Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy juniors Ben Speas and Matt Mason have made oral commitments to play soccer at the University of Akron, CVCA soccer coach Jason Spodnik said.

UA men’s soccer coach Caleb Porter cannot comment on Speas and Mason until they have signed letters of intent, which Spodnik said they can do in early July.

“The idea to be able to stay home to develop as a player, as a man and to win big was exciting for them,” Spodnik said. “They were also intrigued by the academic opportunities the university has to offer.”

Speas, of Stow, a central midfielder, is listed byhttp://www.Topdrawersoccer.com as the No. 1 player in the class of 2009. He received the maximum five stars.

Spodnik said Speas chose UA over Indiana, North Carolina, UCLA and Virginia.

“All of the top-20 schools in the country were recruiting him,” Spodnik said. “A lot of it came down to what Caleb could offer as a coach and as a mentor. Ben thinks he can reach his soccer goals at Akron and help take them to the next level.”

Speas, who was a Parade magazine All-American, spent part of this school year in Bradenton, Fla., in the U.S. Soccer Residency program and attended IMG Academy. He has playing experience with U.S. youth national teams.

“He got up every morning at 6:30 and did more work than you could possibly imagine,” Spodnik said.

Mason, of Akron, a forward, helped CVCA win the Division II state championship and compile an 18-1-3 record. Spodnik said Mason chose UA over Georgetown and Notre Dame.

Spodnik said both Speas and Mason will play for CVCA as seniors next fall.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy coach Jason Spodnik confirmed that a trio of Royals seniors will continue their acadmic and soccer careers in college.

Blake Berkey, Alex Sosler and Danny Thompson were pivital players for a CVCA team that won the Division II state championship and compiled an 18-1-3 record.

The Beacon Journal previously reported Thompson’s decision to play at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa. Thompson, a midfielder, scored both goals in the state final, had 17 goals for the season and was named the Beacon Journal Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Berkey, a midfielder, is headed for Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. Sosler, a goal keeper, is bound for North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, N.C.

Spodnik said Sosler holds the all-time state record for career shutouts with 53.

When it comes to track, it’s always about who ran the fastest, jumped the highest or threw the shot or the discus the farthest. But sometimes there are stories, GREAT, INSPRATIONAL STORIES, that don’t have to do with who won.

For instance, I remember watching the local news in the fall, I think it was, and there was an amazing story about a young lady (she may have been from the Youngstown area), who was competing in the state high school cross country meet and was almost near the finish line. Then came a gruesome sight. She broke her leg on the course and fell to the ground.

But this young lady had the courage and fortitude to crawl and limp her way to the finish line, despite being in obvious pain.

It was a story of incredible self-will. This young lady needed medical help, but she didn’t want it. She was withering with pain but she wanted to finish that race, and if you watched the video, you couldn’t help but get a little emotional, knowing she was in a world of pain. But watching her will her way to that finish line, regardless of the pain she was experiencing, was breathtaking and moving.

The yound lady gave a great television interview a few days later and it was great to see she was doing well and was in good spirts. I think she even joked that all she was thinking about, when she went down, was that she wasn’t going to be able to dance at her sister’s wedding later that night.

I witnessed another incredible story, but it didn’t involve injury. A few years ago I was covering a regional track meet at Ravenna and the Copley girls were favored in this particular relay event. As the race began, Copley was right there, as expected. But during one of the exchanges, the baton was dropped and the team was out of the race.

The young lady who dropped the baton was devasted. I mean, I had never seen an athlete more distraught. What I found out later was that the young lady was only a sophomore and there were two seniors on that relay team. The sophomore felt she had blown it for the seniors because it was their last chance to make it to state.

She was on the infield of the track, as the race was still going, slumped over an emotional ball.

She just shuddered and shook as she cried.

Then, former Copley standout Carrie Dyer, who was a senior and on that relay team, ran to the young runner to comfort her.

Then the rest of the realy team followed.

To me, that was one of the most inspirational stories I had ever witnessed.

The sophomore was heartbroken. But she was heartbroken because she cared about her teammates and wanted to perform at her best so that it would help the seniors.

It didn’t happen. But when it didn’t happen, the seniors weren’t mad, bitter or upset. They showed support for their younger teammate because they loved her. And in the end, winning didn’t matter.

So, with that, I’m asking readers to post any inspirational stories you witnessed, in track or any other sport, that didn’t involve someone winning.

A story where someone overcame odds to get where they are. Or a story about teammates helping one another.

