Clay (Oregon) and Perrysburg girls headline key matches in tomorrow's District Semifinal

Toledo - Top seeds Clay (Oregon) and Perrysburg look to continue their success tomorrow in the District semifinals taking place at two different venues.  In Findlay, the Eagles will look to continue their perfect season but will face a tough test from last year's District champion and second-place TRAC foe Notre Dame Academy;  Clay took care of NDA in their regular season tilt 3-1 on three first half goals to take control of the TRAC championship they wrapped up on the final game in the conference by defeating Findlay 1-0. In the second semifinal will have the Lady Kats of Sylvania Northview taking on the Arrows of St. Ursula Academy - Sylvania Northview defeated the Arrows at Timberstone in September 1-0 in a contest that did not see many clear opportunities on goal except for the one senior Megan Kupetz was able to convert; as for the Arrows it has been an up-and-down season with injuries and inconsistency but expect the Arrows to give Northview all they can handle to advance to Thursday's final in Findlay.  In Sylvania on the campus of Timberstone Middle School - Anthony Wayne will look to continue their winning ways entering Monday evening's tilt with Findlay. Last year's District champion and Regional finalist are looking to play in their third straight district final but a feisty and hungry Findlay will look to spoil the Generals' run - in the second semifinal the Yellow Jackets of Perrysburg will take on the Ashland Arrows. Perrysburg who has been lead by their goal-scoring duo of senior Allex Brown and junior Beth Glowacki and strong defending from senior Lindy DeLong and junior Bri Boyd the Jackets will look to continue their postseason successes. Ashland will enter the semifinal with a record of 9-5-2 and look to give the Jackets all they can handle - so many quality games going on tomorrow and looking forward to see what two teams will propel themselves to the District final on Thursday.

#nwoSOCCERweekly

Deeb's first half goal keeps NDA's TRAC title hopes alive

Toledo - Notre Dame Academy has been scratching and clawing all season for their season-changing moment...key losses to Sylvania Northview, Rocky River Magnificat, Perrysburg and Clay (Oregon) made some people doubt their ability to get a big win - well on a sunny and breezy night Notre Dame's season changing moment came in the early minutes of the game. In the the 9th minute the Eagles were in transition when junior forward Dena Deeb broke through the Findlay back four and was pulled down on a clear goal-scoring opportunity - seconds later Deeb finished off a brilliantly placed indirect free kick from Emily Kozak giving the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.  "We took advantage of what we had, and we did a very good job of getting the ball in behind and pressuring them (creating unforced errors)" said Deeb after scoring the lone goal in the match.  "It's a big win for us and gives us the the right momentum going into our final games of the season". Findlay created some problems at times for the Eagles and right after Deeb's goal Findlay winger and senior Amanda Kovaleski broke through and put a quality shot on frame - testing the outstretched hands of junior NDA goalkeeper Ahalya Rai.  In the second half - NDA looked to be the aggressors and test the Findlay goalkeeper junior Marissa Wintrow, Deeb's volley chance went wide off of a set-piece and sophomore Julia Spencer saw her lofted shot hit the top bar to almost increase their lead to two. NDA head coach Chip Smith was very pleased with the result and the effort the Eagles played with "We knew it would be a tight game and we have been harping these last couple of weeks just play hard, be intense and have a good attitude, this was a great win for us and played really hard and keeps us alive for a TRAC title - we have a lot of respect for Findlay and how they play and they are a very organized and play hard" said Smith, the Eagles (7-4-2) will finish with a very tough stretch but will play local rivals at home hosting Anthony Wayne and TRAC rival St. Ursula Academy and on the road with Cincinnati power Mt. Notre Dame.  Findlay's head coach David LaRocco was impressed with their play but knows they can be better "We gotta go back to work and fix the mistakes (a couple unforced errors and one that led to their goal) - and we gotta get better in front of goal with our opportunities and finish them" said LaRocco. Findlay (6-3-3) will finish with Sylvania Southview, Maumee, a big tilt on Wednesday with Clay to keep them alive for a TRAC title, and finish with a make-up versus Lima Senior. 

