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Head Coach: Michael Biros (330)807-6461 |
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Asst Coach: John Gonzalez (330) 704-8860 |
2007 Season in Review (Past season reviews coming soon.)
Biggest Week in Jackson History
Ends in Crew Stadium.
Polar Bears travel to Findlay and defeat Sylvania Northview 1-0 in OT to advance to the State Championship. Hilliard Davidson defeats Jackson 2-1 in the Finale at the Ship.
The OHSAA reinstated Jackson into the State Semi-finals after determining that Mentor played with ineligible players and gave Jackson just 24 hours to prepare to play in the State Semi's. No training, no scouting reports, and a ton of controversy surrounded a late-evening team meeting that was filled with emotions. Nonetheless, the Polar Bears hit the track on a windy, rainy and cold evening and ran out all thought of what had transpired since the previous Saturday and got prepared for their biggest game in school history the next day.
The Bears used the better part of their 3 hour bus ride to Findlay on Wednesday afternoon to set their game plan. Jackson came out strong creating several scoring chances in front of a standing room only crowd. However, Northview countered over the next several minutes with solid midfield play. The last few minutes and most of the second half were back and forth. Northview nearly scored early into the second half, and looked dangerous on a few other chances. The Jackson defense continued to absorb Northview counter attacks, and as the game went on, slowly started to take over on the flanks offensively. In overtime, Jackson seemed to have a slight advantage, but the best opportunity of the game came to the Wildcats, as a wonderful cross was headed just wide of goal. Moments later though, Jackson created the final scoring opportunity of the evening off a cross that was deflected and brought down by Dustin Kiaski. He then found Steve Gilbert who calmly slotted the game winner from the top of the penalty box with just over two minutes remaining in the first over time. The sudden death goal moved the Bears into the State Championship match and set off a celebration from the Jackson faithful.
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On Friday, the Bears with just one day to prepare for Hilliard Davidson left school amid a huge sendoff from the entire Jackson student body and staff! The large and raucous crowd from both schools saw Jackson dominate possession for the first ten minutes of the match. However, Davidson scored two goals midway through the first half as they were able to split the Jackson defense to create some open shots and control the action for the rest of the half. Jackson continued to work to possess the ball, but were unable to create any dangerous attacks on goal. In the second half, a turnover and quick through ball put a Davidson forward on a breakaway and was pushed down in the box for a penalty. Staring ultimate defeat in the face, Jackson's 1st team All-State goal keeper John Brubach put his team on his shoulders and made a tremendous save on the penalty kick and on the ensuing corner kick to keep the Bears alive. They dominated most of the rest of the game, and scored in the 53rd minute as Derek Zuniga crossed a ball to Dustin Kiaski who headed it to Evan McCreary for the tap-in finish. Jackson would continue to press for the game tying goal, but the tough Wildcat defense proved to be the difference tonight as they held on to the 2-1 score and claimed their first state championship.
The 'surreal' week for the Jackson Polar Bears and their first trip to the state tournament in school history ended on Friday evening. Amidst all the controversy, limited preparation time, and road weary legs, this squad showed they belonged in the state final and played a great game. The large crowd were treated to a wonderful match that was full of dramatic moments and near misses and came down to the final second. Jackson finishes the season with a 18-2-3 record. They also set records for the furthest any Jackson team has gone in the tournament, fewest goals (10), most shutouts (15), and claimed another Federal League Championship. Congrats Bears!
Polar Bears Shot Down!
Mentor wins in a Shootout 4-2 after a scoreless game and overtime. The 2007 Edition of Jackson Soccer was a record setting one. However, their third trip to the Regional Final once again becomes the end of the line. This time Jackson proved not only did they belong, but they could have easily come out on top. It was a physical game with a lot of stoppages on a narrow field that kept Jackson from establishing a rhythm to the game. They persevered and played tough for 110 minutes of dramatic moments. It included a couple of long shots from Mentor the found the crossbar, and several opportunities to score in close for Jackson. In the end, both defenses won as the final score indicated the same as their first meeting back in August, 0-0. "We had our chances that's for sure." noted Jackson Coach Michael Biros. "I am really proud of the way these boys kept their focus on playing soccer. It was a tough game that really could have gotten away from us pretty easily. We gave it a great shot today. It's a tough way to go down (in a shootout), but that is how it goes. We had our chances." Mentor will play Sylvania Northview on Tuesday night at Solon to see who will represent Ohio north in the State Final.
Jackson finishes the season at 16-2-3 while setting records for shutouts (14) and goals against for a season (8). The team only let in one goal of any consequence during its final 14 games of the season. They also finished 6th in the final Division I State Poll, their highest in school history. The soccer team also loses a solid senior class. They can rest assured that their accomplishments in the Purple and Gold will not be forgotten. However, Jackson returns a healthy and talented crop of underclassmen. According to Biros, "We will be back and we will use this experience to push us further next year!"
