Midview rolls, advances to face Amherst

Midview didn’t waste any time in its opening Division I sectional semifinal game against Elyria Oct. 16 and beat the Pioneers, 10-0.

The Middies (13-3-1) scored four first-half goals and advanced to face third-seeded Amherst on Oct. 19 in a sectional final.

“When it comes to tournament time, it isn’t about the 22 best players, it’s about the 22 most team-like players,” Midview coach Abbey Golden said. “We played all 22 girls tonight, both halves of the game. We had everybody on point, playing in sync and working the ball together. They defended together and attacked together.”

Midview’s attacking third was dominant, flustering the Pioneers’ defense and possessing the ball most of the game, showing off a crisp 1-2 touch.

In the opening two minutes, junior Ashley Dekam got Midview on the board and a few minutes later, freshman forward/defender Malia Nicholson followed it up with a goal of her own to give Midview a 2-0 lead. Midview’s team captain, senior midfielder/ forward Colleen Benton, scored the next two goals, assisted from Mallory Homoki and Nicholson, to take a 4-0 halftime lead. Midview outshot Elyria,

10-0, in the half.

In the second half, freshman Autumn Vance scored a hat-trick playing in her first varsity postseason game. Freshmen Stephanie Sturgeon and Izzy Mraz and senior Alexia Hamm joined in on the fun, adding a goal each.

Midview totaled 28 shots to Elyria’s one.

“We started off strong and the other team came out strong as well, but we had a fire in our team,” Vance said. “My teammates that took the corner, they put it perfectly over the goalie and placed it perfectly for me to place it in the net.

“Our team focused on our style of play. The other team did well defending us, but I just thought we had a lot of fire and we wanted it a lot tonight.”

Elyria (5-12) graduates six seniors, including Haley Walton and Ja’Maya Ward, who combined for 22 goals and 18 assists this season.

“When we were waiting for the brackets to come out, this was the matchup I didn’t want to see,” Elyria coach Brian Thomas said. “Their style matches up poorly for us. Out of all the teams in the sectional pool, that’s the team I didn’t want to see. Their strengths is

our weaknesses. I congratulate them.

“For Ja’Maya and Haley, they scored two-thirds of our goals. They’re both going to Division I colleges for a reason and they’re going to be sorely missed.”

Midview won the sectional title last year for the first time since 1998. This time, the Middies are a younger team with three freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup.

But their youth hasn’t mattered to this point, and Golden expects her team to give the Comets their best shot. Midview tied Amherst on Aug. 30, 0-0, and are expecting to win.

“These girls work yearround,” Golden said. “Whether they are club players or multi-sport athletes, we promote the girls to continue to play together as a team. We have to keep the youth engaged and they are a part of the family at an early age.

“That’s why we’ve been successful. We’re excited to play Amherst. Gary Gonzalez and his group are a well-functioning team and amazing defensively. When you play a conference opponent like that, we’re playing a beautiful game and it’s a great rivalry.”