#nwoSOCCERweekly

NWO Soccer Weekly Match of the Week (Three Rivers Athletic Conference - #4 Oregon Clay vs. Tol. Notre Dame Academy)

Tale of the tape

Oregon Clay

10-0-0 (overall) 3-0-0 (TRAC)

GF (Goals for): 37 (3.70 goals a game)

GA (Goals against):  7 (0.70 goals against)

Key Players: Karleigh Clere (Sophomore, FW, 11g, 14a), Sydney Hess (Junior, MF), Sami Heintschel (Sophomore, DF), Kara Simon (Senior, MF), Reagan Clark (Freshman, MF)

Key wins: St. Ursula Academy (Toledo), Avon Lake, Brecksville-Broadview Hts

Notes:  This could possibly be head coach Scott Wamer's best team he has had in Clay girls' soccer history - rated #4 in Ohio in Division I this very young but extremely talented group have lived beyond expectation to become one of the most dangerous teams not only in NW Ohio but the State. Majority of their big wins have been away from Sanderson Field on the campus of Clay High School - defeating NWO powerhouse St. Ursula Academy, and beating most recently an undefeated Brecksville-Broadview Hts team (that had no blemish on their record prior to their tilt).  "We have put a lot of work in this program, but like we have said to the girls...we haven't done anything yet" said Scott Wamer, the only coach in the program's history.  Wamer, in his 24th year of coaching both soccer and track at Clay has put blood, sweat, and tears into this program and has seen the benefits coming from it. "We now have the girls playing at a high-level all year round which we did not have years back, it's a great feeling to see them having fun and taking this as an honor to see where our progress has come as a whole". Leading the way for the Eagles are a sophomore tandem about as good as any other in the State in forward Karleigh Clere (11g, 14a) and central defender Sami Heintschel (4g, 8a) - Heintschel as a Freshman last year was a first-team All-TRAC selection while Clere received second-team honors a year ago, seniors Jenna Kidd, Kara Simon and Alyssa Heck are the veterans for the Eagles and give them quality wherever they are on the pitch. Freshmen Reagan Clark has become the missing piece to puzzle for the Eagles with her overall technical ability and has set up many goals going forward for the Eagles. "We have a lot of respect for Notre Dame and Chip Smith, it has become a rivalry between our programs and we are looking forward to the challenge Wednesday evening with a top-notch program".

Notre Dame Academy

5-3-2 overall 3-0-0 (TRAC)

GF (Goals for): 27 (2.70 goals a game)

GA (Goals against): 10 (1.00 goals a game)

Key Players: Dena Deeb (Junior, FW/MF), Kate Foster (Senior, DF) Halee Roberts (Junior, DF), Mady Parks (Senior, FW), Julia Spencer (Sophomore, MF/FW)

Key win: Granville

Notes: It has been an up and down year for fourth-year head coach Chip Smith, but he believes a season-changing moment is in the horizon for his young Eagles.  Last year NDA almost ran the table after winning the TRAC and their first ever District title in school history before being knocked out of the regionals by Anthony Wayne, but this year the Eagles stumbled out of the blocks a bit after taking a loss to Sylvania Northview (#2 in the NWO Soccer Weekly Power Poll), drew a very tough Hathaway Brown team and then losing to last year's state semifinalist in Division I Rocky River Magnificat (who Coach Smith was pleased with their overall performance after the defeat).  Knowing the Eagles play daunting schedule, this could easily be the season-changing moment for them coming into the highly anticipated match with the #4 ranked team in Ohio.  Pacing the Eagles this fall is one of the most dangerous players in the District in junior Dena Deeb (14, 5a) who can create problems for the Clay defense - if that can happen it will free up senior attacker Mady Parks (8g, 0a) and the sophomore tandem of Julia Spencer (0g, 2a) and Gwyn Ledrick. At the back for the Eagles, they are steadied by senior Kate Foster and junior Halee Roberts who are physical and have tremendous pace that can stay with any team they are playing against. "We know what we are capable of doing, just need to show up and do it consistently" said Chip Smith - "This Clay team is for real and we know they are going to come out and be ready - we have to match their intensity, take risks, and make our opportunities we have count".  Moments like this do not happen too many times in the season - but can this be the moment the Eagles save their season and collect that signature win...we will have to wait and see at 6PM .

Game time at 6PM

at Sanderson Field (located behind Clay High School)

#nwoSOCCERweekly

#nwoSOCCERweeklyGAMEofTHEweek

#TRACtion