Girls regional soccer: Highland respects Strongsville, but isn't intimidated by them

The members of the record-setting Highland girls soccer team are aware of Strongsville's long and illustrious history in the sport, but vow they won't be intimidated by it. Coming off the first district title in program history, the Hornets (18-0-2) will take on the Mustangs (15-1-2) in a Division I, Region 2 semifinal tonight at 7 at Brunswick Auto Mart Stadium. Strongsville, ranked first in the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association D-I state poll, has made 14 state tournament appearances and owns five titles and five runner-up finishes, including a second-place showing in 2022. Highland, ranked seventh in the final OSSCA poll, acknowledges that rich history but points out this is 2023, when it tied D-I powers Medina and Hudson while beating defending D-II state champion Copley and Revere (twice). In the process, the Suburban League American Conference champion Hornets obliterated the school-record 13 wins they compiled last season. "We've gone up against Medina and Hudson this year, and they have the same reputation as Strongsville has," senior midfielder and Ohio University recruit Jillian Miller said. "We use it as motivation to go out there and prove everybody wrong." The Hornets, who have scored 93 goals and allowed 12, will be without leading goal-scorer Grace Madison (23 goals, 5 assists) due to a knee injury, but they still have a lot of firepower in Grace Shondel (20, 16), Vanessa Zufall (21, 14) and Miller (14, 8). The Mustangs, who have scored 44 goals and allowed just six, aren't nearly as explosive but are tremendous at the defensive end, in the air and off set pieces. They used the latter to score three unanswered goals and stun Medina after trailing 2-0 with 22 minutes left in a game that decided the Greater Cleveland Conference championship. Strongsville keeper Abby Kudla, a Memphis recruit, has an unofficial state-record 54 shutouts in her career, while sophomore sister Paige has been dominant in the midfield while also increasing her scoring. They are the nieces of the late Mike Kudla, a former Highland and Ohio State football standout. "They're one of the best defenses in the state, obviously," Hornets coach Bill Zufall said. "They're going to be tough to crack, but we have a lot of offensive weapons from the top to the middle. If we come to play, we have the ability to pull this off." While most close followers of high school soccer view Highland as the underdog, Bill Zufall does not, even with the loss of Madison and his team's lack of regional experience. "You don't make up for that," he said of Madison's absence. "Grace is a different specimen, but so are Shondel, Vanessa (Zufall) and Miller in different ways. We have really prided our success on the whole of the team and not one individual. "That's what is going to be the difference-maker. If we come to play, I really feel like we can get it done. That's what I think is going to be the difference. If we don't come to play, it's going to be a long game." The Mustangs sometimes go long stretches without a goal, but their defense is so good it usually doesn't matter. And, as they showed by scoring three goals in less than 17 minutes against Medina, they are capable of picking it up at the offensive end. Campbell Faulk, Macy Felton, Julia Scally, Gabbie Keefe and Brynn Severance can put the ball in the net for Strongsville and also are willing defenders for a team that prides itself on what it does at that end. "We've seen their defense is very strong, and their keeper is really good," Miller said. "They're really good on set pieces and free kicks, and they're good at winning it out of the air. "We have to keep playing how we're playing. We just need to play for each other and stay focused on the game. The way we've been playing has been really, really good. We need to keep that up." If the Hornets are at their best, they could find themselves in the Region 2 championship Saturday at 11 a.m. at Sandusky High, where they would meet the winner of the game between unranked Toledo Notre Dame Academy (11-6-1) and No. 4 Perrysburg (19-0-1). "Our girls, which I love, are not intimidated by anyone," Bill Zufall said. "We're very loose and we're prepared. We get excited about games like this." Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on X.