DII boys soccer: Woodridge shot down by Tigers

Pat Galbincea, Plain Dealer Reporter, October 29, 2008 10:11 a.m.

Chagrin Falls' Bob Casarona celebrates with teammates Tuesday after scoring a goal in the Tigers' win over Woodridge - (Joshua Gunter/The PD)

One fact always remains true in soccer -- you can't win if you don't get shots on goal.

It was the biggest reason Chagrin Falls blanked Woodridge, 3-0, Tuesday night in a boys Division II regional semifinal game at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School. The victorious Tigers (18-1-1) outshot the Bulldogs, 14-3, and none of Woodridge's shots threatened Chagrin Falls junior goalie Taylor Mendel.

On the other hand, Woodridge (10-6-4) senior goalie Josh Cunningham made nine outstanding saves and kept the final score respectable -- a fact duly noted by Tigers coach Mario Gerhardt and Woodridge coach Ben Balc.

"Josh was outstanding," said Balc, the father of ex-Hudson High stars Adrian and Xavier. "I thought the biggest difference in this game was that Chagrin Falls is used to playing on Astroturf. We weren't. We tried training on a basketball floor, but the cold weather and wind made the ball fly even faster than we expected tonight. Our players couldn't adjust to the speed. Chagrin Falls is tough . . . they have good speed and soccer skills."

That was apparent from the start. The Tigers scored four minutes into the game when junior Bob Casarona's left-footed corner kick was headed in by another junior, Chris Litzler.

The Tigers controlled the ball much of the game with excellent short passes and foot skills displayed by seniors Vince Coleman and Kyle Hayes and junior Andy Garvin. Gerhardt said he was impressed with Woodridge's midfielders -- seniors Brad Norval, Evan Bunch and Jon Knight in particular -- but the Tigers' defensive backfield of Litzler, sophomore Cory Ricketts, junior Chris Flesher and senior David Fullmer made sure Mendel stayed inactive.

Mendel made only two saves. The first came with 18:58 left in the half when Knight's 25-yard floating effort into the wind was easily snared. Woodridge's best chance to score was in the last five minutes, when junior Chady Abouabdullah's shot from 10 yards dribbled off his foot and wide of the far post.

The Tigers, who will play defending state champion Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in the regional finals Saturday, 3 p.m., at Brush High, got two other goals from Casarona and Hayes, and kept Cunningham busy particularly in the second half.

"Cunningham made some great saves, but I thought we could have shot even more than we did," said Gerhardt, who founded the Tigers soccer program 38 years ago. "Casarona is one who needs to shoot more. He is dangerous off corners because he kicks well with either leg. I also think we were used to playing on a turf field and Woodridge wasn't. They're not a bad team."

Casarona did score with 17:35 left in the half, when he got to a deflection inside the box and whistled a shot from 15 yards inside the right post. Hayes' goal with 29:42 left in the game came off a free kick near the left sideline at the 5-yard line, bending his boot inside the near post.