The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Madison tops Mentor for the first time ever
Powered by sturdy defensive-third play, Blue Streaks advance
There might not be an area side more social media-savvy than Madison.
When the Blue Streaks notch a result, timeline notifications run rampant and word spreads fast.
It’s probably fair to suggest, though, that Oct. 23 was just a little bit different.
Given who was on the opposite touchline and the ramifications involved, the word of this result will stay viral in eastern Lake County for a little while.
Mykayla Askew and Kaitlyn Rohl scored respective goals in each half as the Blue Streaks blanked Mentor, 2-0, in a Division I district semifinal Oct. 23.
It marked the first win in program history over the Cardinals (12-5-1) for Madison (14-1-3), which will take on familiar foe and fellow area power Mayfield. The Wildcats were 3-2 extra-time winners over Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, in a D-I district final at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at North.
On the second day of the regular season Aug. 19, the Blue Streaks were scorched, 6-2, on their
home pitch by Lake Catholic. On a 17-match unbeaten run with five goals yielded and 13 clean sheets since, they’re trending now.
“This is absolutely momentous,” Madison coach Chad Butler said. “We’ll remember it forever.
“Tonight is one of those nights where — I don’t know what the future holds, but it feels an awful lot like a turning point.”
The Blue Streaks were outshot, 12-5, and had to spend much of the second 40 in the defensive third fending off the potent Cardinals. But they turned in an outstanding shift in the back for one of the biggest results in program history.
Askew, Madison’s dynamic sophomore striker, opened her side’s account in the 16th minute. She latched onto a Hailey Nichols cross, displayed the power and wherewithal in the box to get a touch to her left foot and delivered a strike that dinked off the right post and in for a 1-0 lead.
“Hailey put in that great cross, and I was hoping for that deflection because it was really wet at the time,” Askew said of her 31st goal of the season. “And I just took that shot and I was just shooting for the corner. It just went back right across the goalkeeper’s face because she was already going that way. But that goal — it was an honor to be able to score that.”
Mentor pushed hard for an equalizer, generating 10 shots on target in the second half. Ashley Frank had a strike from distance stymied on a nice punch save by Blue Streaks goalkeeper Jordan Pasalaqua in the 52nd. Frank sprung Cardinals standout striker Kelly Colon with a through ball in the 55th, but Pasalaqua came up big to keep the 1-0 scoreline.
With Pasalaqua (12 saves) and her back four in strong form with holding midfield help, Madison got some breathing room in the 72nd when Rohl slotted a right-footed strike, her fourth goal of 2017.
“Our defense and (Pasalaqua) — they’re just amazing,” Askew said. “They stuck it out for us, and we had that 1-0 lead for so long — it was nervewracking to keep that because one goal isn’t as much of a lead as we’d like. But we got that second goal, and it was just insane. It was such a great way to pull out this win against Mentor.”
The senior-laden Cardinals were hungry to get back to regional competition for the first time since 2013 but couldn’t get the end product it needed late.
“This group of seniors has meant the world to our program,” Mentor coach Amanda Hart said. “They truly are leaders. They’re hard workers. They’re dedicated. It’s a sad group to lose. They have put their heart and soul into our program. We’re never going to replace this group of seniors. They’re a tough loss for our program.
“And to have eight of them on the team this year all contributing — to have to think about replacing them is just not something I want to do right now. But they’re a fantastic group of girls, and they’re going to have some really good futures ahead of them.”
The immediate future looks really good for Madison as it seeks its first-ever regional berth Oct. 26.
And if this result went viral, just imagine what that one might do.
“Getting good wins against Aurora this season, against Hawken this season, tying Mayfield and now beating Mentor for the first time ever in program history, it shows these girls want it,” Butler said.
“They believe in themselves. They think they can do anything.”