Wooster boys soccer wins first district game in 25 years
WOOSTER — The last time Wooster played for district championship in boys soccer, none of the players on the current roster were alive.
Tom Brady was a backup quarterback at Michigan. "Elon Musk" sounded more like a bad European cologne than the name of the world's richest man. LL Cool J had never been the lead actor of a crime-based TV drama.
But those days are over.
The Generals secured their spot in the district finals for the first time since 1997 with a 4-1 win over Olmsted Falls, putting on an offensive clinic at Follis Field to make its mark as one of the best Wooster teams in decades.
"It's been building for a while," Wooster senior caption Brendan French said. "Playing with these guys for four years, it's created a family culture that just continues to grow."
The fifth-seeded Generals, who lost in the district final in '97, will look to capture its first district title since 1988 against fourth-seeded Strongsville in the Div. I Elyria 1 District championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ely Stadium in Elyria.
After a narrow 1-0 win over Avon Lake in the sectional finals, the Generals wasted no time in getting their offense going Wednesday, scoring in the game's second minute when Nicky Morse took a rebound and put it in the back of the net to put Wooster on the board right away. That was just the start of a wild opening 20 minutes.
Olmsted Falls' Carmine Boscarello helped his team respond quickly, firing a 35-yard free kick right into the right corner of the goal, out of the reach of Wooster goalkeeper Griffin Owen to tie the game. But Wooster didn't let that stand for long as Luigi Canas Jr. gave the Generals a 2-1 advantage in the 11th minute before Morse scored his second goal of the night in spectacular fashion in the 18th, taking a looping pass from French, controlling it and firing it into the back of the net from about 25 yards away.
French had a hand in setting up all four of the Generals' goals, but none was more spectacular than his assist to Canas Jr., putting several different dribbling moves on the Olmsted Falls defense before placing a cross to the exact right spot in front of the goal.
His ability to make plays has lifted Wooster all season, and it did so again Wednesday, on a night when everything was clicking for the Generals' offense.
"He's a captain for a reason," Lytle said. "The guys love playing with him, and he loves playing for them. He's very creative with the ball, so our guys are working really well off the ball. Some our forwards like Luigi and Nicky are great at the second runs and things like that. That's what is able to set up Brendan's success too. He's able to see that and put the ball right to their feet."
Wooster's defense also came through, keeping Olmsted Falls' chances to the minimum, despite the Bulldogs being parked in from of the Generals' goal for long periods during the second half. And yet, Wooster outscored Olmsted Falls 1-0 over the final 40 minutes, with Alex Navarro scoring in the 71st minute to give Wooster a cushion as it ran out the clock.
Owen was injured during a collision in the second half, with Carter Buchholz stepping in at keep in his absence, but Owen should be ready for Saturday's game.
Simon Schonfeld, one of the Generals' captains along with French and Thomas Hansen, has helped lead the defense all year, and did so again against Olmsted Falls.
"He wants the team to succeed, and you can't ask for anything more from a leader than wanted everybody to succeed," Lytle said. "He picks everybody up by his tackling and his communication. He keeps everybody tight."
The win was a testament to the program Wooster has built over the years, and this particular team has found the right pieces for the playoff success that has eluded the Generals for years.
"They want everyone to succeed," Lytle said. "It doesn't matter who puts the ball in the back of the net (or) who defends the ball, everyone does it together. It's great soccer to see. They build off each other. They're running off each other. They connect. It's pretty soccer. When we need to win dirty, we can do that too. It's just fun to see."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys' Soccer: Wooster secures first district finals berth since 1997
