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Highland senior Spencer Warholic scored two goals on Monday night as the Hornets crushed visiting Ellet 7-0 in first-round boys soccer sectional match in Granger Township.
GRANGER TWP., Ohio -- Junior Paul Burns scored two goals and added an assist to lead Highland to a 7-0 sectional semifinal boys soccer win over visiting Ellet on Monday evening.
Highland (8-6-3) advances to meet No. 4 seed Firestone (7-4-5) on Thursday at Copley Road Field in the Brunswick Division I bracket. If Highland can get past Firestone, it would mark the program's ninth straight district semifinal appearance.
The Hornets defeated the Falcons 1-0 last week in their final match of the regular season.
Over the last four years, Highland has outscored its first sectional opponents by a combined margin of 34-1.
"If you’re going to have a sectional semifinal, or play-in game as we like to call it, you definitely want to set the tone for the playoffs," first-year Highland coach Bob Sefcik said. "You don’t want to come in with a lackluster effort because that’s going to carry on for you the rest of the way. Since we didn’t get that first round bye, it was important for us to come in and start off right."
Senior Spencer Warholic also had two goals and Adam Holowecky contributed one goal and one assist for the Hornets.
Highland led 2-0 at half and broke it open with five second-half tallies. Warholic's PK goal with 17:16 left to play made it 5-0.
Ryan Sefcik had two assists and Jeff Hall (1 goal), Steve Smykal (1 assist) and Logan Davis (1 assist) each got in the scorebook.
Brandon Hendershot (19 saves) and Dan Yakubik (3 saves) combined to make 22 stops in goal for Ellet (4-6-2).
Brad Sievers and Jeremiah Carsten each had a save for Highland.
In other Brunswick Div. I sectional matches:
BARBERTON 2, WOOSTER 0. At Barberton, senior Eric Hummel and sophomore Dakota Schumm each scored a goal as the Magics advanced to the sectional finals of the Brunswick Division I District.
Barberton (11-2-4) is pitted against No. 1 seed Copley on Thursday at InfoCision Field.
Junior goalkeeper Kyle Sykes (6 saves) made the Magics' two first-half goals stand up. Barberton outshot Wooster 8-6. Senior George Kulka stopped six shots for the Generals (4-12-1).
CLOVERLEAF 1, CUYAHOGA FALLS 0. At Cuyahoga Falls, sophomore A.J. Timken scored the lone goal of the match and the Colts will move to the second round and play at No. 2 seed Medina on Thursday at 7 p.m.
WADSWORTH 6, AKRON GARFIELD 0. At Copley Township, in a match moved because a field conditions at Art Wright Stadium, junior captain Luis Escudero scored two goals and assisted on two others as the Grizzlies blanked the Golden Rams.
Wadsworth (6-7-3) plays at No. 3 seed Brunswick on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Kent Division I
STOW-MUNROE FALLS 2, KENT ROOSEVELT 1. At Bath Township, Stow senior goalkeeper Tyler Simpkins made two first-half goals stand up and the Bulldogs (6-6-5) atoned for last year's playoff loss to the Rough Riders.
Senior Luke Hunt got Stow on the board first, converting an assist from junior Adam Householder. The Bulldogs took a 2-0 advantage on senior Nick Kutcher's tally on a pass from senior Zach Patrick.
Coletun Long scored for Roosevelt on an assist from Noah Johnson to make it 2-1.
Simpkins then slammed the door, making six stops to preserve the win. Senior Tyler Mohnacky had nine saves in goal for Kent Roosevelt (5-5-6).
The match was moved from Stow to Revere's Pappano Stadium.
Stow now plays Thursday at No. 4 seed Aurora.
WALSH JESUIT 8, BEDFORD 2. At Cuyahoga Falls, senior Chase Mueller and junior Russell Platt each scored two goals as the Warriors (7-8-1) move to a sectional final against No. 1 seed Solon. The match is slated for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Solon. Bedford finished 2-12-1.
NORDONIA 3, WARREN G. HARDING 0. At Macedonia, senior Kyle Dea, junior Ryan Bauer and sophomore Neil Murton all scored for the Knights (12-4-1). Nordonia advances to play No. 2 Twinsburg on Thursday at Tiger Stadium.
Other districts:
FIELD 8, STREETSBORO 1. At Brimfield Township, Stevie Fosnight, Brad Losey and George Wischt each scored two goals as the Falcons (12-2-3) routed PTC opponent Streetsboro in a first-round sectional match on Monday.
Wischt, a senior, has 19 goals on the season. Fosnight and Losey both are juniors.
Field sophomore Noah Culbertson chipped in with one goal and one assist. The Falcons led 4-0 at the half. Senior goalkeeper Brandon Bertka made six stops for Streetsboro (1-16-0).
Field will meet Archbishop Hoban on Thursday at Dowed Field in a second-round match.
NORTON 1, AKRON NORTH 1 (NORTON ADVANCES 5-4 ON PENALTY KICKS). At Norton, the Panthers (7-9-1) extended their season by winning a thrilling PK shootout after the match had ended in a 1-1 draw.
Norton meets No. 1 seed Revere (12-0-4) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Pappano Stadium.
GREEN 4, MASSILLON PERRY 0. At Green Memorial Stadium, the Bulldogs blanked Perry (5-10-1) to advance to the Youngstown Austintown Division I District second round.
Green will travel to No. 4 seed Austintown Fitch on Thursday.
Seniors Paul Ciocca, Dan Whited and Jon Mace scored for Green (6-7-3). Sophomore Ben Barry chipped in a goal as well and the Bulldogs outshot the Panthers 12-1.