Those are the most compelling stories.

Soccer

Varsity Letters Player of the Game: CVCA senior midfielder Danny Thompson.

It was the ultimate day of soccer for the Thompson family of CVCA.

CVCA senior midfielder Danny Thompson scored two goals to lead the Royals to a 2-0 win over Kettering Alter in a Division II state final Saturday afternoon at Columbus Crew Stadium. His younger brothers, junior Logan Thompson and freshman Jack Thompson, are CVCA defenders who helped the Royals shutout their sixth consecutive opponent and win their second state title in four years.

But the excitment doesn’t stop there for the Thompsons.

The oldest Thompson brother, Nick, is a freshman midfielder for Messiah College. Nick Thompson and the Eagles will host Greensboro College at 6 p.m. today in a second-round game in the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament.

Danny Thompson said his family doesn’t have time to make the trip to watch his older brother play in Grantham, Penn., but they will call him tonight for an update after the game.

Danny Thompson, who has committed to join Nick as a member of the Messiah College men’s soccer team next year, said he and his older brother talked on the phone before the state championship game in Columbus.

“He’s been a great encouragement in my life,” Danny Thompson said of his older brother, Nick. “He’s led me and my little brothers and shown us how to play.”

Nick Thompson has obviously done a good job showing his little brothers the ropes. Danny Thompson finished the season with 17 goals and will be named the Beacon Journal Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Click here for the game story.

ED SUBA JR./Akron Beacon Journal

CVCA senior midfielder Danny Thompson (left) battles for the ball with a Kettering Alter player. Thompson scored two goals to lead CVCA to a 2-0 victory in a Division II state championship game Saturday at Columbus Crew Stadium.

The CVCA boys soccer team is the Division II state champion.

The Royals (18-1-3) defeated Kettering Alter 2-0 Saturday afternoon at Columbus Crew Stadium to capture the title.

CVCA senior midfielder Danny Thompson carried the Royals to victory with two goals in the 72nd and 75th minutes.

It’s official: CVCA senior midfielder Danny Thompson has taken over.

Thompson score another goal with 5:41 left in the second half to extend the Royals’ lead to 2-0. If CVCA hangs on, it will win its second state championship in four years.

Stay tuned for updates.

CVCA took a 1-0 lead with 8:56 remaining in the second half.

The Royals scored when senior midfielder Danny Thompson’s corner kick hooked into the upper-right corner of the goal.

Stay tuned for more updates.

CVCA seems to have a slight advantage in overall speed. The Royals were on the attack in the first half, and had four shots on goal to Kettering Alter’s one.

But the score at halftime is 0-0.

Stay tuned for more updates.

I’m back in the pressbox at Columbus Crew Stadium watching the CVCA boys soccer team play Kettering Alter in a Division II state championship game.

There is 26:00 left in the first half, and the score is 0-0. Stay tuned for updates.

Four area soccer teams advanced to the state semifinals this week, but only two earned a chance to play for a state title in Columbus this weekend.

The CVCA and Jackson boys teams won their respective state semifinal matchups and will vie for state championships.

CVCA defeated Napoleon 3-0 on Tuesday and advances to play Kettering Alter in a Division II state final at 11 a.m. at Crew Stadium in Columbus.

Jackson’s route to the state championship game was a bit more unconventional. The Polar Bears lost their regional final against Mentor in a shootout Saturday. However, Jackson learned Tuesday that Mentor had to forfeit that game because it used two ineligible players. Therefore, Jackson advanced to a state semifinal and took advantage of the rare opportunity by defeating Sylvania Northview 1-0 in overtime on Wednesday. The Polar Bears will play Hilliard Davidson in a Division I state final at 7 p.m. Friday.

KAREN SCHIELY/Akron Beacon Journal

CVCA senior Danny Thompson gets fired up after scoring a goal in the Royals’ 3-0 win over Napoleon in a Division II state semifinal.

The Walsh Jesuit and Archbishop Hoban girls teams both fell short of reaching a state championship game Wednesday night.

The defending state champion Warriors lost to nationally-ranked Strongsville in a shootout. Archbishop Hoban suffered defeat in a state semifinal for the second consecutive year when the Knights fell 2-1 to Hathaway Brown.

Click here for a Walsh girls game story.

Click here for a Hoban girls game story.

I will be in Columbus to cover the CVCA and Jackson boys in their state championship games. Stay tuned to this blog and the Beacon Journal for updates.