by Jeff Wickerham
On a hot and sticky evening at Kenny Wolford Park, the Tri-Valley Scotties, with a record of 5-1 (2-1 MVL) took on the Maysville Panthers who were 6-2 (3-1 MVL).
The evening started with the JV squad taking care of Maysville soundly, 6-1, keeping their undefeated season going strong. Ty Young led the scoring for the Scotties with a hat trick. Chance Storer, Lewis Mozena, and Nathan Hustey rounded out the rest of the goals for the Scotties. Jake Pratt aided on the scoring with two assists. Storer and Blake Spencer also had assists. Keeper Lincoln Rhodes was strong between the pipes, only allowing one goal.
The Varsity kicked off the evening at 86 degrees and a setting sun. For the second game in a row, both teams played extremely physical. Although Maysville was without their leading scorer due to injury, it didn’t stop the Panthers from striking first. At the 10 minute mark Maysville scored off of a set piece, putting the score at 1-0.
3 minutes later, a penalty on Tri-Valley was called inside the box, which gave Maysville a penalty kick. The Panther player buried it in the corner of the goal. 2-0 Maysville.
Since it was such a hot evening, the game was stopped 20 minutes in, to give the players a chance to get water. During this 1 minute water break, Senior Captains Devin Watts and Camden Wickerham called the team together and got them refocused.
Play resumed and at 30 minutes in, a penalty was called on Maysville, which gave the Scotties an indirect kick, 12 yards from the goal. Senior Captain Sam Schott played the ball to Junior Yuvi Bastola, who curved his powerful shot around the Maysville defense, for the teams first goal. 2-1, Maysville.
At the 36 minute mark, Schott had a breakaway and was fouled. The Scottie players felt Maysville should have received a red card for the foul, but the referees felt differently, and only gave a standard foul. Tri-Valley wasn’t able to capitalize, leaving the score 2-1 at halftime
As the Scottie players were coming off the pitch, they were complaining about the call. Coach Keith Laughlin took this situation as an opportunity to teach. “We need to put that call out of our minds and move forward. We can’t let it defeat us.” Bastola also chimed in, “We played much better in the 2nd quarter. We got this guys.”
The halftime talk seemed to work, because at the 43 minute mark, Schott put the ball through the keepers hands for his 8th goal of the season. This tied it up, 2-2.
Tri-Valley capitalized again in the 65th minutes, when Senior Gael Oseguera slipped the ball to Schott, who found Junior Dominic Dale. Dom put the ball past the Maysville keeper, for his first goal of the season. Scotties 3-Maysville 2.
12 minutes later, in the 76 minutes, Oseguera was on the scoring end of things this time, when he dribbled the ball through Maysville defenders and found the goal, for his 2nd of the season.
The Scottie defense was as strong as the past few games, lead by Watts and Wickerham, Senior Ethan McClellan and Sophomore Oliver Baker. Sophomore keeper Owen Harney made a few tough saves in the first half, but didn’t have many tests in the second half, thanks to his defense.
The midfield group did a great job as well, with help from Dale, Bastola, Oseguera, Senior Elijah Felumlee, Juniors Nick Flarey and Laetyn Holdsworth, and Freshmen Corbin Ryan.
Schott, sophomore Cris Carpenter and freshmen Lewis Mozena led the forward positions.
As the clock counted down to 0, the Scottie fans and team erupted because they had topped Maysville, 4-2. This marked the first time the Tri-Valley seniors had beaten Maysville in their high school career.
Tri-Valley has its toughest test of the season up next, as they travel to Berlin-Hiland. The Hawks bring a record of 5-0-1 and are ranked 2nd in Division III and 13th among all boys teams in Ohio. Kickoff is Thursday, September 7 at 7:00.