Rough schedule preparing Lake for postseason

It is a little unusual to see the Lake Catholic boys at 2-6-3 — the Cougars, after all, were a 12-6-3 Division II regional finalist a year ago and went 21-1 en route to a D-II state final four berth the year prior.

But Lake remains hopeful better days are ahead, spurred by a brutal stretch to start the year that will have it ready for October.

The Cougars took an unusual route to their second win of the fall, having to outlast rival Mentor for a wild 7-4 victory Sept. 16. It led to encouraging signs this past week, tying Walsh Jesuit, 2-2, and putting up a fight against a quality Bay side in a 1-0 loss.

But after enduring a run of foes including Revere, University and St. Ignatius that didn’t go ideally — and still being a work in progress in the starting 11 — it is a good sign for Lake to display better form, regardless of how it came.

“We pretty much started the same way last year,” Cougars coach Ivica Medukic said. “And once the playoffs started and toward the end of the year, we got our rhythm down. That’s what we’re looking for right now. We’re trying to find our first 11 and trying to find a few sparks off the bench.

“Senior Mark Jankowski with a huge goal (against Mentor) — so he came in and gave us a spark. First half and last 20 minutes, he was probably one of the better players in the second half. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Even amid a need to solidify the starting 11, particularly in the back, Medukic knows he can build through midfield with longtime standout attacker Ivan Babic, who was a firstteam News-Herald all-star last fall with eight goals and 11 assists. Babic’s technical skill makes him a marking nightmare 1-on1, and his sense for service

makes everyone in his side better.

“With the likes of Ivan Babic, he’s one heck of a player, and I’m just happy I’ve got to see him grow in the last four years,” Medukic said. “What can I say? You saw the second goal he scored (against Mentor) — from midfield, he took on their whole team. It was a great finish, and that’s we’re trying to work and get everyone involved with him.

“This year as a senior, he’s been a straight leader that I didn’t expect. Most of the guys at his level wouldn’t come in and wouldn’t take care of these guys — carry the balls, help them out at practice. He has been doing it all. And that shows true leadership. That’s what they’re expecting at the next level, and whoever gets him is going to have one heck of a player, I’ll tell you that.”

Babic has been a key component since impressing on Lake’s state final four side in 2015 and has been around some great leaders, including two-time All-American midfielder Nick Rieple, who is now

a freshman at Penn State. He’s learned from the best in that sense and hopes to give some of that back now as a senior.

“It benefitted me a lot,” Babic said. “It gives you time and experience around other players. You see characteristics in other players and what they’ve got to show you.

“We’ve just tried to take it on and get confidence every game. We know we have a hard schedule. We put it that way. We don’t want to play mediocre teams. We want to get ready for the playoffs and get ready for the end of the year.”

Penalty kicks

• The quest for perfection continues for the Berkshire girls, who improved to 12-0 with a 9-1 rout at Garfield Heights on Sept. 23. The Badgers have surpassed their single-season record for most wins in program history and have yielded seven goals all season. They finish the regular season with home matches against Pymatuning Valley (Sept. 30) and Conneaut (Oct. 7) and road trips to Beachwood

(Oct. 5) and Crestwood (Oct. 9).

• With a 1-0 victory Sept. 23 over Normandy, the Brush girls recorded just their third 1-0 win since 2007. Taylor Brizee scored on a header, her fifth goal of the fall, assisted by Elizabeth Schultz.

• Since a 6-2 loss to Lake Catholic on Aug. 19, the Madison girls have yielded three goals since and recorded six clean sheets. The Blue Streaks are also on a nine-match unbeaten run entering a Western Reserve Conference match Sept. 26 at Chardon.

• The Chagrin Falls boys have six shutouts this fall, including five in their last seven matches. The six clean sheets equals the total the Tigers recorded in the last two seasons combined.

• With a 3-1 win Sept. 21 over Kirtland, the Riverside boys have won nine straight matches against fellow Lake County sides. The Beavers’ last loss to a Lake County side was to North, 2-1, on Sept. 15, 2015. They face the Rangers on Sept. 26 and rival Harvey on Sept. 30.