Book of Mike

  ST. MARYS - While they may not be traditional rivals the rivalry between traditional WBL powers St. Marys and Ottawa Glandorf added another classic finish to their history on Friday night as the Titans emerged victorious in 2 OT 27-20 over the Roughriders.  Trailing 6-0 in the third quarter St. Marys marched down the field to tie the game on a ten play drive over nearly four minutes that was capped off by a Dylan Trogdlon 14 yard score but were unable to take the lead as the ensuing extra point was stuffed before it could begin by the Titans.  OG responded on their next offensive possession with a five plus minute drive of their own just moments later that was highlighted by a 44 yard third down run by Ian Fenbert and finished with a Fenbert reception for a seven yard score from QB Jacob Balbaugh to take a 13-7 lead.  Despite being held scoreless in the first half for the third time this season, the Roughriders raced 58 yards to tie the game at 13-13 with 1:23 to g...

  SPENCERVILLE - Spencerville's Will Gallaspie accounted for a trio of goals on Thursday evening as his Bearcats picked up their second victory of the week, a 5-2 win over WOSL rival New Knoxville.  Gallaspie was credited for the opening goal of the contest at 37:45 as he was the last player for the Bearcats deemed to have touched a bouncing ball off of the turf that was sent into the goal by a New Knoxville player.  With 26:37 remaining in the first half the visiting Rangers were whistled for a foul inside the box on and found themselves just moments later staring at a 2-0 hole on the scoreboard after Gallaspie was able to send a ball past New Knoxville keeper Josh Deitsch on the awarded penalty kick.  "Giving up the own goal hurt us at first, but I thought the penalty call in the box by the official really took the wind out of our sails for the rest of the first half" opined New Knoxville coach Matthew Stetler after the contest.  The Bearcats added one more sc...

  SPENCERVILLE – Though Spencerville began the day by celebrating their senior class it was visiting Columbus Grove who celebrated last as they topped the Bearcats 2-1 on Tuesday evening. Before the contest the home team celebrated the careers and accomplishments of senior class members Ariana McMichael, Gillian Goecke, Raigan Staup, and Audrey Sherer with a pregame ceremony. “Three of our seniors are state track qualifers (McMichael, Goecke, Staup) and are our speed. That trio has scored all of our goals this season. Our fourth senior (Sherer) was added as a starting outside back two years ago as the only starting defender we have that has played high school soccer before, she is picking things up very well after a year off” spoke Kathy Goecke of her senior class. Once the game got started it was clear that it would be the team to establish their style of game that would come away with the victory and that as it turned out was the Bulldogs. Last season the Bearcats reached...

SPENCERVILLE - Lincolnview scored off of the opening kickoff but would find themselves unable to do so for the rest of the game thanks to a brilliant performance in goal by Spencerville goal keeper Dominic Adkins on the way to a 3-1 Bearcat victory. With only :41 seconds gone in the fifth all-time meeting between the two schools on the pitch, Lincolnview senior Clayton Leeth sliced his way through the Spencerville defense and fired a ball past Adkins to put the visitors on top 1-0. Spencerville responded at 36:16 on a lead to sophomore forward Will Gallaspie to tie up the contest that triggered an eruption of applause from the Bearcat fans at Memorial Field on Tuesday evening. Nearly eight minutes after his first goal tied things up, Gallaspie struck again this time as he redirected a shot from teammate Joel Van Gorder past Lancer keeper Davis Schwartz for a lead the Bearcats would never lose. “We fought a much more experienced Lincolnview team tonight. I am immensely proud of ...

  COLDWATER- Coldwater controlled the shots in the first half of Saturday afternoon's contest with visiting Spencerville but wouldn't be able to break through on the Cavalier Stadium scoreboard until the second half as they erupted for five goals and a 5-1 victory.  Spencerville keeper Sydney LeMar faced and turned away nearly double digit Cavalier shots in the first half that included a point blank effort by Mallory Kremer with 6:10 before the break but found herself in just as much peril after the two side switched goals at the break. Ava Giere put Coldwater on top 1-0 with 38:52 with the first of her two goals on the afternoon and helped set up a second marker just minutes later as freshman teammate Leah Kaiser scored with 35:46 to run the advantage to 2-0.  The Cavs pushed their lead to 3-0 with 27:19 left in the second half on the second goal of the day and ninth of the season for Giere, the second leading goal scorer in school history.  Following a handball in ...

  ST. MARYS - In typical Wapak versus St. Marys fashion the victor of the game came down to just one big play.  Facing a fourth down play on their turn in overtime the Redskins needed one big play to go their way just as it did in the waning moments of regulation to possibly keep the contest going.  Unlike regulation however Wapakoneta was stopped this time around by the Roughrider defense as they would send Redskin QB Trevor Crow crashing to the turf with the football in his possession to secure a 14-7 overtime victory.  Trailing 7-0 with 7:57 remaining in the fourth quarter and starting with the ball at their own 27 yard line the Redskins marched south into the blue and gold endzone with just 1:16 left on a 12 yard score by Crow. Five plays previous saw the visitors pull off the biggest first down of the game to that point as they converted a 4th and three play on a rush by Connor McDonald to keep the drive alive and give themselves a chance at tying the game....

SPENCERVILLE - Jackson Center and Spencerville played to a 2-2 tie at Memorial Field on Thursday night as both teams opened up the WOSL portion of their schedule.  During a fast and physical first half the visiting Tigers reached the scoreboard first off of a corner kick and a headed bouncing ball kicked into the back of the net by Trevor Sosby. Sosby's team leading fifth goal of the season put his team on top 1-0 with 18:22 remaining before the halftime buzzer. Goal keepers Dominic Adkins of Spencerville and Candon Calhoun of Jackson Center fought off multiple rushes from opposing offenses in the goal box for the rest of the half to keep the score at just a single goal advantage at the break.  In their past three meetings on the pitch the Tigers had outscored the Bearcats 20-1 on their way to a trio of wins, but found themselves on this night when the second half opened up taking on a fast and furious Spencerville attack looking to even things up quickly. Will Gallaspie, a so...