WHEELERSBURG — The Wheelersburg High School soccer squads split season openers against the non-league Unioto Shermans on Saturday —as both matches were decided by 3-2 scores, with the go-ahead and ultimate game-winning goals coming inside the final 12-and-a-half minutes.
Wheelersburg’s boys gained the split for the Pirate programs, following the girls duel in which Unioto prevailed.
In the girls match, Unioto got two first-half goals on direct kicks only an estimated minute-and-a-half apart from each other, before Unioto’s Aidyn Danison broke a 2-2 tie with five minutes remaining —scoring an unassisted marker.
The Lady Pirates, under first-year head coach Kevin Powell making his debut, rallied for the 2-2 tie —with an unassisted breakaway goal by senior Bella Miller with three minutes remaining in the opening half, and then a second-half tally by Brianna Whitley off a MacKenzie Mullins assist.
But Danison got the winner, the only other Sherman marker that followed the back-to-back direct kicks by Amelia Uhrig and Ella Pelphrey.
In the boys match, senior forward Max Hagans had two goals and Nick Sylvia a goal and an assist —as the sophomore Sylvia scored off a Connor Estep assist 12 minutes into the second half.
That made it 3-1, giving the Pirates a two-goal advantage —as a Colten Casebolt cross to Kamden Smith got the Shermans to within 3-2.
But, the Pirates pitched a shutout over the final 12 minutes and 18 seconds —as Wheelersburg, a strong Division III program which was last season’s Region 11 runner-up, won over a traditional power in Southeastern Ohio’s Division II.
Part of that was Burg’s Breyden Byrd making eight saves as the goalkeeper.
The Pirates took a 2-1 edge with 34 minutes remaining, when Hagans had his second goal of the match and the 81st of his decorated Orange and Black career —this one off Sylvia’s assist.
Hagans’ first point came only a minute and 47 seconds in —on a penalty kick.
The Shermans then got an equalizer with seven-and-a-half first-half minutes remaining —by Lucas Hanes on a PK.
But Wheelersburg won the final 34 minutes 2-1 —to take an early 1-0 record on the year.
The Lady Pirates return home, and return to non-league action, on Saturday against Rock Hill.
First touch is set for 6 p.m.
The Pirates played host to West on Tuesday night in a Southern Ohio Conference Division II tilt, then travel to South Webster on Thursday for a key conference clash.
That contest is set for 5:30 p.m.
* * *
Unioto 1 1 — 2
Wheelersburg 1 2 —3
W — Max Hagans (penalty kick), 38:13, 1st (1-0 W)
U — Lucas Hanes (penalty kick), 7:30, 1st (1-1 tie)
W — Max Hagans (Nick Sylvia assist), 33:59, 2nd (2-1 W)
W — Nick Sylvia (Connor Estep assist), 28:03, 2nd (3-1 W)
U — Kamden Smith (Colten Casebolt assist), 12:18, 2nd (3-2 W)
* * *
Unioto 2 1—3
Wheelersburg 1 1 —2
U — Amelia Uhrig (direct kick), 34:16, 1st (1-0 U)
U — Ella Pelphrey (direct kick), 32:40, 1st (2-0 U)
W — Bella Miller (unassisted), 2:57, 1st (2-1 U)
W — Brianna Whitley (MacKenzie Mullins assist), 2nd (2-2 tie)
U — Aidyn Danison (unassisted), 4:57, 2nd (3-2 U)
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