ZANESVILLE — Greyson Goines has been a quick study.
Zanesville's rangy, athletic goalie didn't take up soccer until his junior year, instead placing the focus of his extra-curricular efforts on Cedric Harris' basketball squadron. It didn't take him long to establish himself as one of the area's top keepers, however.
He has been a big reason for the Blue Devils' success this season while battling an arduous Licking County League schedule that included the likes of Granville, Watkins Memorial and Licking Heights. Zanesville took its lumps at times in a 7-9-1 regular season, but Goines' play often gave them a chance.
That was on full display during a 1-0 Division III sectional final win against No. 6 seed New Philadelphia on Tuesday at John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium, where Goines turned in multiple high-wire saves in the second half to keep the team's season alive.
The 6-3 Goines made a pair of leaping saves in the final 15 minutes and thwarted a potential goal with a sliding save in the 20th minute. It was part of an 11-save night when a mistake on his end could have been costly.
"They were a good team and we knew that coming in," Goines said. "We played them once and that was the first game of the year (at 2-1 Zanesville win). We knew they were talented, so I had to be the sharpest I have been all year. I came ready to ball."
Tuesday's performance was Goines' third shutout and ran his goals against average to 2.62. Third-year Blue Devils coach Tyler Bryant called his play "absolutely massive" during the regular season and nothing occurred against the Quakers to change that sentiment.
"Last year was his first year playing soccer and he was the most valuable player for our team for a reason," Bryant said. "He has been the rock that we are built on, for sure. He can do just about anything."
Goines said he thrives on pressure situations to make difficult saves — "those are the fun ones." He was put in that position on multiple occasions against the Quakers, whether it was leaping for saves in traffic or coming out high in the box to slide to get possession.
That it was scoreless didn't change his outlook.
"My job never changes," Goines said. "It's keep the ball out of the back of the net. I never really get nervous, never get too up or down. I love it. Ever since I was a kid I was a natural at stuff like this, and honestly I can't believe I never put two and two together and come out (for soccer). I should have been doing this since my freshman year."
New Philadelphia coach Aaron Ramey offered ample credit from the opposite bench.
"We had our chances and couldn't finish, but a lot of that goes to (Goines)," Ramey said. "He plays very solid and did that the first game. There is a lot of respect for him. In the first game we had multiple chances in the last couple of minutes and couldn't push one past him. We knew it would be tough to get one by him."
Baldwin sends Devils into district
In a game where Goines was sharp and the Quakers missed multiple opportunities down the stretch to convert off of free and corner kicks, the Blue Devils (8-9-1) made the most of one of their rare high-rent scoring chances in the second half.
Still scoreless, junior Connor Baldwin took a pass on the wing deep in New Philadelphia territory, then made a slippery move through two defenders that drew hard contact and took him to the ground. A penalty was called, and he wasted little time in connecting with a hard shot to the left corner with 8:36 left.
From there, Goines and the back line helped close one door and provide a pathway to a district semifinal against top-seeded John Glenn, which defeated Tri-Valley in its sectional final on Tuesday. The game is set for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 at a site to be determined later this week.
No. 2 seed Steubenville and No. 3 seed Dover play in the other semifinal on Tuesday, with the winners returning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24 for a regional bid.
It was no surprise to anyone on the Blue Devil bench that Baldwin made the winning play.
"That was in the seventh or eighth minute," Brown said. "He proved that he is a massive threat that has to be taken seriously for 72 minutes."
Phila has an eye on the future
It was a bitter loss for the Quakers and coach Aaron Ramey, whose players were visibly upset as a 2-13-2 season ended with another close loss. Of their setbacks, four came by single goals. Four others were decided by two.
Tuesday's feeling was not a foreign one.
"It came down to one foul," Ramey said. "We just could not find it on the many opportunities we had. Credit to them, we left nothing to chance.
Like the Blue Devils, the Quakers saw plenty of strong opponents in the Ohio Cardinal Conference in addition to a strong nonleague schedule with five Division I teams.
Most of their roster is due to return next year and Ramey said the team is already eyeing improvement with a strong core. That didn't ease the pain of this loss, however, especially with a multitude of missed opportunities.
"We just lost to John Glenn, 1-0, in a very similar game," Ramey said. "We had many chances and the ball rolled the wrong way. But that is what you have to accept with soccer. Unlike the other sports, you have to love the breaks and be accepting when they go the other way."
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: 'Absolutely massive': Greyson Goines kept shining for Zanesville boys soccer vs. New Phila
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