COLUMBUS — For the first time since Nov. 5, 2022, it happened.
Unfortunately for the Walsh Jesuit girls soccer team, it was on the wrong side of history as Springboro won the Division I state title Saturday 4-2 on penalty kicks after 110 minutes of scoreless action.
It was the first time in over two years that the Warriors (21-0-1) were shut out and it gave the Panthers (19-1-2) their first state title in school history regardless of sports.
“There’s just an an immense amount of pride,” Walsh coach Javier Iriart said. “I look back on these four years and what stands out to me the most is that we kind of had to rebuild more so a community than anything else. What shined through the past four years is that the team bought in from the beginning to the end. It goes beyond talent, it’s beyond tactics.
“It goes into this idea that what we’re fighting for is more than gold and silver medals. It’s about continuing the season as long as we can because ultimately this is high school soccer. The gold medals, they fade. The silverware collects dust. The things the girls take home with them goes beyond medals. They had a fantastic four years playing with their best friends.”
It was the second time in four years Walsh finished second and ended an incredible run by the senior class.
That it took penalty kicks to beat the Warriors was a testament to the squad and showed just how strong play was in the big school division for the reigning champion Warriors and Springboro.
“Coming into such a successful program, we wanted to do the same,” Reagan Pentz said. “We wanted to rewrite our story while looking at the history…. We wanted to be the players that some of the younger kids look up to.”
The senior class does it with a 76-8-7 record, three state final appearances and four district championships.
With that said, Walsh is back and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, anytime soon.
“To say we came in and left a legacy is an honor,” Walsh senior Hannah Pachan said. “…It will be definitely an honor to have these little kids say our name and look up to us.”
Here’s how things unfolded:
Springboro fourth shot: Kieira Buckholtz goal middle right; Springboro wins 4-2
Walsh Jesuit fourth shot: Audrey Amsden – Save right Madilyn Mitchell; Springboro 3-2
Springboro third shot: Morgan DeMoss – Goal low right; Springboro 3-2
Walsh Jesuit third shot: Abby Witkiewicz – Goal low right; 2-2
Springboro second shot: Sarah Beachy – Upper 90 left; Springboro 2-1
Walsh Jesuit second shot: Lauren Ziemanski – Madilyn Mitchell save left; 1-1
Springboro first shot: Tessa Blain – Goal center; Tied 1-1
Walsh Jesuit first shot: Hannah Pachan – Goal upper 90 left; Walsh 1-0
It’s scoreless heading to penalty kicks:
The Warriors have 12 shots on goal and Lydia Gabbard keeps answering. She has12 saves and has played incredible and has always been in position.
Springboro definitely had the run of play in the first overtime as tired legs started catching up to both teams:
After 87 minutes of action, tired legs are starting to catch up to both teams as solid runs in the first and second halves now trail out of bounds. It’s been fantastic action from both squads.
Here’s where we sit heading into the extra session:
Reagan Pentz earned a free kick when she was taken down 2 yards outside of the box on the left side. The senior teed it up and went near side on Lydia Gabbard, but Gabbard was able to get to it. It’s 0-0 with 13:03 remaining.
Two minutes later a cross in the box found Abby Witkiewicz’s head, but the shot hit the crossbar and was cleared out of harm’s way.
The bulk of the last 10 minutes has been played in Walsh’s defensive third with Springboro upping its pressure. Every time the Warriors look to counterattack in the last 600 seconds someone has been right there for the Panthers.
The Warriors are the masters of the give-and-go and have cut through many a Panthers defender in the Division I state final. That said, Lydia Gabbard has answered the call on every possession.
The latest came on a picture perfect pass from Hannah Pachan to Reagan Pentz. Pentz put a shot on with pace on frame but Gabbard made her seventh save. It’s scoreless with 31:26 left.
The Panthers had a goal by Kendall Johnson disallowed due to offsides in the final moments of the first half. That said, the Warriors seem to have controlled much of the pace in the first 40 minutes.
The Warriors have stepped up their pace in the first half and now have a 4-1 shots on goal advantage. Reagan Pentz has been the catalyst for much of the action. It’s scoreless with 7:40 left before recess.
The Warriors earned a corner kick and sent a ball into the box that found the head of Francesca Villa. Villa sent it to the far post but Lydia Gabbard was able to get to it with 20:27 left. It’s still scoreless.
As if it were taking the first big blow of a prize fight to figure its opponent out, Springboro has started to find creases in the Walsh Jesuit defense.
Ellie Ulrich was able to slip through the box and get a solid shot on frame that Ava DeBolt swallowed up in net. It’s scoreless with 26:28 left before the break.
The Warriors constantly pressure opponents and try to force mistakes and so far this state final against Springboro is much of the same.
Reagan Pentz got off a solid shot on frame 3 minutes in and had another one tick just wide. It’s scoreless with 34:03 left here at Columbus Crew Stadium.
With the North Royalton-Bishop Watterson going into overtime – Watterson won 3-0 on PKs – the start of the Warriors game with the Panthers has been delayed. OHSAA brass expects a 7:30 p.m. start.
Walsh has the most state titles of any program regardless of gender in state history.
The Warriors finished second in 2021 and have won titles in 2000-01, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012-16 and 2023.
Springboro is making its second state appearance and first since 2016 when it finished second.
The Warriors have All-American and Virginia Tech pledge Hannah Pachan (24 goals, four assists) and Vanderbilt commit Reagan Pentz (12 goals, 19 assists) as primary threats.
Lauren Sibel (11 goals, three assists), Abby Witkiewicz (seven goals), Alice Arabia (four goals, six assists) and Ciara Santiago (four goals, five assists) can also cause problems. Ava DeBolt has a 0.5 goals against average.
The Panthers rely on Tessa Blain (22 goals, 13 assists), Kendall Johnson (11 goals, two assists) and Morgan DeMoss (nine goals, five assists).
Springboro also has Poppy Wakefield (eight goals, seven assists), Hailey Burns (five goals, six assists) and Ellie Ulrich (four goals, seven assists) to fill the net.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
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