What a game. Lots of twists and turns on Saturday as Continental hosted Bowling Green in non league Boys play. It probably marked the first time the Pirates played a Bobcat team since Oakwood High School merged with Paulding. It was the Pirates playing up 2 divisions as the Bobcats are Division III. It was a game that saw both teams have a penalty kick stopped and matching yellow cards. The Putnam County League Co-champ Pirates did not have things go their way in the first half as Bobcats put in the only goals in the first half. With 15:37 left in the first half the Bobcats put a crossing pass over to the center of the goal and were able to punch it in from short distance. The Bobcats added a second goal when they beat the Pirates defense and goalie to make it 2-0 Bobcats.
The second half saw a Pirate trio, Rhettik Bowers, Jackson Bidlack and Hunter Varner combine for four goals and outstanding goalie play by Jayden Pitney holding the Bobcats to a single goal. With 34:47 left Bidlack put the Pirates on the board off a pass from Bowers. The Pirates evened the score with a series of passes, the last being from Bowers to Varner, set Varner up behind the Bobcat defense and he shot around the goalie from the 10. Two all with 22:22 left. Just a minute later a Pirate was tripped in the penalty box but the Bobcat goalie stopped the penalty kick. A little while later BG got a shot off the Pirate Goalie made a diving save on. The Bobcats retook the lead with 15:11 left as the ball banged off a number of players in the goal box that managed to find the back of the net. Bobcats 3-2. The Pirates would tie the game at 3 with 11:45 left when Varner passed from the right sideline to the center of the field where Bowers put in a shot from 12. 3 all. The Bobcats had a golden opportunity to retake the lead with 2:04 left when the Pirates had a penalty called in the penalty box. Pitney came up big again stopping the penalty kick. The Pirates took their first lead with 33 second left when Bowers took a pass from Bidlack and beat the Bobcat defense and goalie. Pirates 4-3 winner.
Rhettick Bowers had a part in each Pirates goal garnering 2 goals and 2 assists. Jackson Bidlack and Hunter Varner both had a goal and an assist.
Jayden Pitney picked up the win in goal for the Pirates making 10 saves. The Bobcats had a 13-12 advantage on shots on goal. The Pirates had a 8-0 advantage on corner kicks. Continental improves to 11-1-2 and will host Pettisville on Tuesday. Bowling Green falls to 5-9-1.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
