The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Cardinals, Wildcats battle to stalemate
Mentor and Mayfield battled to a 0-0 stalemate Sept. 14 in the sides’ annual nonconference encounter.
A masterpiece it was not, as the Cardinals (3-5-1) and Wildcats (5-3-2) combined to generate just six shots on target.
But it was a skirmish that netted a positive result, which both coaches hope will serve their sides well come October.
“Yeah, it really helps you get through that midpoint of the season.” Mayfield coach Matt Lubin said. “You kind of see somebody who is a strong foe for the playoffs there. You can keep that in the back of your head. If you do well, that’s good — you build confidence. And if you think you can do better, then you’ve got that in your back pocket come playoff time, too.
“Today, I thought we saw some things we can build off, and we’re excited should we see them again in the playoffs, which hopefully we do. Good luck to them.”
In the aftermath of the storm that swept through the area Sept. 13, Mayfield Wildcat Stadium did not have power, so time was kept by watch.
Mentor showed more attacking acumen. Alyssa Blackburn served for Emma Romano for a strike that went just wide in approximately the 24th minute, and Riley Lewis had a bar rattler on a free kick in the 25th.
The Cardinals’ Emma Meinke forced a nice save by Wildcats goalkeeper EB Fluharty in the 43rd.
Other than that, though, it was a rather disjointed afternoon for both sides in the attack for large stretches. As full time approached, Nordonia’s football team was eager to step on the field to warm up and complete its game with the host Wildcats suspended Sept. 13.
Always one to test her sides in nonconference
play with an eye for district, Mentor coach Corey Robishaw hopes the Cardinals can build off this 80.
“The fact that we had the ball in the defensive half more than them, I think that proves that we have the capabilities to keep the ball, possess it and move forward,” Robishaw said. “So now we just have to finish in the attacking third.
“We’re going to take this momentum from today into next week and hopefully, that attacking and finishing in the final third happens about the third week of October.”