District boys soccer: Wadsworth edged 1-0 by Avon

PARMA — The Wadsworth boys soccer team battled the defending state champion for 80 minutes but couldn't find a way to put the ball in the back of the net. The 12th-seeded Grizzlies saw their season end Saturday with a 1-0 loss to second-seeded Avon in the Division II, Northeast 4 District final at Byers Field. Wadsworth (10-5-4) came into the game with just one loss in its last 11 matches but was unable to find the tying goal after falling behind in the 11th minute. "We played the defended state champions. They are very tactical and technically smart, and our boys competed with them," Grizzles coach John Johnson said. "We had a couple of chances, and my keeper made a couple of good saves." The play of senior goalkeeper Cayden Taylor was the story of the night for Wadsworth. Taylor made seven saves, kept his team composed and motivated by barking out orders and encouragement from the back line. He also had one the Grizzlies best scoring chances in the 69th minute when he came across midfield to take a free kick from 45 yards that sailed just wide of the near post. "We've had five or six All-Ohio keepers at Wadsworth, and Cayden is in the mix to be the next one," Johnson said. "He's been starting since his sophomore year and let us to the regional finals that year. "He's the heart of soul of this team. He gets the game, and he's passionate about it. Sometimes he emotional, but it's always in a good way. These guys love him to death." Wadsworth's best scoring chance came in the 63rd minute, when junior midfielder Evan Johnston fired a shot from the 30-yard line that appeared to be headed to the upper left hand corner of the net. Avon goalkeeper Owen Huron got his hand up to deflect the ball out of play. No. 2 seed Avon (14-1-4) scored when junior Brayden Carlin hustled to a loose ball in the box and shot past Taylor. The Eagles, who will play North Royalton in a regional semifinal at Brunswick on Wednesday, outshot Wadsworth 8-3. "It was game (No.) 12 of 13 this year before I had what I thought would be my starting 11 all dressed for the same game," Johnson said. "We had nothing but injuries all year. We started out 3-3-1, but we competed well all year and fought until the end." Contact Todd Shapiro at sports@medina-gazette.com.