St Ignatius vs Moeller - D1 Final

ELKSONE

ELKSONE

#EPND
Predictions

I think this games goes to PK's. The strength of Moeller is their defense and stellar play by their Keeper. St. Ignatius will be skilled enough to keep Moeller out of the goal. Moeller has 9 1-0 wins which suggests they don't have a prolific offense or the competition was just that good!
If goals do happen during regulation, they will come off set plays, corners being the most dangerous.
Have to take Ignatius on this one as being in the finals is just a normal part of their season.
 
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I agree with that assessment ELKSONE. I think either 1-0 game or goes to PK. I have been to almost all Moe games this season and while their goal keeper has been great it is the back line that is incredible. If you look at the stats they back that up. GK is credited with minimal saves because there are very few shots taken on goal due to the defenders. A few thoughts on Moellers game against St Charles last night . First and foremost the lone goal of the game was amazing. Considering the situation it was worthy of SC Top 10 yesterday. It was just a great individual effort and was better to see live than the video I saw this morning. I thought Moeller did not play well at all yesterday. They just didnt possess the ball well and seemed to not even clear the ball well on defense. Lets just say I thought it wasnt their A game. I am sure every team is battling injuries right now but they have some injuries that players are battling through but definitely are not 100%. St Ignatius will be tough to beat obviously with their history and complete dominance in Ohio Soccer. i am sure they are very confident going into this game and very well should be. The Championship is theirs until some team steps up and takes it from them ! Moeller believes they can do that and it should be a great game.
 
Ignatius defeated St. Charles during the regular season 2-1, so this should be a great game. The Cats' three losses have been to:

Twinsburg ( 2nd game of season)
St. Louis Univ High
Naperville ( Illinois)

Moeller has yet to taste defeat this yr. and defeated St. Charles during the regular season 2-0.
 
I'm not sure just how many state championships St. Ignatius has won (11? 12? 13?), but this matchup is reminding me of the one state title game they have lost...a 0-0 pk shootout to Will Trapp's Gahanna Lincoln High School. Moeller's defense has been beyond unbelievable. Meanwhile, St. Ignatius has been beyond unbelievable for going on a couple decades. So excited about this game!
 
SirStanley said:
I'm not sure just how many state championships St. Ignatius has won (11? 12? 13?), but this matchup is reminding me of the one state title game they have lost...a 0-0 pk shootout to Will Trapp's Gahanna Lincoln High School. Moeller's defense has been beyond unbelievable. Meanwhile, St. Ignatius has been beyond unbelievable for going on a couple decades. So excited about this game!
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Ignatius has won 12
That shootout with Gahanna Lincoln and Trapp was in 2009. That match seemed recent, but it was 14 years ago! Time is flying by
This Ignatius squad is young - ~80% of the varsity roster are juniors and sophomores
 
What all this tells me is how strong southwest Ohio is. I have seen 3 teams this year from southwest that could be in state finals if they were in other regions. Every year it seems to be a battle. Honestly Mason I thought was better than Iggy!! Yes iggy wasn’t playing all their guys but stil shows you how great southwest Ohio is!! Unreal.
After stating all this I do think Iggy wins in OT! Great game but who else to end their run!
 
Splus04 said:
What all this tells me is how strong southwest Ohio is. I have seen 3 teams this year from southwest that could be in state finals if they were in other regions. Every year it seems to be a battle. Honestly Mason I thought was better than Iggy!! Yes iggy wasn’t playing all their guys but stil shows you how great southwest Ohio is!! Unreal.
After stating all this I do think Iggy wins in OT! Great game but who else to end their run!
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Region 4 is always a gauntlet as to why you basically get a different team each year and then you have to go through Columbus to reach the finals. I'd argue Region 4 is the most exhausting of all the regions to reach the State Tournament.
 
