John Bruce, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
KINNIKINNICK — A slick individual play from Valley’s Jaxsyn Bender set up Caysen Zieber with a chance to play hero for the Indians on Wednesday night.
And the junior took full advantage.
With a calm header into the back of the net deep into a chilly night, Zieber gave Valley (13-3-3) a 2-1 overtime victory over Ironton St. Joseph in a Division V district semifinal at Zane Trace.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“We believed at halftime, we believed the whole game,” Valley’s Christian Copen said. “We lost to [ISJ] as freshmen and we knew tonight that they wanted to beat us since we won the [SOC] championship. We fought and we didn’t give up. I’m just speechless right now.”
In the third meeting of the season between the two Southern Ohio Conference rivals, this one more than lived up to the hype. With only one goal being scored in the first two meetings, Wednesday’s match surely had its share of elite defense and goalkeeping throughout the game’s runtime.
Beckham Waginger was unreal throughout the first half in goal for the Flyers (13-5-1) as the sophomore was under constant attack from the Indians. Using his high line to impact through balls, while also showing impressive acrobatics to parry away several high-powered shots, Waginger gave the Flyers a chance to take a lead into the half.
That lead was given by Barrett Waginger with 7:36 to play in the half as the freshman unloaded a laser off his right foot from nearly 30 yards out, expertly beating the keeper to give St. Joseph a 1-0 lead late in the half.
Valley responded quickly in the second half when Lex Logan outran a defender down the left wing before sending a high cross that would be mishandled and just barely break through the goal line, tying the match at 1-1 with 34:32 to play in regulation.
The Indians attempted to push forward to look for the go-ahead goal, but the outstanding mix of Waginger in goal and his defensive backline of Ian Whaley, Kemper Kerecman, Carson Willis, Chris Phillips, and Brody West kept the Indians at bay.
Valley used a variety of Bender, Logan, Zieber and Christian Copen as they continued to try to find a hole in the Flyers’ defense while Parker Robinson, Jett Hall, Thad Lansing, Nick Queen and goalie Hunter Sparks spent their time trying to slow down 46-goal scorer Carson Lyons.
As time ran out in regulation, both teams increased their offensive attack to avoid overtime, with both getting decent looks in the final minutes. But both keepers stood strong to end regulation.
“They were outstanding [the defense],” Copen said. “They talked the whole game, they marked runs, stayed compact and stayed together, and that’s what we needed.”
In extra time, the Indians continued to push forward, finally getting a break when Bender depossessed a Flyer defender and sent a right-footed cross into the middle of the box that perfectly connected with Zieber for a header, sending the Indians back to the district championship game for the first time since 2021.
“It felt amazing and I was not expecting it right then or there, but props to Jaxsyn for playing me a perfect ball,” Zieber said. “I could just do what I can and put it in the goal.”
Valley will now look to win its first district championship since 1998, when they became the first Southeast District school to win a regional title.
The Indians will take on North Adams at 7 p.m., Saturday at Zane Trace in a Division V district final.
The teams met during the regular season and played to a 2-2 draw.
“Saturday will be a good game,” Copen said. “We know that they are physical and athletic, but if I think we can match that. We just have to play hard.”
Scoring summary
1st Half
7:36 – ISJ – Barrett Waginger
2nd Half
34:32 – V – Lex Logan
Overtime
10:42 – V – Caysen Zieber, assisted by Jaxsyn Bender
Stat book
Shots: Valley 12, St. Joseph 5
Saves: Valley 2 (Sparks 2), St. Joseph 7 (Be. Waginger 7)
Fouls: Valley 3, St. Joseph 7
Corners: Valley 3, St. Joseph 1
Offsides: Valley 2, St. Joseph 0
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