MANSFIELD — Samuel Paul didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself, but Mansfield Christian’s talented sophomore midfielder couldn’t help it.
Paul had just scored the game-winning goal in last week’s 2-1 regional semifinal victory over Elyria Catholic when he was asked about the possibility of playing in the Final Four. That possibility became a reality Saturday when the Flames knocked off Kalida 1-0 to claim a regional championship and advance to Wednesday’s state semifinal match against Gates Mills Hawken at Nordonia High School in Macedonia.
“I remember watching my older brother play on the last Final Four team,” Paul said at the time. “It would be amazing to get an opportunity to do it, too.”
Paul’s older brother, Nathan, was a member of Mansfield Christian’s 2011 Final Four team. The younger Paul is one of seven Flames who had older siblings on that squad, which dropped a 2-1 double-overtime heart-breaker to — you may have guessed it — Gates Mills Hawken on a cold early November night at Brunswick High School.
“I was a ball boy for that team and I remember that game vividly,” Paul said Monday evening. “I’ve always wished we could get those 80 (plus) minutes back and now we will.
“It’s kind of surreal.”
Senior Josh Cochran, who scored the game-winning goal against Kalida off an assist from younger brother David, was a regular on the 2011 team. Back then Josh was a sophomore playing alongside high-scoring older brother Will, who is a freshman contributor on the ultra-successful Messiah (Pa.) College men’s soccer team this year.
“It’s kind of cool to see all the younger brothers step up,” said Josh Cochran, who has scored a team-high 21 goals to go along with 12 assists. “Everyone on this year’s team witnessed the 2011 Final Four game, either as a spectator or a ball boy or, in my case, on the field.
“It’s interesting because last year’s senior class had so much experience that a lot of the guys on this year’s team were playing junior varsity. They didn’t lose a JV game last year and this year they really feel like it is their turn.”
Junior forward Brendan Ernsberger (Bryce), sophomore defender Stevie Brown (Jacob) and junior twins Cody and Clay Earhart (Ben) all had brothers on the 2011 team.
“It really is neat because our school is such a close-knit community,” said first-year coach Jesse Rider, who was an assistant under Ben Stauffer on the 2011 team. “These guys all saw that game and they all remember what happened and now they get their chance.”
The underclassman-dominated 2011 Flames were playing with house money after upsetting No. 1 ranked Toledo Ottawa Hills in the regional championship game. Ottawa Hills had handed Mansfield Christian a lopsided 4-1 loss during a regular season meeting that year.
“Nobody, including ourselves, thought we were going to win that game,” Josh Cochran said. “That was such an emotional victory that we just didn’t bring it against Hawken.”
Like the 2011 team, the 2013 Flames have overachieved. Mansfield Christian finished second in Division III in the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association state poll.
“There are a lot of similarities between this team and that team,” Rider said. “This year’s team has accomplished a lot more than what was expected of them, just like the team a couple of years ago.”
Mansfield Christian and Gates Mills Hawken aren’t postseason strangers. In addition to their 2011 Final Four meeting, the teams met in a 2000 state semifinal match at Lexington. Hawken won that showdown 3-1 and claimed a state championship three days later in Columbus.
Hawken has appeared in the Final Four 11 times since 1995 but has just one state title to show for it. This is Mansfield Christian’s third trip to the Final Four.
“Every time we get this far, we play Hawken and they have had our number,” Josh Cochran said. “Hawken is a great team and they have a great program. Hopefully, this will be our year.”
So what advice have those older sibling offered this week?
“Nathan has given me tons of advice,” Samuel Paul said. “The most important thing he has told me is to be sure to give the glory to God. Nathan said we need to remember where our focus should be.”
The 2013 Flames would like nothing more than to avenge the loss from two years ago.
“It’s not revenge,” Samuel Paul said, “but a lot of us would like to go out there and get one for our brothers.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
“There are a lot of similarities between this team and that team,” Rider said. “This year’s team has accomplished a lot more than what was expected of them, just like the team a couple of years ago.”