Splus04 said:
What all this tells me is how strong southwest Ohio is. I have seen 3 teams this year from southwest that could be in state finals if they were in other regions. Every year it seems to be a battle. Honestly Mason I thought was better than Iggy!! Yes iggy wasn’t playing all their guys but stil shows you how great southwest Ohio is!! Unreal.
After stating all this I do think Iggy wins in OT! Great game but who else to end their run!
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All the more reason I've been an advocate for a larger state playoff, and not just for soccer. At least the top 4 from each region.
 
Cats are playing their best ball right now, and the Median game might've been the best performance in the last couple of years. The sophomore Salokumbo is on fire, and that's really been what the turnaround has been. It took him time to acclimate to the new team, but he was a part of all three goals vs. Medina and assisted the opener against St. John Jesuit. The junior tandem of Marty McLaughlin and Rafa De La Barera have also been exceptional with Marty intercepting anything in sight, and Rafa pushing the ball up the field with ease. Centerbacks have also been walls, with Justis Olorunto and Nicky Mikulec being as reliable as can be at the back. Ignatius is rolling, and from what I've read, Moeller is kind of in a rough patch. The one I'm worried about is Poppell, as he has scored 23 goals in 24 games, and seems like an unstoppable force. I have faith in Coach Mike and the Wildcats though, but this might be their toughest task of any previous title games.
 
I've watched Moeller over the past 5 games and what makes Poppell special is his speed on the outside. If your defense can't recover from playing up, he'll be one on one with your keeper and then you're screwed!

I'm guessing Ignatius will just have someone who can match his speed stay on him the entire game.
 
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Two great teams. The stats this year for Moeller have been historic, and I feel like most historic teams find themselves lifting the trophy to end the season. I'll predict Moeller 1-0.

Sounds like this is a young Ignatius team all things considered. Currently won 4 (!) state championships in a row...this might be the only chance to prevent that streak from reaching 6 or 7
 
Artists&Warriors said:
Sounds like this is a young Ignatius team all things considered. Currently won 4 (!) state championships in a row...this might be the only chance to prevent that streak from reaching 6 or 7
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Yeah, Ignatius returns the vast majority of their team (at least the key players) next year. Many of their core are Sophomores this year.
 
www.cleveland.com

St. Ignatius boys soccer stuns Moeller in penalty kicks for fifth straight Division I state championship

St. Ignatius got a late goal in regulation vs. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller and won a penalty shootout for the school's fifth straight boys soccer state championship.
www.cleveland.com www.cleveland.com

Account of game by minutes:


www.cincinnati.com

'I'm proud of our guys.' Moeller's dream soccer season ends in state final loss in PKs

Moeller finishes the season 24-0-1 as St. Ignatius won its fifth consecutive championship.
www.cincinnati.com www.cincinnati.com
 
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tom 48 said:
www.cleveland.com

St. Ignatius boys soccer stuns Moeller in penalty kicks for fifth straight Division I state championship

St. Ignatius got a late goal in regulation vs. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller and won a penalty shootout for the school's fifth straight boys soccer state championship.
www.cleveland.com www.cleveland.com

Account of game by minutes:


www.cincinnati.com

'I'm proud of our guys.' Moeller's dream soccer season ends in state final loss in PKs

Moeller finishes the season 24-0-1 as St. Ignatius won its fifth consecutive championship.
www.cincinnati.com www.cincinnati.com
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Strange that the game is officially recorded as a draw.
 
ELKSONE said:
Strange that the game is officially recorded as a draw.
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That's new, and I'm also curious about it. The NCAA considers games decided in pk shootouts to be draws...EXCEPT in the NCAA championship game. To my knowledge, high school tournament shootout results are considered wins and losses. This seems like an executive decision.
 
This is the college rule book verbatim: "If the score still is tied at the end of the second overtime period, the game shall be recorded as a tie, and the tiebreaker procedure of taking kicks from the penalty-kick line or spot ... shall be used to determine advancement. Exception: The winner of the penalty kicks during the national championship game only shall be declared the winner for all purposes, including the record."

I think the writer of the article is just taking liberty to do what they want.

