Walsh Jesuit girls soccer wins third consecutive district title with victory over Jackson
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS — When it’s district final season in girls soccer, the littlest things get magnified.
Sometimes its one extra hustle play that can mean the difference. Sometimes it’s the bounce of a ball.
Top-seeded Walsh Jesuit did just enough Thursday in a Division I, Cleveland 1 District final to beat sixth-seeded Jackson 1-0.
The victory pushed the Warriors (13-2-3) to a regional semifinal at Byers Field on Tuesday against District 3 winner Solon, which upset Hudson 2-1. It’s the first time the Comets have reached the round of 16 since 2012, when they made it to the regional final.
It was the third consecutive district title and fourth in the last five seasons for Walsh.
“Our preparation is college level,” Walsh midfielder Reagan Pentz said. “It’s professional level. We’ve got practices specifically on what the team’s shape is going to look like. What our goals are. What we’re going to stop the other team from doing. It’s film sessions. I think our preparation is the difference between us and normal high school players.”
One shot turned the tide for Walsh Jesuit girls soccer
The Polar Bears (13-6) came out fast against the Warriors and trailed just 3-2 in shots on goal in the first half.
That one shot on goal for Walsh found the back of the net when Pentz collected a ball out of the air and beat Lizzie Rozmajzl with 20:47 left in the first half.
It was the only shot they needed against the junior keeper, who had a stellar game in net with eight saves.
“Out of the gate we were fine, but we weren’t used to having to hold that level,” Jackson coach Frank Gagliardi said. “Between anticipation and will, especially as the second half went on, you could see it. I think the first 15-20 [minutes] we were locked in. We just needed to relax to get that last piece. There were times after that where we were just a half step slow.”
Jackson, which had a shot hit the crossbar 23 seconds before the break, didn’t get a shot on frame in the second half, while the Warriors tested Rozmajzl six times.
"It was completely about who wants it more," Walsh keeper Adriana Lika said. "When we got that first goal, our spirits just rose. Everyone wanted it, including everyone on the bench."
Walsh Jesuit about to play Solon girls soccer team with nothing to lose
Next up for the Warriors is Solon, which reversed a 4-1 loss to Hudson just 15 days ago and came out with one-goal victory.
“Every game from here on out is a state final,” Walsh coach Javier Iriart said. “Whether it’s Solon, whether it’s Strongsville, whether it’s the Columbus Crew, we’re preparing for this game as if it’s that state final. That’s the only way you can do it when you’re thinking about winning a state tournament.
"We give credit to Solon. We give Jackson credit for the great season they had. We prepare for Solon just like any other team.”
Jackson girls soccer will come back hungry and ready for more in 2024
While the Polar Bears exit at the district final level for the second season in a row, they’ve won a district title 10 of the last 13 seasons and have plenty of firepower coming back.
Of the seven departing seniors for Jackson, only Emily Adams and Tess Bossart were starters on Thursday.
“The junior class has had a lot of opportunity,” Gagliardi said. “The majority of them have been here since their freshman year. They’ll continue to thrive and gain the experience. There’s some pain there now, but they came with the expectation to win. I’ll give them some days, but there’s some light. There’s a lot of young pieces that are hungry.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: OHSAA girls soccer: Walsh Jesuit returns to round of 16 in Jackson win
