In a match that was scheduled to be played at Miami Trace High School, but had to be moved to Washington High School when MTHS was closed Tuesday due to a threat against the school, the Panthers and Blue Lions were undeterred in contesting their first meeting of the season in boys soccer.
As it almost always is, no matter who is up or down during the season, the rivalry brings out the true competitive nature of the players involved.
In a back and forth battle, Miami Trace won Tuesday, 4-3.
Max Schroeder scored the first goal of the match for Washington with 37:39 remaining in the first half. That goal was unassisted.
“He just possessed the ball for 30 or 40 seconds straight and we just never came and took it away from him,” Miami Trace head coach Josh Thoroman said. “He put in a beautiful shot.”
Caleb Perry evened the match for the Panthers with a goal, the assist going to Jaymon Flaugher.
That tying goal came with 14:05 to play in the first half. The score remained 1-1 at the half.
With 34:29 remaining in the match, Jack Luebbe scored for Washington on a direct kick.
Miami Trace wasted little time in tying the match again.
With 33:12 to play in the game, Cameron Carter scored with the assist to Brett Lewis.
“Brett crossed it in front of the goal mouth and Cam put it in,” Thoroman said.
Ethan Powell gave the Panthers their first lead of the match, assisted by Carter, at the 26:15 mark.
Washington tied the match with 12:11 to play, the goal coming from Blaise Tayese.
“He was not supposed to be left unmarked at any point in time,” Thoroman said. “He got loose and he punished us.”
The game-winner came from Jaden Haldeman, with the assist to Lewis with 10:54 remaining.
Miami Trace might have had two other goals, according to Thoroman, but for an off sides call and another where the ball was called out of bounds prior to the score.
“We knew that both teams have been struggling,” Thoroman said. “We knew this was going to be a battle and those guys played tremendous. I didn’t expect anything less from this game. I envisioned more of a 1-0 game, either way. I thought this would be a defensive battle, but, both teams got after it tonight.”
“We were either leading or tied for a good part of the game,” Washington head coach Aaron Teter said. “Of course, it’s an intense game with Miami Trace and Washington. Unfortunately for us, after we tied it at 3-3, Trace scored really soon right after that.
“We challenged a couple of more times after that,” Teter said.
Miami Trace is now 3-5 overall, 2-3 in the Frontier Athletic Conference.
Washington is now 1-6 overall, 0-5 in the FAC.
Justin Shoemaker, in goal for the Panthers, had nine saves. Washington had 18 shots on goal.
Darion Streitenberger, the goalkeeper for Washington, had 13 saves. The Panthers had 24 shots on goal.
The Panthers are at Chillicothe Thursday, beginning with the girls game at 5 p.m. and the boys match to follow.
Washington will be on the road Thursday at Hillsboro. The girls will play at 5 p.m. and the boys will follow, around 6:30 p.m.
