Central Ohio high school soccer teams kick off season with Friday Night Futbol
It didn't take long for the Olentangy girls soccer team to respond after giving up the go-ahead goal early in the second half against visiting Olentangy Liberty.
Olentangy’s Olivia Heskett found space on the right side before crossing to Reagan Ross on the left, and Ross scored the tying goal with 30 minutes, 27 seconds remaining.
That's where it stayed as the Braves and Patriots played to a 1-all tie in the Friday Night Futbol opener Aug. 12.
Friday Night Live:2022 Central Ohio High School Football Preview Guide
Ross' goal came after Liberty's Teigan Casey scored on a penalty kick with 32:39 left after Madison McCort was fouled in the box.
“We needed to be aggressive, but also smart at the same time,” Heskett said. “It sucked giving up the PK, but there’s nothing you can really do in that situation. I feel like like it’s all about your mentality and how you bounce back from it.”
Casey is comfortable taking set pieces for the Patriots.
“I just tuned everyone out,” she said. “I knew where I was going and I just did my thing. Set pieces are definitely one of my strengths.”
The Patriots not only lost 10 players off last season’s 16-2-2 squad to graduation, but two of their top scorers — senior Jaimason Brooker and junior Chloe Brecht — are playing for the Ohio Premier Soccer Club.
“I think we’re going to be a little more all-around in terms of our team dynamic and effort and that’s going to help us moving forward,” Liberty coach Chris Allen said. “There are different people stepping up in different areas and that’s what’s going to keep moving as we continue to progress.”
Both forwards, Brecht had 19 goals and 11 assists and Brooker had 12 goals and 17 assists last season for Liberty, which had 57 goals and 51 assists as a team.
Meanwhile, Olentangy returns its top four scorers from last season's 17-2-2 team in Heskett, Ross, Audrey Oliver and Lexi White, who combined for 53 goals and 39 assists. But the Braves also are playing four freshmen, three of whom started, including goalie Macy Boysel, who had five saves.
Boysel made a leaping save in the 61st minute to punch a Casey free kick over the crossbar to keep the game tied.
Both teams had opportunities on set pieces throughout, including corners, where Liberty held a 5-4 advantage.
Liberty's Taylor Thomas finished with six saves, including one on a White breakaway in the 14th minute that kept the game scoreless.
"We knew they had a lot of seniors last year and we knew they had a couple not on the team this year, but they're still legit, for sure," Olentangy coach Matt Evans said. "Instead of focusing on (one or two players), you have to focus your eyes everywhere. I thought it was really fun. There were a lot of people here and it wasn't your typical game. It says a lot about our team. ... We had tryouts 10 days ago."
—Michael Rich
Canal Winchester 3, Grove City 3
A freshman playing in her first varsity game scored the first goal on Canal Winchester’s new turf field, then added two more for good measure.
Forward Jocelyn Nelson recorded a hat trick in her debut as the Indians tied the visiting Greyhounds in the season opener. She is Canal Winchester’s only freshman starter and one of only two members of her class on varsity.
“It was a great coming-out party,” Indians coach Larry Sullivan said. “Not bad for a freshman.”
Addy Waller, Nora Chesshir and Leah Boswell scored for Grove City. Goalie Brenna Sellars had nine saves.
—Dave Purpura and Frank DiRenna
Westerville Central 9, Westerville South 0
Rylee Mensel scored three goals in helping to lead the Warhawks past South in coach Danny Hunt's first game at Central.
"People are going to look at the score and see 9-0 and think that's not the Westerville Central I remember," Hunt said. "People will forget that statement if we go out and lose to some other team next week. We have to back that up."
—Frank DiRenna
DeSales, St. Charles, Westerville Central boys earn shutouts on soccer's opening night
DeSales 1, Olentangy Berlin 0
Luca Romanelli scored with 12:46 left in the second half to give the visiting Stallions the victory.
Goalie Deven Patel had five saves for DeSales, which lost its opener to the Bears 3-2 last year. Aidan Miller had four saves for Berlin.
—Scott Hennen
St. Charles 5, Hilliard Darby 0
Freshman Ryan Sullivan scored twice in the first half to help the visiting Cardinals build a 2-0 halftime lead.
Josh Ulibarri had two second-half goals and Connor Morgan also scored as St. Charles avenged a 1-0 loss to Darby in last year’s opener. Goalie Charley Valachovic had five saves.
Peter Adams had eight saves for the Panthers.
—Scott Hennen
Westerville Central 2, Westerville South 0
T.R. Hope and Cormac Bradley scored second-half goals to lead Central past South. Bradley is a transfer from St. Charles.
It was coach Dave Pence's 197th career win at Central.
"We had a lot of new kids playing on the field for the first time (at the varsity level) tonight," Pence said. "We have a brand new team this year."
—Frank DiRenna
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Friday Night Futbol kicks off Ohio high school soccer season
