Three central Ohio high school boys soccer teams to play for OHSAA state titles

The Dublin Jerome, Watterson and Worthington Christian boys soccer teams will play for state championships, while St. Charles and Westerville Central saw their seasons end in one-goal semifinal losses. Here are recaps from all central Ohio games Nov. 5.

Dublin Jerome to play for first state title

The Celtics posted their fifth consecutive shutout and 13th for the season, defeating Cincinnati St. Xavier 5-0 in a Division I semifinal at Springfield.

After losing in its first three trips to the state semifinals, Jerome (14-3-5) will play for its first state championship at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 against Cleveland St. Ignatius at Historic Crew Stadium.

“This is our fourth state semi, and it’s pretty sweet to be able to make the final with this group,” Jerome coach Nate Maust said. “This is just a tough group. It’s been an up-and-down season. We’ve had some really good moments, and I think we’re just obviously coming together at the right time.”

St. Xavier (12-5-4) couldn’t get much going against a Jerome defense that has allowed only 12 goals this season.

“They have tough, big, strong defenders,” Bombers coach Brian Schaeper said. “They really trust those back defenders. There were opportunities to capitalize on it. We didn’t, but yeah, they’re good players.”

Patty Breedlove, Crew Maust, Brady Delmore and Josh Stibel scored for Jerome.

The game was a rematch of 2005 state semifinal, when the Bombers won in penalty kicks after a scoreless draw. Maust was Jerome’s coach, having served in the role since the school opened in 2004.

“These guys weren’t born yet in ’05,” Maust said. “So it’s pretty cool that they get a chance to be the first team in (Jerome) history, for boys, to make it to the state final.”

–James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer

St. Ignatius edges St. Charles for second consecutive season

For the second consecutive season, St. Ignatius’ road to a state title could potentially go through St. Charles. 

A year after losing to the Wildcats 1-0 in double overtime in the state final, St. Charles again lost to St. Ignatius by a 1-0 score, this time in a state semifinal at Bellville Clear Fork. 

“This stings right now,” St. Charles coach Chris Vonau said. “Maybe we’ll feel better later. … Hats off to St. Ignatius. They’re a solid opponent every year and they always come prepared. We threw some things at them that they hadn’t seen. We frustrated them a little bit. Sometimes you get bounces and sometimes you don’t.” 

The Wildcats (18-0-2) scored early in the second half as Domenic Ruggiero raced in against goalie Eli Wichlinski and beat the freshman to his right with 38:19 remaining. 

St. Charles (12-6-3) pressured the St. Ignatius defense and junior goalie Johnny Mulloy numerous times in the second half. 

Solid scoring chances for the Cardinals included Mason Taylor’s shot that sailed just over the top of the net, Ryan Sullivan’s corner kick that went through a crowd and wide of the net and Mickey Hulme’s shot that was tipped wide of the net, resulting in a corner kick. 

“Every year, it’s different journey,” St. Ignatius coach Mike McLaughlin said. “Every year it’s full of games that you get stretched, and you see what you’re made of. It’s our games against St. Charles that are the games that are the hardest games we have every season. They were really good tonight, as we expected them to be.” 

Last season, St. Ignatius won the state title on Bryce Ince-Loveless goal with 1 second remaining in the second overtime. 

St. Charles senior defender Grant Brokaw said it provided motivation throughout this season. 

“In the back of our minds at all times throughout this season it was every second counts after last year,” Brokaw said. “You always want to be a play ahead and always makes the extra effort when you can. It’s not the result we wanted, but we definitely left it out on the field.” 

Wichlinski capped a strong first season with the Cardinals, finishing with five save. 

“Eli is special, but so is everybody on the team,” Vonau said. “We played with a young group, and it didn’t show tonight. We were very mature, prepared, resilient, strong, battle-tested. They played well beyond their years.” 

–Frank DiRenna

Davis goal sends Watterson to state final

Watterson junior Grayson Davis had missed two days of school with a cold. In a Division III state semifinal against Hamilton Badin at Wright State, he didn’t miss his moment, heading in a free kick from Sam Meacham with 10:39 left in overtime for a 1-0 win that sent the Eagles to their first state final since 2013.

“We’ve been working the whole season for this,” Davis said. “From the guys who didn’t play a second to the guys who played the whole time, it was such a team effort.”

Watterson was aggressive from the opening kick, using a methodical build-up to constantly threaten Badin’s back line and keeper Cole Parr, who had allowed just nine goals all season and made several crucial saves in regulation.

