Grandview Heights boys soccer squad wins school’s first team title

James Gerdes isn’t one to stand pat. The coach constantly tinkers with his lineup to find his team’s best version.

Everything eventually fell into place last fall for the Bobcats, who defeated Columbiana Crestview 4-2 to win the Division III state championship at Lower.com Field. It was Grandview’s first team state title in any sport.

Grandview started 2-2-2 but won eight of 10 games to end the regular season. They finished 17-4-2, having closed the season with eight consecutive victories.

Seeded first in the Central District, Grandview avenged an earlier loss by defeating second-seeded Wellington 2-0 to capture its eighth consecutive district title. The Bobcats lost the earlier matchup 1-0 in MSL-Ohio Division play.

Senior Luke Clark-Moody moved from midfielder to goalie in the offseason and was nearly an impenetrable wall during the postseason. Before the title game, the only postseason goal he allowed came in a 6-1 victory over Berlin Hiland in a regional final.

The Bobcats knocked off top-ranked Cincinnati Madeira 2-0 in a state semifinal to reach the state championship game for the first time since 2014.

Danny Claypool showed Grandview wasn’t in awe of the big stage, scoring two of his three goals in the first 10 minutes of the state final. The Bobcats seized control early and rode that wave to cap off an iconic season.

–Scott Hennen, ThisWeek