Six boys teams and four girls teams have earned berths in the 2010 Ohio High School State Soccer Finals slated for this Friday, Nov. 12, and Saturday, Nov. 13, at Crew Stadium. In all, five champions will be crowned over the two days, with the boys titles decided on Friday and the girls championship matches contested on Saturday, marking the 11th consecutive season that the finals have been played at Crew Stadium.
Friday’s tripleheader will be followed by a doubleheader on Saturday. On Friday, the boys Division III match kicks things off at 12 Noon, the boys Division II will follow at 3:30 p.m. and the nightcap will feature the Division I finalists at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the girls take center stage, led off by the Division II championship at 10 a.m. Girls Division I honors will be decided at 1:30 p.m.
The Crew’s youth development program – Crew Soccer Academy and Crew Juniors – will be represented by eight affiliated players in the boys Division III Final. Brett Elder, Mason Highman, Kalen Kress, Albert Miller, George Miller and Quinn Miller are members of defending DIII State Champ Worthington Christian and Nicholas Giraldo, Jack Thompson will be on the other side of the field with Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy.
Tickets are priced at $8 per game and parking for the event is set at $5. Both the boys and girls tournaments, which began in October, are open to all schools fielding varsity soccer teams in the state of Ohio. Please contact Tim Stried of the OHSAA (tstried@ohsaa.org) with accreditation questions or requests.
Boys Division III: Worthington Christian vs. Cuyahoga Valley Christian, Friday, Nov. 12, Noon
Boys Division II: Dayton Carroll vs. Richfield Revere, Friday, Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m.
Boys Division I: Centerville vs. Cleveland St. Ignatius, Friday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m.
Girls Division II: Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown vs. Cincinnati Madeira, Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m.
Girls Division I: Pickerington North vs. Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit, Saturday, Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m.
CREW CONCLUDES SUCCESSFUL, EVENTFUL 2010 SEASON
The Crew concluded its 15th season in bittersweet fashion on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 6). After defeating the Colorado Rapids, 2-1, in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals and thrilling the Crew Stadium crowd with a flurry of chances, the Black & Gold exited the playoffs in a dramatic penalty shootout. Despite Saturday’s result, the Crew has had one of the most successful seasons in its history. The Black & Gold earned 50 points this season, the second highest total in club history; Its regular-season home record was 10-3-2 running its mark at Crew Stadium to 30-7-8 over the past three seasons; and it was the only team in the league to qualify for the playoffs, while advancing to both the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final and CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals. Over the course of the last three seasons, the Crew has posted the best record in the league with a 44-22-24 mark. In that time, it has accumulated six more wins and 16 more points than any other club, while earning two Supporters Shield titles. The Crew now begins preparations for the 2011 season which will kick off on Feb. 22 at Crew Stadium with the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal series vs. Real Salt Lake.
SHAUN FRANCIS CALLED UP FOR INTERNATIONAL DUTY WITH JAMAICA
Crew defender Shaun Francis has been called into the Jamaican National Team camp for a match against Costa Rica on Nov. 17. It is the second call-up for Francis who recently earned praise from local Jamaican newspapers for his performance in the 1-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 10.
BRUNNER SCHEDULED TO APPEAR AT HUBER RIDGE ELEMENTARY IN WESTERVILE WEDNESDAY
Crew defender Eric Brunner is scheduled to visit Huber Ridge Elementary School in Westerville (5757 Buenos Aires Blvd. 43081) on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 3:45. A Dublin native and Ohio State University product, Brunner will address the topic of bullying and how it negatively impacts youngsters.
STEVEN LENHART AND FITNESS COACH MIKE TREMBLE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN “MOVEMBER”
Forward Steven Lenhart (http://us.movember.com/mospace/637538/) is joining Crew strength and fitness coach Mike Tremble (http://us.movember.com/mospace/637050/) this month in raising awareness for men’s health. As part of a “Movember” team, called the Mo-hicans, they are growing moustaches through the entire month of November to raise funds and awareness for men’s cancer. Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple – start November 1 clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember commit to growing a moustache for 30 days. Visit www.movember.com for more information.
CSF SPONSORS STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARD AT GREATER LINDEN AWARDS AND GRATITUDE CELEBRATION TUESDAY
The Crew Soccer Foundation, the Crew’s charitable arm, once again sponsored the Student-Athlete of the Year Award and Scholarship at the Seventh Annual Greater Linden Awards and Gratitude Celebration on Tuesday (Nov. 9) at Linden McKinley STEM Academy. Linden-McKinley basketball player Kayla Reed was honored as the Student-Athlete of the Year at the ceremony, which highlighted exceptional achievements of Linden community members, recognizing individuals or organizations in several categories based on nominations for each award which were solicited from the Linden community.
