Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014

Carr's header sends Bulldogs to finals

Division II Girls Soccer District Semifinals

By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard

Celina's Bekah Carr starts her slide to get the ball away from Wapakoneta's Megan Fisher. Carr scored both goals, including the game-winner in overtime, in the Bulldogs' 2-1 win.

ELIDA - Just when the momentum was whisked away from her team by Wapakoneta, Bekah Carr literally used her head to right the ship.
Carr's header into the back of the net with 9:58 left in the first overtime gave Celina a 2-1 win over Wapakoneta in the Division II girls soccer district semifinals on Tuesday at Elida Middle School.
The Bulldogs (11-3-4) now face Bath on Saturday at noon for a regional berth. Bath dispatched Shawnee 3-0 in Tuesday's nightcap. Bath (17-1-0) beat Celina 1-0 in August.  
"Hats off to Wapak. They played a tremendous game,"Celina coach Calvin Freeman said. "Their girls played hard. It was an exciting game to watch. It's a little intense for coaches, but we were able to walk away with the win."
Carr put Celina in the lead with just under 26 minutes left in the first half on a pass from Alyssa Cisco. The Bulldog defense, which had held Wapak (13-5-0) without a shot on goal in the first 40 minutes of played, worked hard to keep the Redskins from threatening.
With the clock winding down to 15 minutes remaining in the match, action changed quickly near the Celina goal. With Bulldog keeper Callie Vogel was just outsie of the goalie box, Claire Burton lofted a kick towards the goal. It appeared that a Celina defender had been able to kick it out before the ball crossed the goal line, but the lineman signaled that it was a goal. The referee concurred and stopped the clock with 15:42 left in the match as Celina coaches and fans voiced their protests.
"It definitely let the air out of our balloon quickly," Freeman said of the Redskin goal. "But we were able to hold ground. ... The momentum went to (Wapakoneta's) side and they did everything they could to put the pressure on us."
"We were trying to encourage to 'half-chance,' to take a shot. You don't have to have that perfect open shot. Just get something on goal because you never know what will happen," Wapakoneta coach Ross Kantner said. "That was an example. It wasn't the prettiest thing, but it got in."
The Redskins tried to keep up the pressure, using mass substitutions to keep fresh. Celina bowed its back and kept up the defense as Vogel made two saves on Wapakoneta shots before the final horn.
The five-minute break before the first of two possible sudden-victory overtime periods certainly helped the Bulldogs, who got two early chances on the Redskins that Brooke Schlenker was able to save.
"We were able to regain our composure and talk about the things we wanted to do," Freeman said of the break.
With five minutes gone in the extra session, Elyssa Sheriff lofted a perfect pass into the box to Carr, who headed it over the keeper to end the match.  
"We had a nice discussion (during the break), came back and went with a game plan," Freeman said. "Fortunately, it worked for us. Bekah made just an outstanding play to head it over the goal. Just fantastic."
"We knew from the opening kick that Bekah and (Caelyn) were their go-to people," said Kantner. "When (Carr) came flying in there, I think there was that hesitancy where (Schlenker) wondered 'Do I come out (to defend)? Do I stay back?' That split second was just enough for (Carr) to come in."
Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard

Celina's Jenna Berry keeps the ball away from a Wapakoneta defender during Tuesday's Division II girls soccer district semifinal at Elida. The Bulldogs defeated the Redskins 2-1 in overtime.

Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard

Celina's Kendall Gilmore, 1, goes up to head the ball while teammate Holli Brackman, 13, watches the action.

Photo by Nick Wenning/The Daily Standard

Celina's Elyssa Sheriff, 9, holds back a Wapakoneta player while going after the ball during Tuesday's match in Elida.

Additional online story on this date
Structure will be moved from Fort Recovery
ROCKFORD - An aging radio tower in southern Mercer County will be moved north to help a grassroots radio station get on the air.
The 100-foot emerg [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - In most cases, registered voters who are hospitalized, incarcerated or reside in nursing homes can still cast a ballot in any election.
Me
FORT RECOVERY - School district officials plan to fix an ongoing problem by recruiting bus drivers for extracurricular activities.
"This fall I act
ROCKFORD - Preliminary work has begun on the new planned housing development in the village.
A topographic survey is complete and village official
CELINA - A mixed pit bull terrier that was shot and wounded by a city police officer in August was returned to its owner who recently was found guilty of allowing the animal to run loose.
New shop opens in former theater building in Minster
MINSTER - Angie Philipps has turned the hobby she loves - candle making - into a business.
Last year, Philipps, 39, purchased the old theater on East Fourth Street in Minster, renovated the building and opened the Front Porch Candle Co.
Division IV Volleyball District Semifinals
VAN WERT - It will be the St. Henry Redskins against Midwest Athletic Conference rival Minster Wildcats in the Division IV district volleyball championship match on Thursday at Van Wert High School.
In 2013, the United States had 8.6 million women-owned businesses generating more than $1.3 trillion in revenues and one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Speakers offer encouragement to members
CELINA - Learn. Lead. Inspire. All three words lead to the power of influence.
Those words prompted a group of local women to begin a nonprofit sup