The Division I state boys soccer championship last Friday in Crew Stadium seemed destined to come down to a shootout.

Cleveland St. Ignatius returned all but one starter from a team that won the state championship in 2008 and was led by goalkeeper Joe Kalt, who had produced a state-record 44 career shutouts entering the finale.

Gahanna countered with Ryan Grimme, who had set a program-record for shutouts in a season with 18.

The shootout is exactly what happened, with Gahanna winning 4-3 to post the 1-0 victory after 110 minutes of scoreless regulation and overtime play.

On the season, the Wildcats gave up just six goals and the Lions allowed only four.

"That's why defense is always our top priority," Gahanna coach Dwayne Marshall said. "I know you've heard it before, I know it's said in every sport, but that's because it always rings true -- defense wins championships."

The Gahanna-St. Ignatius contest was anticipated for much of the season. The Wildcats were first in the state poll all season and Gahanna finished second after being ranked at the position for much of the year.

Both teams also were ranked nationally by several magazines and outlets, with the Wildcats at No. 1 in many polls and Gahanna as high as fourth.

St. Ignatius senior forward Vaughn Spurrier -- a distant relative of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier -- was selected the Division I state Player of the Year.

The Wildcats had two players make first-team all-state, and Gahanna had one in junior forward Wil Trapp.

•HISTORIC SETBACK -- Medina beat Dublin Coffman 4-0 last Saturday, marking the first time that a Division I girls state final has been decided by four or more goals.

In the girls state tournament's 25-year history, the only other final that was as lopsided was Bay Village Bay's 5-1 victory over Cincinnati Indian Hill in the 2003 Division II final.

"Wow, that's amazing," Medina senior midfielder Sarah Flanders said. "We thought we had a chance to win this game, but never in my wildest dreams did I think we could win by four goals. It's exciting to know that we had one of the best wins ever in the state tournament."

•A STALLION'S GREAT DAY -- DeSales defeated Bay Village Bay 1-0 for the Division II boys title last Friday, with David Harper scoring the lone goal with 17:59 remaining.

On the decisive play, Stallions goalkeeper Chris Weisgarber sent the ball deep to Michael DiCesare, who sent it forward to Harper. Harper took possession 30 yards from the goal and shot one past Bay goalkeeper Nate McDonald from 15 yards out.

Harper then raced from Crew Stadium to Welcome Stadium in Dayton, where he joined the football team in a 54-14 rout over Tipp City Tippecanoe in a Division III, Region 10 semifinal.

Harper made field goals of 42 and 24 yards and kicked two extra points.

"There was some excitement in our locker room before the game for the boys soccer team," DeSales football coach Ryan Wiggins said. "David is a great athlete, and we're proud of him."

•WARRIORS ON DEFENSE -- The Worthington Christian boys gave up more than one goal in a game just twice all season, and they were particularly stingy defensively during the Division III tournament.

After posting five shutouts in their first six postseason games, the Warriors allowed just two shots on goal last Friday in a 2-1 overtime win against Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy.

Senior stopper Caleb Palumbo led a defense that also featured senior defenders Carson Wellman and Michael Williams, senior goalkeeper Alex Scott and junior sweeper Josh Petrel, as the Warriors posted 13 shutouts overall.

Worthington Christian won its second state title, with the other coming in 2006.

"I think we're all good players," Petrel said. "With Caleb, Michael, Carson and Alex back there, with me being the only junior and them all being seniors, we had something special back there."

•TOUGH-LUCK LIONS -- Bexley fans have had their hearts broken in the Division II state tournament in eight of the last 11 years, as the Lions lost in state finals in 1999 and 2009 and in semifinals in 2000, '01, '02, '03, '05 and '06.

None of the previous losses likely was more painful than the 2-1 setback to Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown last Saturday, as the Blazers scored the winning goal with 51.9 seconds remaining.

Coach Scott Dempsey said he knew entering the game that the Blazers had scored several goals off set pieces this year, and they added two more last Saturday.

Hathaway Brown scored its second goal when a corner kick resulted in a goal by Lysette Roman on a header.

It was the third state title in six years for the Blazers, who finished 17-2-3 overall. The Lions finished 20-1-3.

•BUILDING MEMORIES -- The night before the Stallions won their fourth state title, they had a banquet dinner with members of the 1986 DeSales state championship team.

The Stallions also won state titles in 1992 and '97 and were runners-up in 1990 and 2002.

The all-state team also was announced last Friday, and there were three Division II all-state players competing in the game -- Jacob Eganhouse (midfielder) and Chris Weisgarber (goalkeeper) for DeSales and Nate McDonald (goalkeeper) for Bay Village Bay. Eganhouse was named the Division II state Player of the Year.

Stallions coach Domenic Romanelli, who graduated from DeSales in 1983, was the first DeSales player to be named all-state.

The two teams played to a scoreless tie when they met Aug. 29 at DeSales.

DeSales was not scored on in the postseason. In seven tournament games, the Stallions outscored their opponents 26-0. The Stallions finished 19-1-3 and gave up just five goals all season.

•SHUTOUT CITY -- Junior goalkeeper Taylor Burke earned her 12th consecutive shutout and 18th shutout on the season last Saturday while making no saves for Medina in its win over Coffman in the Division I girls final.

"I can't say enough about our defense," Medina coach Doug Coreno said. "Our defense was the one area I was worried about in the beginning of the season, but our defenders made it very tough for Dublin Coffman back there."

Medina assistant coach Brad Wojnarowsky said Burke deserved a break after making 14 saves to help the Bees nip Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 1-0 in a state semifinal three days earlier.

"Taylor didn't have to work hard for this one, but we wouldn't be here without her," Wojnarowsky said.