-most in OHSAA girls soccer.
Lewis Center Olentangy (18-3-2) was making its first trip to an OHSAA girls soccer state championship. The Braves were led offensively by sophomore Lexi White, who scored the goal for Olentangy, and senior captain Kylee Beinecke, who recorded the assist.
Strongsville junior Coley Sidloski, senior Shelby Sallee and sophomore Taylor Demmerle each finished with goals for the Mustangs. Sidloski also finished with a pair of assists for Strongsville, while junior Libby Majka also recorded an assist.
Sallee opened the scoring for Strongsville just 6:26 into the contest. After a shot by Sidloski was deflected, Sallee found the back of the net off the rebound to put Strongsville ahead, 1-0.
Olentangy equalized the match 16:25 into the first half, after White scored on a pass from Beinecke to tie the contest at 1-1.
A Strongsville goal from Demmerle on an assist from Sidloski just before half gave the Mustangs a 2-1 lead heading into the break.
Strongsville held a 22-4 shot advantage on the night, and that advantage was illustrated through a third goal with just over 15 minutes to play. A chip pass from Majka found its way to the right foot of Sidloski, who put a well-struck ball into the back of the net for Strongsville’s third goal of the evening, sealing the 3-1 victory and fifth Mustang state title.
Boys Division III
Cincinnati Mariemont claims first boys soccer state title, defeats Youngstown Cardinal Mooney 4-1 in Division III State Championship
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cincinnati Mariemont capped off an unblemished season with the school’s first boys soccer state title, topping Youngstown Cardinal Mooney 4-1 in the 2020 OHSAA Division III boys soccer state championship at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday, November 14.
Mariemont (23-0-0) outshot Cardinal Mooney (16-3-4) by a 19-11 margin, and scored three second-half goals en route to victory.
Leading the way for the Warriors was senior captain Luke Brothers, who notched a second half brace and an assist. Senior Jimmy Sauter and junior Henry Buck each found the back of the net for Mariemont.
Cardinal Mooney was making its fourth appearance in an OHSAA boys soccer state championship game, and its first trip since 2005. Scoring for the Cardinals was senior Justin Durkin.
Mariemont held Cardinal Mooney without a shot on goal through the first 40 minutes, and its first half efforts were reflected by a 1-0 scoreline at the break. Sauter put a left-footed shot into the back of the net off a well-placed pass from Brothers with just over six minutes until halftime, giving Mariemont a one-goal lead going into the locker room.
Brothers continued to make an impact in the second half, recording a brace in less than 60 seconds to increase Mariemont’s lead to 3-0. A well-timed pass by senior captain Nick Comer found the right foot of Brothers, whose one-time finish put the Warriors ahead 2-0 at the 53:06 mark of the match. Just 40 seconds later, Brothers scored again to put Mariemont ahead by three goals.
Junior Henry Buck added a goal from long-range to increase the Mariemont advantage to four goals with just over 23 minutes remaining. Cardinal Mooney got on the scoreboard with just over two minutes left in the game on a header from Durkin, but the Warriors went on to capture their first boys soccer state crown by a final tally of 4-1.
Boys Division II
Warren Howland wins first boys soccer state championship, bests Tipp City Tippecanoe 5-0 in rematch of Division II boys soccer state final
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In a rematch of the 2019 OHSAA Division II boys soccer state championship, Warren Howland topped Tipp City Tippecanoe 5-0 in the 2020 Division II state final, claiming its first boys soccer state crown on Saturday, November 14 at MAPFRE Stadium.
Howland (22-0-1) held a 10-2 shot on goal advantage over TIppecanoe (23-1-0) and used four second half goals to earn the victory.
Tippecanoe was making its second-straight appearance in the Division II state final.
Leading the way for Howland was senior Jordan Sperling, who recorded a second half brace. Tiger senior Tristen Rose and juniors Gabe Lisi and Kylan Mowatt-Larssen each found the back of the net for Howland.
Just over two minutes before halftime, Lisi scored for Howland on an assist from senior Gabriel Altawil to put the Tigers ahead 1-0 going into the break.
Howland controlled possession and tempo in the second half en route to scoring four goals over the course of the final 40 minutes. Mowatt-Larssen tucked one away into the lower left corner at the 43:37 mark to make it 2-0, and Sperling tallied his brace with goals at 53:33, and 61:01, to increase the advantage to 4-0. Rose put the finishing touches on the Tigers’ victory, scoring goal number five at 77:23 for Howland.
Boys Division I
Cleveland St. Ignatius captures 10th boys soccer state championship, defeats New Albany 4-1 in Division I state final
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cleveland St. Ignatius defeated New Albany 4-1 in the 2020 OHSAA Division I boys soccer state championship on Saturday, November 14 at MAPFRE Stadium to secure its 10th boys soccer state title, most in the state of Ohio.
The Wildcats (21-0-0) earned their second-straight boys soccer state championship and their third state crown since 2016. St. Ignatius held a 19-7 shot advantage over New Albany (18-4-1), which was making its first state final appearance.
Leading the way for St. Ignatius was sophomore Nolan Spicer, who tallied a brace - scoring the first goal of the match and the third goal for the Wildcats. St. Ignatius senior Marko Rimac and junior Luciano Pechota also notched goals for the Navy & Gold.
New Albany junior Henri Heyes scored for the Eagles, and senior Jakob Bering tallied the assist.
St. Ignatius wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Spicer struck just 2:51 into the contest to put the Wildcats ahead, 1-0.
Less than five minutes later, Rimac increased the St. Ignatius advantage to 2-0 with fantastic footwork and touch around the box, as the Wildcats took a two-goal lead into the locker room.
New Albany cut its deficit in half just under two minutes into the second half when Heyes scored on a header off a corner kick, making it 2-1 St. Ignatius.
St. Ignatius, however, would add two more goals to cap off the night and unbeaten season. Spicer showcased a brilliant display of speed and skill at the 59:34 mark of the match, winning the ball and taking it right through the center of New Albany’s backline, increasing the St. Ignatius advantage to 3-1.
Pechota put the finishing touches on the state championship for St. ignatius at 77:25, scoring on an assist from junior Josip Rimac to make it 4-1 Wildcats.