In terms of the high school rule book, I don't see anything about a game going to penalties being classified as a tie. In the OSSCA database and maxpreps, there is a winner and loser for every game in the tournament.
 
bucksman said:
This is the college rule book verbatim: "If the score still is tied at the end of the second overtime period, the game shall be recorded as a tie, and the tiebreaker procedure of taking kicks from the penalty-kick line or spot ... shall be used to determine advancement. Exception: The winner of the penalty kicks during the national championship game only shall be declared the winner for all purposes, including the record."

I think the writer of the article is just taking liberty to do what they want.

In terms of the high school rule book, I don't see anything about a game going to penalties being classified as a tie. In the OSSCA database and maxpreps, there is a winner and loser for every game in the tournament.
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I can't believe I remembered this correctly (both college and high school). I recall Akron having an unbeaten season where I think they won their ncaa tournament semifinal in PKs but lost the final in PKs...which prevented them from both having an undefeated season and winning the national championship.
 
Here is how the sports writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer responded to my question.

"Thanks for the question. I don’t know how Ohio normally did this in the past but OHSAA recorded it as a draw in their stat sheet Saturday and Moeller has listed it as a draw on its web site. Technically, that’s how college and the pros list them in their records. But it is confusing, since Kentucky high school soccer always lists it as a loss."
 
I didn't see much of the first half, but I did watch the second half onward. I think the better team won. Ignatius looked sharper and more willing to possess than Moeller. It seemed like they were first to the ball consistently, especially in the overtime. On another note, I was impressed with Osborne Academy.
 
ELKSONE said:
Here is how the sports writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer responded to my question.

"Thanks for the question. I don’t know how Ohio normally did this in the past but OHSAA recorded it as a draw in their stat sheet Saturday and Moeller has listed it as a draw on its web site. Technically, that’s how college and the pros list them in their records. But it is confusing, since Kentucky high school soccer always lists it as a loss."
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I know from experience (thankfully on the positive side) that pk shootout results in the state championship game have been recorded as wins and losses. I suspect this is the first time it's been treated otherwise by the OHSAA, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's out of deference for Moeller's historic season. I don't really care one way or another, but I am curious as to the process of the decision. Could very easily be that a single person in charge of stats or the box score was new and was aware that this is how it's done internationally.
 
I think what Moeller was able to accomplish this year was unprecedented, something that will probably never be matched. So, if the powers-to-be determine that the final game should be recorded as a tie, so be it. There should be no controversy. Either way, the championship trophy will still belong to the Cats.
 
tom 48 said:
I think what Moeller was able to accomplish this year was unprecedented, something that will probably never be matched. So, if the powers-to-be determine that the final game should be recorded as a tie, so be it. There should be no controversy. Either way, the championship trophy will still belong to the Cats.
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Yeah, that's kind of how I see it. But, my gosh, how close this team was to not only a state championship...but also a national championship...with a national record for fewest goals allowed in a season (my understanding is that one other team has gone a season with only 1 goal scored against). Truly incredible. I don't really care for breaks in precedent, but this was certainly an extraordinary season. (And the consistently extraordinary St. Ignatius program continues to acquire accolades.)
 
SirStanley said:
Yeah, that's kind of how I see it. But, my gosh, how close this team was to not only a state championship...but also a national championship...with a national record for fewest goals allowed in a season (my understanding is that one other team has gone a season with only 1 goal scored against). Truly incredible. I don't really care for breaks in precedent, but this was certainly an extraordinary season. (And the consistently extraordinary St. Ignatius program continues to acquire accolades.)
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Yep, this one will sting the Moeller players for the rest of their lives and likewise, the Ignatius players and fans will probably remember this title over all the others because of the records set and rankings achieved.
 
ELKSONE said:
Here is how the sports writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer responded to my question.

"Thanks for the question. I don’t know how Ohio normally did this in the past but OHSAA recorded it as a draw in their stat sheet Saturday and Moeller has listed it as a draw on its web site. Technically, that’s how college and the pros list them in their records. But it is confusing, since Kentucky high school soccer always lists it as a loss."
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OSSCA lists SO wins as wins
 
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