COLUMBUS — Greater Akron flexed its muscle in high school soccer and the 2024 season proved it.
The area will be well represented when Highland and Walsh Jesuit play in girls state championship games Saturday and Walsh and Twinsburg play in boys title games Sunday.
Here’s what to know:
Who:Walsh Jesuit (21-0) vs. Springboro (19-1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
History: Walsh finished second in 2021 and has won titles in 2000-01, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012-16 and 2023. Springboro is making its second state appearance and first since 2016 when it finished second.
Players to watch: The Warriors have All-American and Virginia Tech pledge Hannah Pachan (24 goals, four assists) and Vanderbilt commit Reagan Pentz (12 goals, 19 assists) as primary threats. Lauren Sibel (11 goals, three assists), Abby Witkiewicz (seven goals), Alice Arabia (four goals, six assists) and Ciara Santiago (four goals, five assists) can also cause problems. Ava DeBolt has a 0.5 goals against average.
Springboro relies on Tessa Blain (22 goals, 13 assists), Kendall Johnson (11 goals, two assists) and Morgan DeMoss (nine goals, five assists). The Panthers also have Poppy Wakefield (eight goals, seven assists), Hailey Burns (five goals, six assists) and Ellie Ulrich (four goals, seven assists) to fill the net.
Who: Highland (21-1-1) vs. Bay (21-0-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
History: The is the first time in school history the Hornets have reached a state final. Bay will play in its fifth championship but first since 2018. The Rockets won state titles in 1999, 2002 and 2003 and finished second six years ago.
Players to watch: There might not be a more rounded team than the Hornets who can go to Vanessa Zufall (19 goals, 20 assists), Grace Madison (19 goals, six assists), Grace Shondel (16 goals, 11 assists) and Marit McLaughlin (15 goals, 14 assists).
Should they need more Avalynn Price (nine goals), Hailey Regovich (six goals, two assists), Jordyn Caples (five goals, three assists) and Jillian Clark (five goals, five assists) are more than capable of stepping up.
Bay has an all-world scorer in Tessa Knapp, who is the unofficial all-time leader in scoring in state history with 212 goals and 50 assists. This season she has 64 goals and 13 assists and is coming off a hat trick against Rocky River. She is a Notre Dame commit.
Emery Ashenbrener (19 goals, 27 assists), Lacey Gilmore (10 goals, eight assists), Maya Holmes (six goals, 11 assists), Aley Fetterman (eight goals, six assists) and Grace Manoloff (two goals, 16 assists) are incredible players as well.
Who: Walsh Jesuit (17-3-2) vs. New Albany (19-1)
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
History: This is the ninth time in school history the Warriors will play in a state final and the first since 2006. Walsh won titles in 1982, 1990 and 2006 and finished second in 1986-87, 1991, 2000 and 2001. It’s the third time the Eagles will play in a state final. They were runners-up in 2020 and 2022.
Players to watch: Brady Catanzarite is Walsh’s all-time leading scorer and has 22 goals and 23 assists this season. Andrew Conti (16 goals, 18 assists), Evan Litras (20 goals, nine assists), Freddie Marcell (16 goals, six assists), Noah Pellegrini (11 goals, nine assists), Cullen O’Connor (eight goals, to assists), Bora Dastan (five goals, six assists) and Josh Novak (four goals, four assists) are fantastic as well. Quinn Anderson has a school-record 34 career shutouts and hadn’t been scored on in eight straight games until a 2-1 win over Dublin Scioto on Wednesday.
New Albany has an outstanding defense led by Wyatt Butler, who logged his fifth consecutive shutout in a 3-0 win over North Ridgeville on Wednesday. The senior has 14 clean slates this season and has a 0.5 goals against average .
The offense goes through Division II Central District Player of the Year Londen Sears, who assisted Austin Young for the game-winner against North Ridgeville. He also had a helper on the third goal to Kuda Kaynyongo against the Rangers.
Who: Twinsburg (21-2) vs. Cincinnati Indian Hill (22-0-2)
When: 1 p.m. Sunday
History: This is the first time in program history the Tigers will play in the state championship. Indian Hill is playing in its third state final but hasn’t been to a championship since 1987. The Braves finished second in 1986-87.
Players to watch: Devin Couch (13 goals, eight assists), Evan Schneeman (11 goals, seven assists), Lucas Elias (nine, 19 assists), Mario Sanders (six goals, five assists), Keelin Fuentes (five goals, four assists) and Alec Utrup (four goals, four assists) are the Tigers players to watch.
Indian Hill is led by Connor Wilkes (39 goals, 24 assists) and Aiden Faber (22 goals, 19 assists). Max Grebe (eight goals, four assists), Zohaib Kalloo (seven goals, eight assists) and Liam Brady (seven goals, seven assists) are scoring options as well.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
