On a hot, sunny Tuesday, Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day, the Miami Trace Panthers varsity soccer team hosted the Pioneers from Zane Trace High School.
After a 1-1 tie at the end of the first half, Miami Trace won the second half, 2-1 to post a 3-2 victory.
Zane Trace got on the board with a goal coming with 27:38 to play in the first half from Spencer Wycinski.
Connor Bucher responded for the Panthers, scoring at the 19:25 mark of the first half. The assist went to Noah Perry, who assisted all three goals Tuesday night.
Miami Trace retook the lead with 15:09 to play on a corner kick by Perry and goal converted by Jaden Haldeman.
Zane Trace retaliated (again Wycinski with the goal) to tie the match at the 10:31 mark.
The winning goal was the second of the night for Bucher, with Perry on the assist with 9:06 remaining.
For the match, Miami Trace had 15 shots on goal to 11 for the Pioneers.
Ethan Steele had five saves for the Panthers. Zane Trace’s goalkeeper recorded three saves.
“(Wycinski) is a heck of a player,” Miami Trace head coach Josh Thoroman said. “He’s definitely the fastest kid we’ve played against all season. He gave us fits. One of the things we wanted to accomplish tonight, we wanted to change our formation up. Our defense has been pretty stout this season, but we wanted to get some of those players more up involved in the action.
“We had to respect (Wycinski’s) speed so much, we had to keep our regular defensive starters back there,” Thoroman said.
“This was a game where, we dominated, dominated and dominated and they scored,” Thoroman said. “We got that goal back and we felt pretty good, but we were tied at halftime.
“In the second half, we got this beautiful goal that we were waiting on,” Thoroman said. “But, before we could relax, (Wycinski scored again). Zane Trace is not a bad team. Their head coach, Geoff Givan, is a great guy. He’s a friend of mine. He does good things with his players.
“Thankfully, with our will to win, Bucher fought through and got that (what turned out to be the winning) goal,” Thoroman said.
Miami Trace (2-3 overall, 0-2 in the FAC) will be back in action at home Thursday at 5 p.m. against Waverly.
Previously, Miami Trace lost in the FAC at Chillicothe, 6-0 and lost at Jackson, 1-0.
