Roosevelt entered the game with their heads held high and with a lot of confidence. And for good reason: a conference championship and a twelve-win season are nothing to be ashamed of! Plus, they had high expectations for the game-- the Riders,who narrowly lost to Stow earlier in the season, knew their opponents' game and was ready for the challenge in this winner-take-all, loser-go-home sectional final. Unfortunately for the Riders, Stow was also ready, also knew their opponents, and had the home field advantage. Despite goals by Emily Hook (woot!) and Becca Thomas, Stow was too much for Kent, and the Bulldogs sent us packing 4-2.
To Rider fans and Rider players and Rider coaches, it is surely a letdown to not get to the District level and have a chance to upset (probably) Jackson. It's always a letdown to end the season with a loss to Stow, whose team operates at about the same skill level as Kent. The difference is, in my opinion, the quality of schedule. Stow (whose schedule can be found here: http://www.highschoolsports.net/de faultcal.cfm?t=s&schoolid=OH442247168&spt=7&lvl=1&division=2) plays teams like CVCA, Hudson, Tallmadge, Western Reserve, Brush, Solon, and others consistently. Their quality of schedule is very high, which serves them well as they enter the playoffs and are more used to pressure games. Now, you'll argue with me, but Chris, Kent Roosevelt had the toughest non-conference schedule in school history this year! Yes, that's true, but in between playing Hudson and and Cloverleaf, we were playing Coventry and Field and Norton and Southeast, teams we beat by a combined score of 22-3, including a 7-0 whomping of Southeast. It's NOT like we did awful against the tough teams in our schedule. Yes, the losses to Revere (4-1), Hudson (3-0), and Cloverleaf (5-0) were pretty severe. But look at the Green game: 1-0 loss. Boardman, a 3-0 win. Wadsworth, a 2-2 tie. Twinsburg: 1-0 win. Cuyahoga Falls: 2-0 win. Stow: 1) 2-1 and 2) 4-2. The losses were not unwinnable. The wins were impressive. The bottom line is, we play in a tougher conference or have a tougher non-conference schedule, we inevitably will elevate our soccer program. Credit Mitchell with seeking a tougher schedule for the girls... I would like to see us play even tougher games, like the boy's team plays.
This season will be just another season next year, just another fond memory that may inevitably get lost in the shuffle. I prefer to think of it, however, as a moment in time, a moment when we the fans could sit, freezing in the stands and scream our heads off at referees, huddle together with crossed fingers during a penalty kick, and shake cowbells at opposing team's fans as they sit, stunned by a Rider victory. For the girls, especially the seniors, these are the memories they will have as they embark on other journeys. For these seniors, they will remember wearing spray-painted shirts to school advertising for the game, they will remember uneven fields at Norton and turf fields at Green. They will remember last minute goals against Ravenna and Crestwood, and obnoxious fans (thank you, thank you) screaming from across the field. Some of the senior girls will remember playing with teammates with whom they've played since sixth grade or earlier. I will remember screaming at refs for what i thought were ridiculous offsides calls, only to be tsked by people who know soccer (thanks Mr. Bialik and Mr. Sampson) that yes, indeed, it was offsides. I will remember Erin Waples' fastest hat trick probably in the history of the universe, three left foots into the goal against Boardman in under 50 seconds. I will remember chaperoning six girls across the parking lot to the McDonalds that looked like a chinese restaurant in Norton, and trying to sneak back in without Coach Mitchell knowing. I will remember my sister walking across the field with my parents in tow during Senior Night. This team and each of its members are so full of heart and spirit, I will miss it, and I know you all will too.
Thanks for the memories girls!
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