By Eric Frantz For the Dayton Daily News

JAMESTOWN | Ryan Hartman started his Greeneview soccer career with a state title. He hopes to end it the same way.

"When I started playing soccer it was simply a lot of fun, but in fifth-grade we won a SAY soccer state title and that really got me focused on the sport," Hartman said. "My mom was one of the coaches along with Derrick Strickland's mom and we had a blast that year."

This year hasn't been bad for Hartman or the Rams either. Greeneview, 21-0 and No. 1 in the state, enters its first Division III state semifinal at 7 p.m. today against Worthington Christian (13-4-4) at Dublin Scioto High School in suburban Columbus.

As a team, the Rams have had a historic run. Besides setting program records for wins and shutouts (11), Greeneview also won its first district, regional and outright Ohio Heritage Conference titles.

Sophomore Dustin Bryan has 21 goals and seven assists, while senior Brock Gill has eight and 18, respectively. Hartman, though, is the Rams' main attraction.

A senior, Hartman broke the school's single-season and career goals records, previously held by Brad Woods (1987 grad) and Scott Eisenhut ('85). Hartman has 70 career goals, including 34 this season. He also has 20 assists.

"Speed," Greeneview coach Bob Eakins said. "Speed is what sets him apart. He has a pretty accurate shot, but he's just really, really fast. Jonathan Alder has been the only team we've played this year that could mark him with one guy for 80 minutes. You can keep up with him for 40 minutes, but it's the next 40 that gets you."

Hartman's stamina — he's a state qualifier who owns the school record in the 400 meters — has been on display lately. In consecutive overtime wins against Springfield Central Catholic and Oakwood, Hartman scored both winning goals. He also scored in the Rams' 2-0 regional final defeat of Fenwick.

Since moving from outside-mid to forward last year, Hartman has registered 58 goals.

"Last season it became my responsibility to be a goal scorer and I kind of developed into that," Hartman said. "I like the role, but I still depend on the other guys. The center-mids control the middle and basically just give me the ball to finish. I just put it away."

Colleges have noticed. All-Ohio last year, Hartman has received attention from Akron, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville and Valparaiso. The Zips are ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I, while the Hoosiers are the defending national champions.

Academically, Hartman is second in his class with a bloated 4.533 GPA thanks to honors classes.

Finishing second on the soccer field, though, isn't as acceptable.

"I haven't really told a lot of people because I'm pretty superstitious and I don't want to jinx it, but when the schedule came out in the summer and I looked at it I knew that if we played our best every game we could run it (and go undefeated)," Hartman said. "Basically, we've just been taking it 40 minutes at a time, and it's been successful so far."

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