Spencerville’s AJ Boop and Kalida’s Braylon Smith compete for the ball during Wednesday’s Division III District semifinal match at Kalida.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
KALIDA – Ottoville’s Kellen Schlagbaum is a goal-scoring machine.
And, Schlagbaum did what he does best: Score.
Schlagbaum notched his 38th goal of the season on a penalty kick to power the Big Green to a 1-0 victory over Continental in the Division III boys soccer district semifinals Wednesday at Kalida.
Schlagbaum was tripped in the box and awarded a penalty kick.
He fired his PK into the lower-left corner of the net to give Ottoville the 1-0 lead with 33:25 to play.
“I picked a spot and made sure I hit it right to the corner, no matter how far they dive,” Schlagbaum said.
Ottoville (17-0-2) advances to the district finals against Kalida (12-2-4) at 12 noon Saturday at Kalida.
Kalida knocked off Spencerville in the second district semifinal, 3-1.
Ottoville and Continental tied at 1 during the regular season.
The first half was scoreless and was just that even.
Ottoville came out and pressed its offensive attack in the second half.
The Big Green offense started with the four in the back and pushed the ball up to the midfield, before feeding Schlagbaum and Preston Mansfield up front.
“We knew we had to pick it up in the midfield, pick up the tempo and be more aggressive,” Ottoville coach Dustin Markward said. “We had some early opportunities and didn’t capitalize. We were knocking on the door quite a bit, we just didn’t put in the back of the net.’’
Ottoville outshot Continental (13-5-2), 8-4.
Ottoville goalkeeper Alex Suever made three saves.
“Our defense has only given up five goals all year,” Markward said.
The Pirates goalkeeper Konnor Knipp-Williams made seven saves.
The Pirates had a golden opportunity to tie the match with 12 minutes to play when the Big Green goalkeeper Suever was called for delay of game, holding the ball just a few seconds than the six-second rule before he released the ball.
The referee awarded an indirect-free kick to the Pirates in the heart of the box, 14-yards out.
The Pirates made a play on the ball, but didn’t come up with a shot.
“He said I held onto the ball too long,” Suever said. “He might have warned me (a school official said he did), but I didn’t hear him.
“I’m just glad they didn’t score on it or I would have felt really bad.’’
Markward said, “We have seen a keeper hold the ball for 10 seconds during the regular
season. It’s something the officials will look for come tournament time. And, also we were up one, and in his mind, we were trying to stall.
“We have to make sure that doesn’t happen. That was a dangerous opportunity. We were very fortunate.’’
Also, with 22 minutes to play, the Pirates Rhenn Armey took a shot from 16-yards out which Suever tipped. The ball hit the crossbar and went over the bar.
“We started playing faster in the second half and credit to out offensive midfield,” Schlagbaum said.
Kalida 3, Spencerville 1
KALIDA – Kalida controlled the midfield most of the first half and went on to notch the victory.
Kalida led 2-1 at halftime.
Kalida’s Dalton Schultz scored first with 15:58 left in the first half on a boot from 14-yards out off a cross from the left wing.
Spencerville’s Will Gallaspie scored his 37th goal of the year on a penalty kick to tie the match at 1 with 4:53 left in the first half.
Gallaspie got around the defender, but was tripped up by the Kalida goalkeeper, which set up the PK.
Kalida took a 2-1 lead off a penalty kick by Evan Stechschulte, who drilled it in the lower-right corner of the net.
Drew Fersch was taken down in the box, which set up the PK by Stechschulte.
Kalida completed the scoring on a counter-attack breakaway goal by Braylon Smith, Stechschulte, with 10:27 to play.
That gave Kalida a 3-1 lead.
Kalida outshot Spencerville for the match, 18-2.
HIGH SCHOOL
Volleyball
Division III district final
Codlwater 3, St. Henry 1
KALIDA — Coldwater defeated St. Henry 25-16, 25-19, 18-25 and 25-22.
Lima Senior
Costume party to highlight winter athletes
Lima Senior High School Athletics is partnering with 1ENT to present Spartan Madness: A Winter Sports Costume Party Nov. 4, in the Lima Senior gymnasium.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will conclude at 9 p.m. The free event is open to students and community members. The night will allow the community to meet this year’s Lima Senior winter sports athletes. It will include food, music and other activities. The event is also a chance to see this year’s Lima Senior boys and girls varsity basketball teams in action. The teams will play inter-squad scrimmages after the winter athletes are introduced.
COLLEGE
Women’s Soccer
Bluffton 4, Manchester 0
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – The Manchester women’s soccer team was given no quarter and the Bluffton women left no doubt when the Beavers rolled to a 4-0 shutout Wednesday. Bluffton notched its second Heartland Conference tournament berth in school history and first since 2011 when the visitors improved to 5-10-1 overall and 4-5 in the HCAC. It also marked the most conference victories for the Beavers since they went 5-3-1 in 2011.
Emma White (St. Marys/Memorial) put Bluffton on top in minute 26 when she used a feed from fellow senior Taylor Dye (Big Prairie/West Holmes) for turned out to be the game winner. Sophomore Madison Ellerbrock (Leipsic/Miller City) made it 2-0 with just over two minutes to play in the opening stanza.
Nina McGinn (Marion/Harding) led the way with six shots. White was one attempt back with five, but she put four of those on frame. Katelyn Burden (Sidney) added four shots and all three attempts from Gladieux were between the pipes.
Bluffton will open its second-ever Heartland Conference tournament with a trip to Anderson University on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is slated for noon at the home of the Ravens.
Cross Country
Bluffton to host HCAC cross country
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The 2022 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Bluffton University and take place on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Bluffton University Nature Preserve.
The women’s 6K race will kick off at noon with the men’s 8k race starting at 1 p.m.
Details including course maps for the event can be found at: www.bluffton.edu/wcross; www.bluffton.edu/mcross
Tickets, for adults and children ages 12 and up, must be purchased in advance of the event at www.bluffton.edu/champs. Admission is free for students/faculty/staff of HCAC institutions with valid ID and children under age 11. Parking will be next to Bluffton’s Memorial Field.
Bowling
ONU to add bowling
ADA — Ohio Northern will add men’s and women’s bowling as varsity sports for the 2023-24 season.
The Polar Bear squads will be based out of Norada Lanes in Ada and have requested membership in the Ohio Bowling Conference. The addition of men’s and women’s bowling will bring the total of varsity sports at Ohio Northern to 26.
