Week in Solon Sports: Comets Sports Advance in Spring Playoffs

The Week in Solon Sports is just that – a weekly look at Solon High School sports teams in action over the last week and quick previews of what's to come next week. Come to Solon Patch every Friday afternoon to get all the sports you need.

BASEBALL

Solon, the seventh seed in the Division I Hudson District, upset fourth-seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights by a 5-4 score to capture a sectional title and advance to the district semifinals next week. The Comets held off a seventh-inning rally by Brecksville-Broadview with Matt Smoral picking up the win on the mound with relief help from Bryce Littell and Cory Stuart. Michael Dunn had two hits on the afternoon, driving in a run for the winners.

Solon won its tournament opener with a 4-3 triumph over Cuyahoga Falls with Kevin Cegelka's sacrifice fly driving in the game-winning run. Dan Sutyak (3-2) tossed a complete game and Ryan Schwenke aided the cause with a pair of doubles and two RBI. 

Solon split a pair of NOC games, downing Hudson 9-5 and falling to Stow by a 7-5 count. Stuart (2-1) picked up the win against the Explorers with Jesse Circelli collecting three hits, scoring twice and driving home a run.

UP NEXT: The two wins advance the Comets to Tuesday's district semifinal against Hudson at 7 p.m. The winner will take on the survivor of the Nordonia-Medina contest on Wednesday.

SOFTBALL

Pitcher Dani Zysek allowed just four hits but came out on the short end of a 1-0 score against Hudson. The Lady Comets were coming off an 8-2 setback to Stow and a doubleheder split against Aurora. Solon handed Aurora its second loss of the season in an 8-4 triumph as Zysek scattered eight hits and aided her own cause with two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Cleveland State recruit Leah Archer had three hits, scored three times and drove home a run while teammates Emily Maxon and Gabby Lucarelli also drove in runs.

UP NEXT: The Lady Comets are slated to host to Akron Kenmore this afternoon in a Division I sectional game. Solon will hit the road to play at Cuyahoga Falls Monday and return home Tuesday against Nordonia.

TRACK AND FIELD

The Comets captured both the boys' and girls' championships at the Euclid Relays. Solon's boys finished with a team total of 151 points to outdistance runner-up St. Ignatius (105) while the Comet girls rolled up 108 points to finish ahead of Medina (85).

A.J. Hicks continued his stellar season as he swept the shot put (59-11) and the discus (181-8) while teammate Rod Jackson won the 110-meter hurdles (14.60) and the 300-meter hurdles (50.89).

Other Solon first places came from Brett Goudy in the high jump (6-4); the 4x200 meter relay of Khoury Crenshaw, Christian Jackson, Darian Hicks and Brandon Bolden (1:31.70); the 4x100 meter relay of Kyle Hammonds, Crenshaw, Jeremy Nelson and Christian Jackson (43.34); the 4x400 meter relay of Rod Jackson, Nelson, Christian Jackson and Matt Thompson (3:26.95); the distance medley relay of Eric Hansen, Dan McMahon, Eric Hicks and John Riordan (11:02.70); the 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay of Nelson, Kegan King, Goudy and Rod Jackson (59.96) and the Iron Man relay of A.J. Hicks, Reggie Jagers, Aaron Ortman and Dave Corrigan (49.92).

Paige Yaeger and Therese Haiss had individual wins for the girls with Yaeger taking the top spot in the 100-meter hurdles (15.71) while Haiss won the 1600 meters (5:19.78). Other Solon winners in the girls' meet were the 4x200 meter relay of Tinisee Kandakai, London Mcnair, Yaeger and Jelvon Butler (1:43.43); the 4x100 meter relay of Kristen Baldwin, Butler, McNair and Yaeger (49.81) and the distance medley of Julia Haiss, Melissa Yasnowski, Anna Fakler and Therese Haiss (12:59.80).

Both boys' and girls' teams also meet this week.

UP NEXT: Solon takes the first step on the way to the state meet on Wednesday and Friday when the Comet boys and girls compete in the Ravenna Division I district.

LACROSSE

Solon, which had been on a winning streak of late, finally lost a game, losing a close one to Medina, 16-13, dropping the Comets to an 8-3 record.

Tres Barksdale and Sam Littman led the Comets with three goals each, while Dres Barksdale and Sean Smith each added two goals apiece. 

UP NEXT: Comets Lacrosse takes on Western Reserve Academy tonight at home.

TENNIS

The Comets finished second to Hudson in a very competitive NOC Tournament as the Explorers won four of the five final round matches between the two teams. Solon's Jason Schrode fell to Hudson's Stephen Boslet by scores of 6-3, 6-1 at first singles, David Shankman dropped a tough 7-6, 3-6, default decision to Mike Herrmann at second singles and Brian Yang fell to Kevin Caldwell 6-4, 6-2 at third singles.

Hudson also won at first doubles as Patrick Ohanian and Chris Nutt edged the Comets' Evan Schrode and Zach Singerman 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 but Solon managed to take the second doubles title as Liam O'Brien and Andrew Branstetter got past the Explorers' Connor Tomich and Alex DeCarlo (6-3, 6-1).

UP NEXT: The Comets are hosting the Division I sectional tournament this week with second round action taking place today.