Saturday Continental High, seeded second in the Defiance DV Boys Soccer, hosted Archbold seeded #4. The Pirates were co-champs of the Putnam County League while the Blue streaks were co-runners up in the NWOAL. Things did not go good for the host Pirates at the start as a Pirate bumped a Blue streak off the ball at the penalty kick place and the Blue streaks were given and converted a penalty not even 10 minutes into the game. After that it was all Pirates. The Pirates evened the score with 26:24 left in the half when Hunter Varner took a throw in in the corner of the field and it bounced once to the other side of the goal where Jackson Bidlack headed it in. The Pirates took their first lead with 17:37 left in the half when Japheth Ndenab was at the right spot at the right time to punch in a goal from the 8 with Rhettick Bower getting the assist. The Pirates made it 3-1 with 10:05 left in the half when Hunter Varner converted a penalty kick. Pirates 3-1 half. The second half had Monty Rayle hit a shot from the top center of the penalty box off a crossing pass from Hunter Varner. The end of the game was marred by a pair of yellow cards on both sides. Pirates 4-1 winner. This gives the Pirates 15 wins this season matching the most wins by a Pirate Boys soccer team in a season.
Hunter Varner led the Pirates with a goal and a pair of assists. Jackson Bidlack, Japheth Ndenab, and Monty all scored 1 goal. Rhettick Bowers picked up an assist. Jayden Pitney picked up the win for the Pirates making 12 save. Both teams had 13 shots on goal and 4 corner kicks
Continental improves to 15-1-2 and will face Kalida at Defiance in an OHSAA DV District Semifinal. Archbold falls to 12-5-1.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