“(Parr) stood on his head. My hat goes off to him,” Watterson coach Aaron Linden said. “I thought it should have been two in regulation, at least, but he played really, really well.”

Badin had several chances, but the Rams’ offense was hurt by the absence of Joe Jung, who sat out after picking up a red card in the regional semifinal. Whenever the Rams did make it into the attacking third, they were turned back by Alex Das, Davis, Eli Pham and Connor Adkins-Davidson.

Meacham had two golden chances in the final 15 minutes of regulation but was turned back by Parr both times. When he got the instructions for the game-winning free kick, the third time was a charm for his right foot.

“(Meachem) puts in great balls and I usually go front post,” Davis said. “It’s easy for me to read because we’ve played together for so long.”

The Eagles will face Aurora at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at Historic Crew Stadium.

–Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer

Westerville Central’s unprecedented season ends with OT loss

As historic for both programs as a Division II state semifinal was at London, it was not a game for the statistically minded.

Neither Central nor Kings Mills Kings put a shot directly on net for the first 70:30, until Kings midfielder Sam Wik mustered a shot that was stopped by Warhawks goalie Bryan Ramirez.

A few free kicks were about the most action Ramirez got through the game’s first 109 minutes, and a leaping save to his left with a minute left in the second overtime looked like it might send the game to penalty kicks. But after Ramirez directed a shot wide off his outstretched left hand, Kings forward Kevin Cyrus headed in the winning goal off a corner at the 58.3-second mark to give the Knights a 1-0 victory.

“We settled in in the second half and played the way we practiced (and) are meant to play, moving the ball and getting guys forward,” Central coach Hunter Robertson said. “We just didn’t create enough chances. It just took too long for us to settle into the game. They played really well. Their style is aggressive and they play numbers forward.”

Central (14-5-3), which got three saves from Ramirez, was in its first state tournament.

Kings (15-2-4) will play Avon in the final at 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at Historic Crew Stadium. The Knights’ only previous trip to state, in 1995, ended in a semifinal loss.

“(Ramirez) made a heck of a save,” Cyrus said of the play that set up the corner. “I asked my other teammate, Royce Hawkins, to set a screen for me; that’s called ‘pickles’ (where) he sets a screen for me to get free and run to the near post,” Cyrus said. “Zach dropped it right to my head and I got it in the goal.”

Ramirez finished with three saves for Central, which upset defending state champion and OCC-Ohio rival New Albany 1-0 on Nov. 2 to win its first regional title.

“Our players are the ones that did this,” Robertson said. “I just tried to help them become the best versions of themselves.”

–Dave Purpura

Worthington Christian rolls into Division IV final

Max Glick, Colton Hoskinson and Nolan Schoonover scored in a 2:44 span of the first half, breaking open a Division IV state semifinal at Logan and sending Worthington Christian (18-3-2) past previously undefeated Wheelersburg (18-1-2) 3-0.

The Warriors outshot Wheelersburg 14-0 in the first half in reaching their third consecutive state final.

Worthington Christian will play Bay Village Bay in the final at 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at Historic Crew Stadium. The Warriors have been state runner-up each of the past two years, in Division IV last season and Division III in 2023, and are seeking their first championship since 2011.

–Dave Purpura

OHSAA boys soccer state semifinal scores

(All games Nov. 5)

Division I: Dublin Jerome 5, Cincinnati St. Xavier 0; Cleveland St. Ignatius 1, St. Charles 0

Division II: Kings Mills Kings 1, Westerville Central 0 (2OT); Avon 2, Brecksville-Broadview Heights 1 (OT)

Division III: Watterson 1, Hamilton Badin 0 (OT); Aurora 1, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 0(OT)

Division IV: Worthington Christian 3, Wheelersburg 0; Bay Village Bay 2, Cincinnati Wyoming 1 (2OT)

Division V: Cincinnati Summit Country Day 2, Fairbanks 1 (OT); Ottawa Hills 1, Kidron Central Christian 0

OHSAA boys soccer state final schedule

(All games at Historic Crew Stadium)

Division I: Dublin Jerome vs. Cleveland St. Ignatius, 7 p.m. Nov. 10

Division II: Avon vs. Kings Mills Kings, 1 p.m. Nov. 9

Division III: Watterson vs. Aurora, 7 p.m. Nov. 9

Division IV: Worthington Christian vs. Bay Village Bay, 4 p.m. Nov. 9

Division V: Cincinnati Summit Country Day vs. Ottawa Hills, 4 p.m. Nov. 10