Brock Netter, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
LANCASTER — Eight years ago, Columbus DeSales ended Chillicothe’s Final 4 hopes with a 2-0 loss in a Division II regional final.
Sunday was supposed to be the Cavaliers’ chance at revenge. And they nearly had it.
Chillicothe fought DeSales tooth and nail for 110 minutes, pushing the game to penalty kicks. But in the end, the Stallions made a critical save and didn’t miss a kick to earn a 1-1 (4-2 PK) victory over the Cavaliers in a Division III regional final.
“It’s definitely disappointing. It’s not every season you get a chance to play for a chance to go to Final Four and to come one shot away, it hurts for sure,” Chillicothe coach Mike McCorkle said. “We been to this stage twice in program history and lost to DeSales both times. We came a little short handed, and we’re definitely not as deep as DeSales, but our guys played their tails off and gave every ounce of effort they had.”
DeSales (13-7-2) pushed up early and had a couple early chances at a goal, but Chillicothe’s Landon Mautz extended his leg for one save and caught the other shot to keep the Stallions off the board in the opening eight minutes.
Minutes later, Chillicothe saw its opportunity and struck.
Off a goal kick from Mautz, the ball sailed deep and bounced over two Stallions defenders and right to a streaking Carter Dunfee. With the 1-v-1 chance, he took it and connected on a goal to put the Cavs ahead 1-0.
However, less than two minutes later, DeSales had an answer. After a couple ricochets, Carlos Arciniega took the touch and just got enough on it to push it across the goal line and tie the game 1-1.
From that point forward throughout the rest of the half, both teams attempted to break through again but it was to no avail.
Mautz continued to be a wall, piling up save after save while the offense managed to get a couple chances to score. But Chillicothe (18-4) missed high both times to keep the game knotted 1-1 at halftime.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“We’re a scrappy bunch defensively, and that’s what it was going to take in order to win this game,” McCorkle said. “It was a physical game, but we did what we had to do and showed a lot of grit.”
The Stallions had a pair of early chances in the second half, but Mautz made a save and their other chance missed high. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers had a chance off a free kick, but DeSales made the save.
Later in the game, the Stallions appeared to have a perfect chance in a 1-v-1 situation, but Mautz once again hung tough to keep the game tied. Both teams had a final chance in the final five minutes, but couldn’t connect to push the game into overtime.
“He’s a different maker. I expected him to come out and play his best, which is unquestionably did,” McCorkle said. “Making save after save the way he did only boosts the team’s moral. Although DeSales had more opportunities to score in the second half, he was a wall back there.”
The fatigue was settling in for both teams, but the Stallions appeared to have a little more in the tank. They continued to push up and had some opportunities at a goal, but never connected.
DeSales had two opportunities in the final 90 seconds at the goal, but missed wide both times to send the game into double overtime.
Chances were far and few between for both sides in the final 15 minutes. DeSales had a pair of corner kicks that didn’t connect, and although Chillicothe didn’t manage a shot, it didn’t give up a goal either as the game went into penalty kicks.
“For our guys to go as long as they did, and for some of them to never leave the field, it was amazing,” McCorkle said. “We tried to create more chances, but we felt really good about our chances had we made it to penalty kicks since Landon had been lights out all day.”
DeSales nailed the first kick, and Chillicothe stepped for for its shot, but DeSales goalie Deven Patel guessed correctly and made the save.
Although the Cavaliers made their next three shots, the Stallions converted all five of their chances and closed the door on the Cavaliers’ season.
“I’m tremendously proud of the kids and they deserve a ton of credit for what they were able to accomplish this season,” McCorkle said. “We started out the season 3-3 and to win 15 straight and be one game away from the Final Four is incredible. 18 wins ties a school record and set new marks for total goals scored in a season, so these 13 seniors have undoubtedly left a mark on the program. They gave me their very best every day, whether it’s practice or a game. The work they put in was next level and hopefully our young guys see that and want to do the same, and better.”
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