WADSWORTH — Brendan Ernsberger operated with the precision of a surgeon.
Mansfield Christian’s prolific senior forward scored two goals and assisted on two others as the Flames thundered to a 4-0 win over South Range in the Division III state semifinals Wednesday at Art Wright Stadium.
MCS (18-2-2) will play Grandview Heights (18-2-2) for the state championship at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Columbus Crew Stadium. Grandview Heights, the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Division III poll champ, blanked two-time defending state champion Summit Country Day 2-0 in Wednesday’s other state semifinal match at West Carrollton High School.
It will be seventh-ranked Mansfield Christian’s second straight appearance in the D3 title match. The Flames fell to Summit Country Day 2-1 last year.
South Range (17-2-2) had no answer for Ernsberger or Mansfield Christian’s brutally efficient short passing attack. The Flames opened a 3-0 halftime lead and were never seriously threatened.
“Their runs off the ball are the things that coaches dream of,” said South Range coach Joe Staffeld, whose Raiders were in the Final Four for the first time in the program’s 10-year history.
Brandon Mount broke the ice with 29:46 remaining in the first half off an Ernsberger assist, easily beating South Range keeper Brant Rothbauer for a 1-0 lead.
“We talked about it before the game. We wanted to get some momentum early,” Mount said. “It calms some nerves and lets us relax when we go up early and it’s a confidence builder.
“With all the anticipation for the game, to score early feels like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders.”
MCS extended its advantage to 2-0 with 7:07 to play in the opening half on freshman sensation Jared McPeek’s left-footed goal off another Ernsberger assist. Ernsberger iced it when he stole a pass in front of the South Range goal and scorched a left-footed shot into the back of the net for a 3-0 advantage with 1:28 to play before halftime.
“We knew what we had to do coming into the game,” Ernsberger said. “We knew what we were expecting and I think it showed out there.
“Jumping out 1-0 right away gives us a sense of calm that we could build on.”
Any thoughts South Range had of making a comeback were put to bed midway through the second half when Ernsberger rolled a shot past Rothbauer for a 4-0 advantage.
“I was really impressed with the way we played today,” MCS coach Stephen Armstrong said. “We didn’t let down in the second half even though we knew they were going to come out and put even higher pressure than the first half, which we didn’t think was possible.”
Attack: Armstrong was especially pleased with the way his team played in the offensive third of the field.
“More important than just possession itself is composure in the attacking third,” Armstrong said. “Any team can possess all the way up to the final third, but what are they going to do with it at the end?
“We’ve had some guys this year that have just put the ball in the back of the net. Brandon Mount, Brendan Ernsberger and Jared McPeek … what else do you need.”
Losses to Division II regional qualifiers Lexington and Richfield Revere during the regular season taught the Flames some valuable lessons.
“We possessed a lot. We just couldn’t find the back of the net,” Armstrong said. “We learned that we needed to score. We learned a lot about ourselves in those games.”
Been There, Done That: Last year, Mansfield Christian was awe-struck. This time around, the Flames are approaching the state championship match as a business trip.
“To do it once was the most incredible feeling ever,” Ernsberger said of reaching the title game. “To have a redemption shot at it, it’s like nothing else.”
Mount agreed.
“I knew it would be difficult to get another chance at it,” he said. “But I knew we would have a chance if we came together.
“We all know what it feels like to lose and I don’t think anybody wants to feel that again.”
