Lady Demons have clinched,
but Bay-Westlake still a showdown
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published Oct. 13, 2004

The Westlake girls soccer team set a goal to win the SWC before the season. But it is doubtful that even the Lady Demons or their coach, Scott Jones, believed that the title would be secured before the final regular-season game against archrival Bay.

The Lady Rockets spoiled Westlake's hopes the last two seasons. In fact, Westlake has not lost an SWC game the last three seasons -- except to the two-time defending Div. II state champs.

As for this season, Westlake is 6-0 in the conference heading into tonight's showdown. Bay is 4-1-1. North Olmsted is also 4-1-1.

Since the title has been clinched, does that mean tonight's Bay-Westlake game doesn't mean anything?

"We will play just as it means everything," Jones said. "We will show up and play our best. This is the last season Bay will be in the SWC. We will still play them but it won't mean the same again."

Westlake has overcome several injures this season. Seniors Rachel Green and Chelsea Pavlik were lost for the season. Team leaders Hanna Wilde and Kelsey Slater also have not been immune. Wilde has had some nagging injuries and Slater recently pulled a ligament in her foot that limited her to less than 10 minutes against Avon Lake.

"Other than Green and Pavlik, we have been gradually getting everyone back," Jones said. "Kelsey's injury is a setback, but we hope to have her for Bay if not the playoffs."

Tonight's matchup is just the first tough test for both teams this week. Westlake hosts Magnificat on Saturday in a possible playoff preview of the first and third seeds in the Div. I Rocky River District. Bay travels to Div. I power Hudson.

"We had three goals," Jones said. "We wanted to win the SWC. We wanted to be the first seed so we can play at home in the playoffs. And we wanted to be ranked. It doesn't look like that one will happen. We needed to beat Brecksville instead of tying them. Maybe if we could beat Bay and Magnificat."

"Challenging" is the word Bay coach Beth Gavin uses to describe this season for her young Lady Rockets.

"It has been a rough road," Gavin said. "We play a D-I schedule to prepare for the playoffs. But we won, then we lost, then we won, then lost. We are at a loss of words of why. We could have lost only once but we didn't."

Bay is only 7-6-1, but after two more difficult games this week, it is a brand new season, as they attempt to defend the Div. II state crown. The tough competition has pushed her four seniors and fire-tested the rest of Gavin's young team. There are signs of progress.

"Lauren Farver has scored six goals in the last four games," Gavin said. "And with all of our forwards, we have a lot of speed up top.

"Amy O'Hara has done a great job in goal. She has stepped right in. Caity O'Hara has moved to center mid and has really taken control of the center of the field."

She also has the leadership of her four seniors: Bethany Jordan, Jessica Lauerhass, Halle Plagens and Molly Sweeney. In trying to find the right fit, they have often been moved around to various roles.

"It has been a challenge for the seniors," Gavin said. "It has been a hard and long season. They have worked hard. The girls quit looking at the SWC. It isn't that they didn't care, but it was more important to look towards the goal of state. Our schedule prepares us for that."

Plagens is now back up top, while Lauerhass and Sweeney are in the back.

"Jess has really taken charge in the back," Gavin said of Lauerhass.

So are the positions set? Has Gavin found the lineup she needs for the playoff run?

"We hope so," Gavin joked. "I will let you know after Wednesday's game."

All kidding aside, after the intensity of the loaded schedule gives way to the first two Div. II playoff games against brand new programs, how do you keep the intensity?

"It was tough," Gavin admitted. "But we keep 22 girls and it is through training we keep our intensity."