Sports — A game of inches… a couple inches inward and the shot by Keller that hit the post with 6 minutes left in the first half would have crossed the line. The play in front of the goal by Westin Okuley with 25 minutes left in the game was a couple inches over or it might have crossed the line. If any of the numerous shots by Christian Perez were moved a couple of inches and they might have become goals. But on Saturday only one ball had the correct path across the line and that was by the T-birds with 8:42 left.
On Saturday Continental hosted Lima Central Catholic in a OHSAA Division III Kalida District Boys Soccer Sectional Semifinal. The game started fast as both teams had excellent chances in the first 10 minutes as both the LCC and Continental goalies were called on to make great saves. The Pirates controlled the opportunities the remainder of the half as 3 more chances were stopped by the T-bird Defense. Pirate 0, T-birds 0 at half. The Pirate onslaught on the T-bird goal continued in the second half as Christian Perez had 3 excellent chances in the first 10 minutes that were denied by the T-bird goalie. The only goal of the game came on a T-bird counter as a T-bird forward got open and pushed a shot just out of the Pirate goalie reach with 8:42 left. The Pirates would have a couple more chances but would fail to convert. T-birds 1, Pirates 0.
Continental’s season ends at 11-4-2. The 2017 Pirates go down as Putnam County League Co-champs and will be remembered as one of the best defensive teams in Pirate history. Unofficially, the Pirates gave up only 16 goals second to the 2006 team that gave up 15. The Pirates also earned the #1 seed in the Kalida District. Congratulations to Pirate Seniors Garrett Recker, Chris Potts, Austin Morrison, Tyler Brecht, Nick Koenig, Cameron Mason, Michael Thomas, Christian Keller, and Justin Beecher on a great season.
The #6 seeded Tbirds (8-8-2) move onto the District Semifinals to play Kalida. Bluffton and Temple Christian make up the remainder of the Kalida District.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