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Polar Bears March Onward to the Elite Eight! McCreary's first half tally holds up as Jackson defeats Lake 1-0. Sometimes it isn't pretty, but at the end of the day, it really only matters who is left standing. The Polar Bears survived a strong push from the Blue Streaks to advance to Saturday's Northeast Regional Final. Lake came out blazing in the
They say defense wins championships! Well, don't count this group of Polar Bears out. They advance to the regional final against Mentor at Lakewood High School on Saturday. Mentor defeated St. Ignatius 2-1 in overtime to advance. Both teams squared off at the beginning of the season as they played to a 0-0 draw. Fitting that they get to decide on a winner on Saturday.
Big Second half propels Jackson into Regionals. District Championship goes to the Bears with a 2-0 win over Hudson. Both teams would get great chances to score early, but both keepers would come up big to keep it scoreless over the first ten
rest of the way. "We played a little too guarded and struggled in the midfield in the first half." said Jackson coach Michael Biros. "We were much improved in our pressure and took over the middle of the field the second half. We had some nice finishes from Zuniga and Kennen and the defense continued to do their thing!" With the help of a school record 12th shutout for the season, Jackson moves into their second Regional appearance since 2004. They will play Uniontown Lake on Tuesday evening (7pm)at Central Catholic High School. It is a rematch of the Federal League Title match played earlier in the month. Lake endured two tough district matches with Kent Roosevelt (2-1) and Hoover (1-0 in OT) to earn their way in.
Jackson moves on to the District Final. Bears roll to 4-1 win over Cuyahoga Falls. After a back and forth first few minutes, Jackson (14-1-3) gained control of the action and never let go. They attacked from seemingly all angles and the pressure finally paid off when Jimmy Costin put the Bears up on a header from Greg Marchand's redirection from a cross in the 16th minute. Costin would deliver again in the 30th minute from a Jamie Taylor feed on a well executed transition goal. Taylor would score himself on a nice header to cap a nice first half for the Bears and led 3-0 at the break. Jackson would control play throughout the second half as the defense held the area's leading scorer at bay. Zuniga would give Jackson a 4-0 lead with 16 minutes left off a nice setup from Dustin Kiaski, but it was only one of a plethora of scoring chances the Bears created in the half.
The Bears move on to the district championship for the first time since 2004. Hudson earned their way in via a shootout win against Twinsburg. It is the 4th time these two schools will meet for the district championship since 2002.
Moving on... Bears knock out Ellet 6-0 in the Tourney. The top seeded Jackson Polar Bears received a first round bye, and took care of business Saturday night in the second round as they move on to the District Tournament for the 6th straight season. Jackson (13-1-3) built a quick 3-0 lead and never looked back. They rarely let the Orangemen possess the ball and patiently controlled the action. The Bears will host Cuyahoga Falls on Tuesday evening. The Tigers bounced the defending State Champions from Stow 5-2 on Saturday.
Jackson claims Federal Title. Bears claim 2-1 win over rival North Canton Hoover. Noone said it would be easy, and it wasn't. Jackson did score first although North Canton (11-4-1) defended well early and shut down the Bears' attack for the first 20 minutes. Evan McCreary nailed a 25 yard shot that was saved, but Jimmy Costin
goal. Derek Zuniga found Steve Gilbert running in behind the Viking defense. Gilbert then centered the ball that ultimately was redirected into the net on an attempt to stop the attack. Jackson's defense clamped down the rest of the way. According to Biros, "Our defense has been pretty consistent all year, and tonight was nothing different. Our defense did a great job shutting down a potent attack. It's hard to single out one player. They do it as a unit! We were not at our best tonight, but we still found a way to win a tough, tough game. We know we have to play better if we are going to move on in the upcoming state tournament."
Jackson ends the regular season 12-1-3 with a perfect 7-0 league record in which they outscored their opponents 40-1. The Bears move into the playoffs as the top seed and will play at home Saturday evening against an opponent that remains to be decided. Bears shoot down the Aviators Jackson snaps Alliance's 10 game win streak with a 5-1 win at home. Senior Night at the Jackson soccer stadium started with tears. As the Senior players and parents took their pictures, it was evident that the thought of the past four years of hard word and dedication to the success of the Jackson soccer program had briefly caught up with them. By the end of the night, tears became smiles as the Bears (11-1-3) ran their own win streak to five games against another tough opponent. Senior Nick Kennen nearly stole the show in the first half. In his first start of the season, he tallied the first goal, and appeared to have a second, only to be called back. Senior Mike Zilla also had a narrow miss of a goal as his two first half shots were cleared off the line by the Alliance (13-2) defense. Senior Mickey Lapadot dazzled the crowd with several long range bombs that were either deflected narrowly wide, or saved dramatically by the goal keeper. His twin brother, Robbie, made some jaw-dropping runs out of back line, to create several scoring chances for the Bears. Senior Steve Crowther added two second half assists to push the game out of reach at 4-0 midway through the second half. Senior Steve Gilbert created a great series for the Bears on the fifth goal. He set up possession with a couple of quick passes between himself and teammates to finally set up Jimmy Costin for a 25-yard strike. Senior Jamie Taylor did not dress this evening, but he has made his impact this season as Jackson's leading goal scorer. And finally, Senior Goalkeeper John Brubach saw his shutout streak come to an end tonight, but it wasn't without a great effort. He initially saved a point-blank header on a great dive late in the match, but the rebound was put away. Brubach as lead the way this season with 9 shutouts and has only given up 2 goals in the past nine matches.
