ROMM PHOTOGRAPHY

Green sophomore Nick Reale (right) pushes the ball upfield during the Bulldogs' 4-0 Division I district semifinal loss at Massillon Jackson.

COPLEY, Ohio – Dave Antal doesn’t need to look in a book to tell you the last time Copley’s boys soccer team reached the regional level.

Antal doesn’t need to look it up because he was on the last squad to reach the Sweet 16 in 1994.

That year, Copley won the state championship.

Fast forward 17 years and the Indians are on the brink of breaking a string they would rather forget thanks to Monday’s 5-0 win over third-seeded Brunswick.

As a result, top-seeded Copley (12-2-4) has a date with second-seeded Medina (11-1-6) in a Brunswick Division I Final. Of course, reaching the district finals for the first time since 2006 was an accomplishment as well.

But that was to be expected considering the Indians are riding a 13-game unbeaten streak and are 11-0-2 since a Sept. 6 Suburban League loss to Revere.

So when the Bees, who played to a 0-0 tie with Copley on Sept. 3, come into InfoCision Field on Thursday, it will be against a vastly-changed Indians squad.

“It’s always an advantage when you play at home, but a good thing for us is we’re 11-0-2 since we lost to Revere and that was without our center back Brad Ruhaak,” Antal said. “We’re a different team since we played Medina. They’ll be surprised.

“Our dynamic and overall approach has changed. Our defense has been good during those games. It starts with Kirby Rice and moves forward from there.”

It might start with Rice, but Ruhaak, Alan Du, Yousef Mubarak and Michael Dichlian might have something to do with that.

Since its loss to Revere, Copley has given up only four goals and is riding a hot streak that surprises even the Indians.

Against Brunswick, Copley jumped out early and never let off the gas.

Riley Grant took a pass from Tanner Manfull from 6 yards out to put the Indians on the board just 11:30 in and Ruhaak blasted one in from 13 yards out four minutes later.

“We saw they beat Wadsworth 4-0 (in the sectional final),” Grant said. “We knew we had to come out early and put things away.”

The second half wasn’t much different as Colin Burton and Taylor Graf added goals for the Indians.

The fifth score was a study in frustration for Brunswick as Copley benefited from an own goal by the Blue Devils.

“We were, of course, a step slow,” Brunswick coach Bruce Miller said. “We’ve been working on building up and playing out of the back and all we kept doing was playing the long ball and they beat us to every one.

“They stretched us out. They took full advantage of it. The best team clearly won the game tonight. They were much better than us. It’s that simple.”

Now, it’s a date with destiny for Copley and a chance to erase a longstanding run of futility.

“These kids know the history,” Antal said. “They want to break the streak and they can do it here at home. It’s everything the kids have wanted.”

Also in a Brunswick Div. I District boys semifinal:

MEDINA 2, HIGHLAND 1. At Medina, the No. 2 seed Bees (11-1-6) rallied from a 1-0 deficit and edged visiting Highland (9-7-3).

Seniors Ryan Stenquist and Michael Firlotte scored second-half goals for Medina. Sophomores Brandon Hough and Jared Vidika were credited with assists.

Senior Brandon Poling scored an unassisted first-half goal for the Hornets.

Medina senior keeper Zach Haynes made two saves, while senior Brad Sievers had six stops for Highland.

The Bees advance to play at No. 1 seed Copley on Thursday for the Brunswick Div. I District title.

In the Austintown Division I District boys semifinal:

MASSILLON JACKSON 4, GREEN 0. At Jackson Township, the Polar Bears (12-4-2) led 3-0 at half and overwhelmed the Bulldogs (5-9-2).

Junior James Haupt scored three goals for Jackson.

Coach Justin Thacker's Bulldogs had knocked off Massillon Perry and Austintown Fitch to reach the district semifinal.

Kent Div. I District semifinals:

SOLON 2, HUDSON 1. At Solon, a goal from senior Randall Berkley and four saves by senior goalkeeper Duncan Moran was not enough to save the Explorers (9-8-1).  Solon (10-4-3) advances to play Aurora (12-4-2) in the district championship match on Thursday.

AURORA 2, TWINSBURG 1. At Twinsburg, Mike Melfi scored two goals for the Greenmen (12-4-2) in the victory. For the Tigers (10-4-4), sophomore Chase Betenson scored. He also had the game winner against Nordonia in the sectional final.  Twinsburg keeper Frank Candau had six saves.