New-look US gets same results in district final

The voices might be a little different in the postmatch choir for the University alma mater.

But the ability to stand up and deliver a poised big-stage performance when it matters remains.

Oct. 27 in a Division I district final against Mentor at North, US had a vastly new-look side vs. the one that made a D-I elite-eight run last fall.

But the joy in the song sounded about the same on this stage for the Preppers.

Justin Flamm and Enea Cominelli had second-half goals, building on an early Griffin Meyer strike, and sending US to a 3-0 win over a game Cardinals side.

The Preppers (11-6-2) will take on Medina, a 5-1 winner over Copley, in a D-I regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Solon. It marks their fifth regional berth since 2012.

US coach John Ptacek and his side were soaked after a downpour throughout, but they were successful in their endeavor.

“We went in, and we made a couple adjustments with our holding midfielder,” Ptacek said. “We just weren’t matching up right with the numbers in the first half, and they were able to, I think, take advantage of that and counterattack. There were a couple

times that they actually looked pretty dangerous.

“I think we’re getting it going with a lot of young talent. We’ve been pretty fortunate with the numbers coming out.”

Meyer gave the Preppers a dream start in the fourth minute. Cominelli played a touch to freshman Connor Soltis and made a quick call for a ball on the left flank. Cominelli turned the corner for a cross to Meyer.

The US standout senior midfielder faced tight marking in the box, but managed with his deft foot skill to get a touch to his right foot for a strike inside the right post for his team-high 15th goal of the season.

Late in the half, Mentor’s Sam Calic was taken down in the box on a hard counter, but no penalty was

awarded and it remained a 1-0 match at halftime.

The Preppers got a big strike in the 48th minute. In the aftermath of a corner, Flamm got a touch on the left side of the box and did well with a wide strike for his second goal of 2018.

The sophomore, clearly in his voice feeling the effects of a night in the elements, was also a key part of a poised effort in the back as US recorded its eighth clean sheet.

“I’d say at the start, our midfield was a bit unorganized,” Flamm said. “Once we ended up settling down, we ended up putting in two more. I think that gave us a really good foundation. We settled down, and we were able to play.

“The ball was coming in, and I tried to hit it and then

something didn’t go right. It bounced wrong. Enea tried to hit it, and it hit off their player. And then I just see the ball sitting in front of me for a volley and just hit it.”

Cominelli contributed the final margin in the 55th with a lovely near-post strike.

After half, the Cardinals couldn’t quite generate the success they had with hard counters – especially turnand-touches into wide runs – in the opening 40. Nick Pavlosky had a good look at opening the Mentor account in the 62nd minute, but was turned away by US goalkeeper Michael Zemanek.

But after sitting at 3-9-2 on Oct. 9, the Cardinals learned and grew amid a demanding schedule and made a commendable district final run.