5 Games | Volleyball, MAC soccer clashes highlight the week ahead
Here are five games to keep an eye on this week:
Field at Ravenna boys soccer (September 6)
The Falcons and Ravens have developed a sterling rivalry on the pitch, even if the former has controlled the win column. While Field has won its last six meetings with Ravenna, the last five have come by two goals or fewer, with three of those games decided by a single goal. That included the Falcons' 1-0 triumph at Portage Community Bank Stadium last season, when Gino Manno buried the game's lone goal late in the first half and Gabriel Barreto smothered a penalty kick late in the second. Both Field standouts have since graduated, but the Falcons have soared regardless, with a red-hot Kyle Schoenbeck (14 goals) and sterling defense lifting them to a 5-0-1 start. Meanwhile, the Ravens shook off a pair of tough road losses to Cloverleaf and Louisville in which they were outscored 10-1 with five goals apiece in wins over Streetsboro and West Branch. Ravens senior Mason Ward was responsible for a lot of that offensive explosion, following a late game-winning goal against the Rockets with a hat trick, by halftime, against the Warriors.
Crestwood at Southeast volleyball (September 6)
Titans of the sport meet as Wanda Hoffman's Red Devils and Mary Tarka's Pirates clash in Palmyra Township. The two coaches bring a combined 78 years of experience leading their respective programs.
History is far from the only reason to be excited about this battle between former Portage Trail Conference rivals, however. Both teams are on a roll after tough starts, with Crestwood winning three straight after dropping its first two and Southeast taking two in a row after an 0-3 start. In fact, the Pirates, who got eight aces and 11 assists from Lilly Massrock and eight kills from Norah Truex their last time out, can match last year's win total with their next victory. Meanwhile, Aimee Barnauskas (19 kills, 4 blocks, 10 digs against Cardinal last Tuesday) and Jazmyn Stevens (10 points, 11 kills, 14 assists, 7 digs in that same four-set win) have starred for the Red Devils early this season.
Streetsboro at Cloverleaf girls soccer (September 6)
The Rockets, who have won at least a share of three straight Metro championships, face a tough road contest in Lodi, as the Colts have jetted off to a 6-0-0 start. (Both are 2-0-0 in the Metro Athletic Conference thus far.)
Cloverleaf has been particularly stingy on the defensive side, yielding a single goal over six games, potentially presenting a challenge to a young Streetsboro attack. The Rockets, after exploding for eight goals against Ravenna (including a Lydia Schofield hat trick) were shut out Thursday at Alliance by talented keeper La'Kasja Edwards. Of course, Streetsboro, which has a stacked midfield and scrappy defense per usual, is also allowing less than a goal per game through its 3-2-0 start.
Garfield at Crestview volleyball (September 8)
The G-Men's big week actually starts with the Newton Falls Tigers, not the Rebels. (While Garfield won six of seven sets against Newton Falls last year, four of those seven were decided by three points or fewer.) And the G-Men's reward for playing the Tigers? A Thursday battle with the Crestview team that handed Garfield its lone Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference losses last season. The Rebels have thus far swept all four of their MVAC Grey opponents with Abbey Emch and Grace Auer hitting the ball at a particularly powerful clip. Meanwhile, G-Men senior setter Madeline Shirkey is already well over 100 assists and has no shortage of powerful hitters to work with, led by Gabby Barnard and Montana McGranahan.
Aurora at Roosevelt volleyball (September 8)
It would be hard to top the Rough Riders' first game in their new gym, an epic five-set triumph over Barberton, but Roosevelt would surely take great joy in finally topping Aurora, the lone other Portage County squad in the Suburban American.
The Greenmen, who have won their last four meetings with the Rough Riders, have gotten huge contributions recently out of Brooke Gecina (21 kills in a five-set win over North Ridgeville Saturday) and Ollie Salgado (34 assists against Cuyahoga Falls Thursday). The Rough Riders are led by the stellar hitting of Taylor Dunlap.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: 5 Games | Volleyball, MAC soccer highlight the week ahead