Evan McCreary continues to find his shape as he added two second half goals to ice the match. Jackson Head Coach Michael Biros commented: "Our seniors have provided the needed leadership and passion to take our team to the next level. They have sacrificed their personal gain to include our underclassmen in building a tough line-up with depth. I enjoy watching our team play. They play tough, skilled, and confident. Most importantly, they play for each other. This Senior group gets the honor for building our team unity!" The season is long from over, though. Jackson (#8 in this week's State Div I poll) received the top seed in the Kent Div I district coming up next week. Twinsburg, Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls, and Stow round out the top seeds. Hold off on that though for a few days... the countdown to the Hoover game has started. Last season, Hoover got the best of the Bears, 3-0 to take the Federal League Championship in 2006. Saturday evening (Oct 13th at 7pm) the Bears look to reclaim their title at home, and they are ready for the challenge. It is always a great game, as all big rivalries are, in any sport. According to Biros, "this game never, ever goes as expected. That's what makes it great! Moreover, both teams are about playing some good soccer this fall. It will be tough to keep my boys at bay the rest of the week . They are ready to play!" So, don't miss another chapter in the Jackson/ Hoover Classic on Saturday night at the Jackson soccer stadium! Polar Bears take down Grizzly Bears Jackson defeats Wadsworth 2-0 in a key non-league match. Both squads were looking to nail down an important win before the weekend seeding meetings in a battle of two of the top Akron area schools. However, it was the Bears from Jackson (10-1-3) that came away with the win. It appeared Jackson got on the board early on an Evan McCreary goal, it was ruled offsides by the officials after a brief discussion. Jackson would not be denied as they did punch one through thanks to Jamie Taylor from a nice feed from Dusty Kiaski. Kiaski would set up Derek Zuniga as well, early in the second half to push the Bears ahead for good. It was a beautiful flurry of quick passes from a host of Bears as they sliced right through the tough Grizzly defense. Jackson's defense led by Greg Marchand and Robbie Lapadot again held strong as they limited Wadsworth to only a few looks at goal. John Brubach notched his 9th shut out and Jackson recorded their 4th shutout in a row as a team. "It as a good win for us." commented Jackson's coach Michael Biros. "Offensively we did enough and our second goal was as pretty as they get. Defensively, we controlled the tempo of the match, and stood tough a few dicey situations that Wadsworth put us in. The boys are playing at a high level with a lot of confidence. Hopefully, we can keep this going!" UPCOMING: Jackson heads into their last week of the season with two good matches. First, Alliance (13-1) pays a visit on Tuesday night at 7pm. The Aviators are riding a ten game win streak coming into the match. Saturday is the JACKSON/ HOOVER match (7pm). A great rivalry that has seen Jackson's dominance come to an end last season with Hoover winning the match and the league title. Jackson needs a win to have the Federal League Championship outright. Hoover (10-3-1) comes in with a chance to share the title with a win. According to Biros, "It has been Stark County's best overall year for soccer. Over a half dozen teams have won at least ten games this year!" A couple of can't miss games for area soccer fans at Jackson. Jackson Rolls over Lake Bears clinch a share of the Federal League Title with a 7-0 win over the Blue Streaks. Jackson (9-1-3) came out of the gate strong as they assumed territorial control and ball possession of the match and scored early. Jimmy Costin put the Bears ahead on a nice finish in the twelfth minute. Derek Zuniga assisted the goal on a pretty pass that split the Lake defense. Just a couple of minutes later, Jamie Taylor added another goal on a penalty as he was brought down in the box after dribbling around two defenders. The overflow crowd at the Jackson Soccer Stadium were in shock. Just fifteen minutes in, and the Bears had seized control of a game. Lake's defense would be tested the rest of the half, and Lake's keeper would come up huge several more times to keep the game 2-0 to half. Jackson's defense were tested as the Blue Streaks mounted a couple of dangerous attacks. Their best opportunity came near the end of the first half, as a counter attack developed down the right side. An open Lake forward got a good look at goal from inside the box, but John Brubach snared the shot and preserved the lead. The second half saw Lake with the advantage early and got a couple of dangerous opportunities in the first couple of minutes. However, Evan McCreary promptly ended all possibilities of a Lake comeback with a wonderful shot to put the Bears up 3-0 just eight minutes into the second half. McCreary would notch another goal, as would the Lapadot brothers and Steve Gilbert. "We played a pretty complete game tonight." said Jackson Coach Michael Biros. "Things went well for us. Our defense was strong, the midfield controlled the play, and we got forward quickly. We created some great chances to score. Our shots were on target, and we played tough defensively. the boys were having some fun out there! Our boys were ready to play. It was a great atmosphere at the stadium, and we are all pleased with the result." Jackson gets their 9th shutout of the season as the defense has been consistently strong all season.
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