Field Hockey: Thomas Worthington, New Albany ready for state title game showdown
Thursday, November 2, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Thomas Worthington’s Sophia Borghese (2) celebrates a Cardinals’ goal in a 3-0 win over Shaker Heights in a state semifinal Nov. 2 at Thomas Worthington. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Thomas Worthington field hockey coach Terri Simonetti Frost spent the first game of the state semifinal on Nov. 2 scouting the competition from the press box. There she saw New Albany defeat Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame 3-0 at Thomas to advance to its first state final.
But she didn’t see anything she didn’t already know about the Eagles.
“They’re well-coached, tough and impressive,” said Simonetti Frost, whose team punched its ticket to the state title game with a 3-0 win over Shaker Heights in the night cap. “Paige (Cornelius) is a handful. I feel really good about how we’re playing right now as a team. It could go either way.
“Their guns are blazing and they’re not going to put the breaks on anytime soon. It’ll be very challenging for both teams and I think it’s going to be a great state championship.”
The Cardinals (20-2) did it as New Albany coach Marissa Weldon sat in the stands with her team watching attentively.
Weldon plans to spend most of the day in between watching film before one last practice.
“We just try to take it one game at a time,” she said. “We have one game left. So, we’ll prepare for it like we’ve done all the others. We’ll watch film and have a good practice tomorrow and just try to keep the girls’ spirits up. My plan tomorrow is to wake up and watch film all day long.”
It’ll be the third consecutive year the state final features two central Ohio programs and 12th time overall – all since 1999 – when the Eagles and the Cardinals meet for the championship on Nov. 4 back at Thomas.
Shaker in 2014 is the last team from outside the area to win a state title.
Thomas Worthington’s Emmy Wellejus eyes the ball in a 3-0 win over Shaker Heights in a state semifinal Nov. 2. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Sophia Borghese scored twice to lead Thomas over the Red Raiders (14-6-2) in a rematch of the last two state semifinals both won by the Cardinals.
Both goals came off penalty corners she initiated. The first, which came with 1 minute, 48 seconds remaining in the opening period, came when she tapped in Lauren Beier’s shot.
Borghese’s second goal, again off her own penalty corner, came off a rebound of a Rowan Casey shot with 1:48 left in the first half.
The Cardinals, who are in the state final for the 11th time seeking their eighth title, were 2-for-11 on penalty corners overall.
“You just have to get dirty and really want it,” said Borghese, a sophomore attacker. “You have to take it away from defenders and get lucky. Hopefully, the goalie will miss one. It could happen to anyone. Lauren had an amazing pass, which is why I scored one of them. The second one was just a lucky one. The goalie missed (because) she was off her angle.”
Casey scored the last goal on a backhanded shot with 10:21 remaining in the game for the Cardinals, who also defeated the Raiders 2-1 on Sept. 22.
Shaker gave the Thomas defense all it could handle, forcing goalie Mae Conroy to make four saves. The Raiders were 0-for-5 penalty corners.
Carlie Sokal finished with seven saves for Shaker, which made its third consecutive trip to state and 16th overall.
Cornelius scored two goals to lead the Eagles in the win over Mount Notre Dame. New Albany, a program that began in 2012, had never made the state tournament before. Conversely, Mount Notre Dame made its third consecutive appearance at state.
“This is incredible,” Weldon said. “I knew this team could get there even from the start of the season.”
Sophia Mariotti always had a knack for tipping the ball into the cage and that skill was on display on New Albany’s first goal.
“Last year, when I first moved her from Virginia, I was mainly a tipper,” said Mariotti, a sophomore forward. “I just have pretty eye-hand coordination in the first place. In practice, we always execute with good ball placement and everything. Just stick your stick in and you never know what can happen.”
New Albany’s Ellie McClelland (left) and Notre Dame’s Stella Stanley compete in a state semifinal Nov. 2 at Thomas Worthington. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Olivia Boyles was supposed to pass to Cornelius on Lucy Pentzer’s penalty corner. But a change in plan led Boyles to take the shot instead.
From the top of the circle, she fired and Mariotti got a stick on it from in front, changing the trajectory and it found the back of the cage to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead with 2:56 left in the first quarter.
“Actually, I was supposed to pass it to Paige, but she was like, ‘Oh, just take it’ because someone ran to her,” said Boyles, a senior midfielder. “(Marriotti tipped) it and it was perfect.”
The Cougar defense paid heavy attention to Cornelius all day, triple and sometimes quadruple-teaming her. Still, the senior midfielder scored two goals in the third quarter for New Albany, which also defeated Mount Notre Dame 8-3 on Aug. 26.
“(Mount Notre Dame) came out hard and they were physical, so we had to play our ‘A’ game,” Weldon said. “We were able to settle and find some space inside the circle. Our midfield – especially Olivia Boyles – did a great job of stopping those balls and transitioning her defense to offense as quickly as possible.”
Mount Notre Dame, making its third consecutive appearance in the state semifinal and 10th overall in the state tournament, had a hard time getting through New Albany’s midfield in the second half. The Cougars (13-4-3) were held to just one shot and Eagles goalie Caroline Spangenberg did not have to make a save.
“We have a lot of people in the midfield with only two forwards,” Boyles said. “So, just everyone working together. If one person steps, it’s making sure everybody gets back. Communication is the most important thing.”
Alex Varn made four saves in goal for the Cougars.
Thomas sophomore defender Jaidyn Gussler came a little early to watch New Albany. But she said it was her team’s performance against Shaker that was more valuable than any tactical advantage gained from watching the Eagles.
“This game gives me a lot of confidence,” Gussler said. “How we came together and gave it to them. I think we can do that to New Albany too. They’re a tough team, but if we put our minds to it, I think we can do it.”
New Albany’s Paige Cornelius shoots and scores against Notre Dame in a state semifinal Nov. 2 at Thomas Worthington. Photo; John Hulkenberg