ARCHBOLD WEATHER

AHS Boys Soccer In Sweet 16

Claim Third District Championship in Five Years



Ottawa Hills’ goalkeeper Patrick Arnold (0) gets to the ball before Andrew Hogrefe can get a shot in the first half of the district final. The Blue Streaks squeaked by the Green Bears 3-2.– photo by Mario Gomez

Ottawa Hills’ goalkeeper Patrick Arnold (0) gets to the ball before Andrew Hogrefe can get a shot in the first half of the district final. The Blue Streaks squeaked by the Green Bears 3-2.– photo by Mario Gomez

It was one year ago that Archbold won the Division III district boys soccer title over Ottawa Hills (13-5-1) in a thrilling 2-1 overtime shootout.

Playing the Green Bears in the 2016 district final, Saturday, Oct. 29, at Rossford, no shootout was needed, but the game was a nail-biting thriller as the Blue Streaks (18-0- 1) captured a 3-2 win for its second straight district title.

It was the 100th victory in Archbold boys soccer history, with Sean Stewart, head coach, on the sidelines for every victory.

“It just wasn’t a fantastic effort from us as far as team play, but some good individual efforts were able to carry us through,” he said.

“It’s not the greatest of starts for us. I think that’s the first time we’ve been down all year.”

Streaks Fall Behind

When Archbold and Ottawa Hills met earlier in the season, the contest was hardly a competitive one with AHS winning 7-0.

The Green Bears came in determined to make this contest closer.

Less than three minutes gone in the first half, they made their point when Dylan Schreder scored for an early 1-0 lead.

It was the first time Archbold trailed all season, but it wasn’t for long.

Josh Kidder found an opening in the defense, dribbled the ball down the field and ripped a shot past OH keeper Patrick Arnold to score the equalizer with 35:16 to play in the first half.

The score remained tied until Jared Kidder took a crossing pass from Andrew Hogrefe and knocked it past the keeper to score the goahead goal with 22:36 to play in the half.

Both teams worked to score for the remainder of the half but neither could gain an advantage, and at halftime the Streaks held a slim 2-1 lead.

Second-Half Drama

The Green Bears came out aggressive in the second half, taking control of possession and working to tie the game.

With 30:37 to play, OH forward Kevin Hileman was guilty of a foul, which led to a yellow card.

As Hileman was exiting the field, he mockingly clapped his hands in the referee’s face and drew another yellow card, which led to a red card, which led to an automatic ejection.

Ottawa Hills sent in a replacement player, but the AHS coaches conferred with the three officials and noted that a player who is ejected for a red card cannot be replaced in the lineup.

The officials met with both coaching staffs and sent the player off the field, meaning the Green Bears would be playing a man down for the rest of the game.

“There was some debate about whether they were allowed to sub in another person or if they had to go down a man,” said Stewart.

Playing a man down only seemed to intensify OH’s determination to score, as Schreder scored his second goal of the game to tie the game at 2 with 23:00 left.

It was the first time all season the Streaks have given up multiple goals to a team.

It looked like the game might go into another overtime thriller, but Josh Kidder took the ball down the right sideline and blasted a shot inside the near post and past the outstretched arms of Arnold for the winning goal with 16:14 remaining.

“The reason we like to play Josh out wide a lot is because he can get one-on-one with guys, and if he can do that then he can beat them,” said Stewart.

“Not only did he beat his man to the inside, but he went inside post, picked his head up, saw a spot and hit it.”

OH continued to pressure the AHS defense but was stonewalled each possession, while Archbold had a few chances to extend the lead but was turned away.

The final seconds ticked off the clock, and the Streaks were Division III district champions for the second straight year.

“I thought the defense played well in parts and shaky in parts,” said Stewart.

“They’ve (Ottawa Hills) got some nice players. They’ve got two or three really nice players coming forward, so it’s just about backing each other up and having each other’s back.

“When we break down, hopefully there’s someone there to clean up.”

Regionals

Archbold, ranked seventh in the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Div. III poll, competes in the regional semifinals at Sandusky High School, tonight, 7 pm, to battle Independence (16-1-2).

Bluffton (16-3-0) and Mansfield Christian (15-2-2), ranked sixth, square off in the other regional semifinal tonight at Tiffin-Columbian High School.

AHS has outscored its opponents 110-7 this season. Independence has outscored its opponents 102-22; Bluffton 61-7; and Mansfield Christian 98-15.

Winners face off for the regional championship, Saturday, Nov. 5, 12 pm, at a site to be determined.


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