Local Sports

Colian, defense push West Branch to first regional win

GREENFORD -- West Branch’s girls soccer team has only given up five goals all season so when the Warriors score two goals within the first 10 minutes they know smooth sailing is likely ahead.

Led by sophomore forward Elli Colian’s brilliant hat trick and a staunch defense that recorded its 16th shutout of the season, second-seeded West Branch captured its first girls regional soccer game in school history with a 4-0 win over third-seeded Poland on Tuesday at South Range’s Rominger Athletic Complex.

The best girls soccer season in school history moved to 21-0 and the Warriors will play Warren JFK at 2 p.m. on Saturday at a location to be determined.

“It’s exciting times at West Branch,” girls soccer coach Zachary Dean said. “I’m extremely proud of the girls and the time and effort they’ve put in this season. It all comes down to them because they have bought into what we are selling.”

The Warriors got on the board first at the 34:20 mark of the first half with a deep Emma Klingensmith free kick that Poland goalkeeper Ella Mathews misplayed.

Just over three-minutes later, Colian hammered a one-touch ball past Mathews to make it 2-0.

“It was laid back to me (by Cambrie Nezbeth) and I just came up and one-touched it,” Colian said. “It hit off the goalkeeper’s hand and it just went in.”

With 17:28 left in the half, Colian bagged another on a breakaway as she kicked the ball across the turf gently to tuck away her second and West Branch’s third goal.

“I just saw an opening and took it,” Colian said. “Thankfully it went in the net.”

The game was 3-0 at halftime with Poland (16-5) providing few threats.

Colian put the game on ice with a ball that was bombed from deep into the upper left corner of the goal with 26:21 left in the game.

It even registered a “goal, goal, goal” reaction from the public address announcer.

“I touched it and she was in front of me and I just took it,” Colian said. “I couldn’t have done it without the layoff from Alinee Bacconi.”

Two-time All-Ohioan defensive midfielder Ellie Tucker was impressed by the sophomore’s performance. Colian now has a team-high 38 goals on the season.

“She’s incredible and I love playing with her,” Tucker said. “I’m actually sad that I have to leave (at the end of the season), but it’s just been so fun during the two years we have been together. She’s a phenomenal player.”

Speaking of phenomenal, the West Branch defense recorded its fourth straight shutout. No team has scored more than one goal in any game against the Warriors.

“I mean it’s amazing,” Tucker said. “They’ve been amazing this whole year. They just keep on being amazing even when we play tougher teams here in tournaments.”

Goalkeeper Audrey Eaton had three saves to anchor the defense.

“It starts with Audrey,” Dean said. “She’s a three-year starter in the net. She gives us a lot of stability back there. Then our center backs Hailey Singer and Grace Bates do a nice job, then our outside backs Maggie Tennefoss and Carly Loper do as well. Overall we don’t give any team easy looks. We force them into tough shots. I think that is huge for us. Not letting them get on the scoreboard is tremendous.”

GAME NOTES

• Fifth-seeded Warren JFK beat 11th seed Cardinal Mooney 8-2 on Tuesday at Crestview High School. West Branch saw JFK (16-4) in the preseason, but it didn’t leave any lasting impression.

“I think we tied,” Tucker said. “It was a close game but we didn’t have all of our players and neither did they. It’s going to be interesting Saturday.”

• Originally Tuesday’s regional was supposed to be at West Geauga, but with both teams relatively close by the Ohio High School Athletic Association put it at South Range. It paid off for West Branch as Warrior faithful filled about 3/4ths of the vistor’s side.

• West Branch is hoping for a similar move on Saturday. The regional final was originally scheduled for Brunswick, but since Warren JFK and the Warriors are from the Mahoning Valley it might make more sense to hold it at a closer facility.