The matchup was set up by St. Edward's first round victory over Max Hayes, which advanced the Eagles to meet the 3rd-seeded Rangers. The two teams played earlier this year at St. Edward, a 0-0 draw. That defensive trend continued in this game, as the game stayed scoreless through the first half. Both teams went back and forth, with Lakewood trying to use ball control to gain the advantage.
The deadlock finally broke in the sixth minute of the second half, when freshman Emrakh Kamalov scored off an assist from sophomore Chris Kafley. The Rangers kept control of the game for the next 20 minutes or so, but St. Edward turned up the pressure in the final 12 minutes of the game. They had numerous scoring opportunities in the box, the Rangers were able to fend them off. Senior goalkeeper Robby Fehrenbach kept the scoresheet clean for the rest of the match, bringing home the Ranger win.
The heavy rain that fell throughout the game subsided in the final few minutes, allowing the large crowd to celebrate the win. The student section, which packed "The Hill" next to the stands, ran out onto the field for a wild celebration. Players and coaches embraced as they enjoyed a victory over the highly respected St. Edward program.
Head coach Andrew Toth was extremely pleased with his team after the game. When asked what the key to victory was, he answered "the character of our men and how they love each other and care for each other". Toth was very appreciative of the large crowd. "[It] means everything to us, they know how hard we work" he said.
The Rangers (9-4-4 on the season) now advance to the next round of the OHSAA tournament. They will play Wednesday night at North Royalton High School against North Royalton. The Bears beat Lakewood 4-0 in a preseason game earlier this year. "We're a much different team" says Toth, "we are anxious to play them again."
Happy Rangers celebrating the big win.
More photos from Alex will be posted.
