State High School Championship match at CCS. If the teams I think are going to be there (and one of them almost screwed the pooch last night) actually make it, there are a couple of exceptional players coming that you will want to be able to say "I saw that kid years ago" I'm no big fan of HS soccer in general. Put another way, it is awful. But this match should be worth your while. And I have two words for you: Xavier Balc.
Yeah, he's VERY American and so are his parents. You're just lucky I didn't mention the kid who plays for CVCA (Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy). He scored three goals last night in an absolute dismantling of a very good Warren (OH) JFK side. He was also the top scorer on the Cleveland Crucnh Jrs. Super Y team that lost the national championship in the final game. CVCA will probably end up playing in CCS as well (Div II) His name is Kai Kasiguran. If anybody down that way is interested in a kickass match before then, Saturday night at Hilliard Davidson: Worthington Thomas Worthington vs. Westerville North. It don't get much better, and you can leer at all the jailbait besides. Good one tonight, too: ppd due to rain last night, Kettering Archbishop Alter vs. Cincinnati Indian Hill (Yuppie scum) at Clayton Northmont.
Why do you think I'm going to put a pool in when my girls hit high school? It's not because I like to swim.
[thinking]Hmmm--Do I dare to get back on topic?[/thinking] Since Dublin Scioto is now out of it, I'd like to see Thomas Worthington take the championship. I think they're a strong team, and my son's youth club coach is Willie -TW's coach. He's a class act.
Sadly, Lefty refuses to share. Willy Merrick is indeed a good guy. Played at Marshall, and in fact actually kicked a field goal for their football team once. True story. He played for the XOGGZ in CBus, which is where I met him, and then for the Indiana Blast. Seems to me he was also with the Invaders when they were in CBus, but I could be wrong. Then again, everybody but Eggy suited up for them at least once, and I'm not even too sure about THAT. As for Scioto, I thought they had a free pass into the regional finals.. Coffman had much the tougher bracket. Losing to Lewis Center was pretty unexpected to be sure. And although I'm always wrong about these things, I'm looking for Hudson/TW in CCS, with Hudson taking it all. Unfortunately, both teams tougher matches may be the regional finals this weekend - North is a very strong side, and Hudson has Lakewood St Ed's. The other four teams are not nearly as strong. But like I said, I'm always wrong. Damned HS kids are so unpredictable.
I KNEW it! Main prerequisite was having a girlfriend who'd pay your bills when the check didn't arrive. But what was it the guy was holding exactly?
And in other news, Kettering Alter SPANKED Cincinnati Indian Hills last night 6 - 0. They'll be pounded by Cinicinnati Turpin on Saturday in Centerville. Death to yuppies. Of course the Walsh Jesuit GIRLS spanked Poland's girls last night as well. Sorry, I don't have photos. Just wanted to start your day off right.
Teams in the Miami Valley must have loved draws this season because there are some strange records coming out of there. Alter, after knocking off Indian Hills, is currently 11-2-7. Earlier in the week the mighty Elks of Centerville (home to Kirk Herbstreit and at least one poster here [Cannonfodder, I think]) fell to Carroll. It was Centerville's first loss of the season, but their record was 9-1-9 or something like that. No pictures of the Poland girls getting spanked? You're slipping, Bill, you're slipping.
Hudson absolutely trashed Lakewood St Ed's last night 5 - 0 and it wasn't that close. St Edward's keeper kept it from being over in the first ten minutes with a couple spectacular, not-to-be-believed saves on Xavier balc, but St Ed's was outshot overall 20 - 3 and you don't win many games that way. Dynamite semis on Tuesday, with Hudson meeting Toledo St John's, who they've already beaten this season, at Cleveland State. Toledo has a good defense and a top-notch keeper ( a bunch of them in Ohio this year) but they just don't have the firepower to overcome a side like the Explorers. Hudson 2 - 0. The other semi will have a strong Cincinnati St Xavier side against defending champion Thomas Worthington. Xavier is very talented, and could pull an upset, but look for TW to ride their experience and maturity to a second straight trip to CCS. TW 2 - 1. Sadly, in a Div III Regional at Canton, CVCA beat Hawken 3 - 0. Pity both teams could not end up in CBus, so you all could see All-Ohio forward Marshall Plow of Hawken. He's the real deal. But they ran into the aforementioned Kai Kasiguran, who scored twice in the first twenty minutes and added a third before the half and CVCA cruised the rest of the way. Next up for Kai and Co. is Kalida Tuesday night. The other semi will pit Worthington Christian against Cincinnati Medeira. Div II may very well have the most interesting matches. A really killer Granville side kicked over Elida last night and will play Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, surprise winner over defending champion and perennial powerhouse Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit. In the other bracket, the Stallions of Columbus DeSales will take on Kettering Alter, a shocking winner over a very tough Cinci Turpin side which many people picked to go all the way. Locations for these games have not been announced.
There's a very real chance of a Central Ohio sweep this year. Two teams in the D2 semis, the defending Champ in D1 (TW beat an Excellent Westerville N team while playing a man down for the last 60), and Worthinton Christian - who would have pounded some D1 teams and has had very balanced scoring. I realize ALL the teams are good at this level, but I 've seen both Granville and WC play and was impressed by the depth of their teams. Both start subbing in the 1st 10min and get stronger as the game goes on.
One interesting thing is the number of private schools in the semis. Every one of them is public vs. private, except Alter/DeSales where they BOTH are private. Division I Madeira vs. Worthington Christian CVCA vs. Kalida Division II Alter vs. Desales (both private) Granville vs. Mooney Division III St. Xavier vs. Worthington St. John's vs. Hudson Where are the big public school systems here? Madeira is a yuppie enclave, and Granville is a VERY expensive area. Worthington is decidedly upscale for sure, and Hudson even more so. So hard as we try, it's still coming down to private academies and upper class suburbs