Boys soccer: Medina Christian's fast start continues with win over Horizon Science

MONTVILLE TWP. — The Medina Christian boys soccer team continued its fast start Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Cleveland Horizon Science in Lake Effect Conference action.The team's third win in a row avenged a 4-3 loss to the Dragons last season and matched the 2024 win total for the Knights (4-1, 2-0)."I thought we played great," junior Maddox Tousley said. "We lost to them last year and we wanted to come out strong and beat them up. We did just that. It felt pretty good."Tousley scored Medina Christian's first goal midway through the first half, then assisted senior Daniel Hussey early in the second half.Making the Knights' winning streak all the more impressive is the fact it has come without last year's leading scorer, Nathan Androshchuk, who fractured his elbow in a 4-0 loss to Elyria Open Door Christian.The development of veteran players and an influx of six freshmen has accelerated the growth of the second-year OHSAA program."Our bond is really growing," Hussey said. "We have some really good, new freshmen. Our program is definitely headed in the right direction."While Tousley was leading the offense, sophomore goalie Steven Androshchuk and the defense kept Horizon Science at bay.Steven Androshchuk saved seven shots and freshman Ian Dotson kept the defense strong when he came on in relief after Androshchuk got kicked in the face in a collision with Dragons forward Eldinton Varh and had to momentarily leave the game."I just feel really good to be able to come back from that (collision) and still keep all the goals out," Androshchuk said. "I feel really proud of myself."The energetic goalie went on to praise his back line, particularly senior center back River Thomas, who he referred to as a second goalie back there with him. The defense did a great job of handling aggressive attacks by David Harerimana and Greziel Ortiz BermudezPlaying an early evening game due to Medina Christian's field not having lights, Tousley took advantage of his knowledge of his home field for the Knights' first goal. He lined up for a long free kick along the right sideline with the sun behind him and perfectly pocketed his ball into the upper right corner of the goal, past keeper J'Qwaun Beauregard (5 saves)."He was going up against the sun there, and we just know we have to aim high," Tousley said. "Most of the time it's blinding and you can't ever see anything. It felt really good and we just kept going."Tousley helped put the Knights comfortably ahead just over five minutes into the second half with a throw in from the left sideline that found Hussey, who slotted it into the back of the goal for the 2-0 lead."Chemistry and communication is a big part of it," Tousley said. "We practice this over and over and condition. All that stuff adds up."The Dragons had a quality chance to cut the deficit midway through the second half, but Ronnie Aderigibge's shot went off the left upright.After that close call, Medina Christian was able to safely close the game."I'm very happy with how this game turned out," Hussey said. "I thought we worked hard and stuck with it. We didn't give up and kept fighting."Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.Medina Christian 2, Horizon Science 0HORIZON SCIENCE 0 0 — 0MEDINA CHRISTIAN 1 1 — 2FirstM — Maddox Tousley, 26:29.SecondM — Daniel Hussey (Tousley), 34:32.Shots on goal — Horizon Science 7, Medina Christian 7. Corner kicks — Horizon Science 5, Medina Christian 5. Saves — J'Qwaun Beauregard (H) 5, Steven Androshchuk (M) 7, Ian Dotson (M) 0. Record — Medina Christian (4-1, 2-0).