TIFFIN — Ottoville boys soccer hadn’t suffered a loss all season.
Ottawa Hills changed that on Saturday, with the payoff being a third straight trip to the state semifinals.
In windy conditions, the Green Bears defeated Ottoville 2-1, with Elijah Shetterly scoring both goals for Ottawa Hills, in the Division III regional final at Tiffin Columbian’s Frost-Kalnow Stadium.
“We knew we had the wind and it was going to be a battle for them to just keep coming against the wind all 40 minutes,” Ottawa Hills coach Brian Hanudel said. “So it was kind of a good thing that we were going against it first half, so we came out a little fresh second half and kind of used it to our advantage, that way we could actually settle the ball down and play the way that we know how to play best. And it delivered.”
Ottawa Hills (17-4-1) advances to the Division III state semifinal at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Sandusky’s Cedar Point Stadium against Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, a 2-0 winner Saturday over Beachwood.
The winner came a little more than midway through the second half. Shetterly received a pass from Harley Talbott and kicked the ball into the right corner of the net around diving Ottoville goalkeeper Alex Suever for the decisive goal with 16:59 remaining.
“[The Big Green] tried to play a lot more than they did last year,” Shetterly said. “They sat in a lot last year and really made it difficult for us to play around them, but this year they really took it to us and with the wind and everything and all the other variables, it just was tough and they were tough to beat.”
Ottoville took a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the second half. Kellen Schlagbaum directed a cross pass to Trey Landwehr, who sneaked the ball past Green Bears goalkeeper Julian Jaume at 33:57.
Ottawa Hills was quick to respond. Shetterly’s first goal squared things with 21:36 to go.
“All year, if we score that first goal, we know that more are going to be coming,” Hanudel said. “So it was a big deal to get that first one off our shoulders. And once we got that first one, we knew that they were just going to keep coming.”
Ottawa Hills’ two goals marked the second time this season Ottoville has allowed two goals in one contest. The Big Green last surrendered two goals Oct. 7 in a 2-2 draw with Kalida. Ottoville (19-1-2) snapped a six-game shutout streak.
Ottawa Hills, which defeated Ottoville in the 2021 D-III regional final, took nine shots, six of which were in the second half. Jaume made six saves.
The Green Bears hadn’t surrendered a goal in the playoffs entering Saturday’s regional final. Ranked sixth in the final Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association poll, Ottawa Hills has outscored opponents 31-1 in the postseason and 86-17 overall.
Ottoville, No. 9 in the final poll, outscored opponents 15-1 in the playoffs and 119-7 overall.
The Green Bears, winners of four straight district titles, hope the third straight trip to the state semifinals pays off with a finals appearance. Ottawa Hills lost 1-0 to Cardinal Mooney in the 2020 semifinals and fell 4-2 to Columbiana Crestview in the 2021 semis.
“We've adjusted our style a little bit, but at the same time these guys are so hungry,” Hanudel said. “They deserve it. They felt that [state semifinal] defeat, and we just don't want to feel that again. So I think they're hungrier than ever.”
First Published November 5, 2022, 10:15 p.m.
