Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
KINNIKINNICK — 59-17-5.
It’s the most successful four-year run in North Adams’ soccer history. And it was capped off by a year that will forever be remembered in Seaman.
A magnificent regular season rolled into the program’s first-ever district championship. That was followed with a win in regional action, and a determination to make it to the state level.
However, the Green Devils met their match on Sunday as the timer ran out of sand.
Unfortunately, NA’s offense wasn’t clicking with the normalcy it has had all season. The Devils managed less than a handful of shots on goal, seeing their season with a 2-0 loss to Milford Center Fairbanks in a Division V regional final.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
“If I’m being completely honest, this was not our best game and you hate to see it end like this,” North Adams coach Kirk Bunn said. “We didn’t play as well as we normally have. Guys weren’t ready and didn’t follow the strategy we had coming in. Fairbanks is a really solid team, but we’ve also played really good teams in our last two games and looked a lot better. But that’s how it goes sometimes, and it was still a heck of a ride.”
The Devils end their season at 18-3-1 overall.
“These guys set lofty goals and achieved most of them,” Bunn said. “I know they wanted to make it to state and put North Adams on the map, but I think they’ve done that anyway and, for us being a basketball school, it was great to see the soccer program shine through.”
Fairbanks (17-3-2) was aggressive out of the gates, playing physical and keeping possession with relative ease. It had the speed advantage in the open field, and used it. But North Adams was more opportunistic early and nearly caught the Panthers sleeping.
NA had a breakaway chance, and crossed the ball into the box before scoring on a header. But a whistle was blown on an offsides call, wiping out the goal off and keeping the game scoreless in the opening 10 minutes.
Realizing it got away with one, Fairbanks went back on the attack and, minutes later, received a gift.
North Adams was called for a back-pass violation, giving the Panthers an indirect free kick from less than seven yards out.
But despite the close range, the Green Devils made the save to keep the game scoreless.
The game would then feature back-and-forth action throughout the next 25 minutes — until the Panthers found another chance.
After trying to find an open lane, the ball ended up at the feet of Kaden Procuniar, who fired his shot into the left side of the net to put his team up 1-0 going into the break.
“I thought our guys did a great job of refocusing after that offsides call and playing tough, but giving up that goal hurt,” Bunn said. “One of our assignments was not to stab at him because he’s really good with the ball, and he went right around the stabs we made at him and connected on his shot.”
While trailing in the second half was a less than ideal circumstance, it wasn’t deterring North Adams’ pursuit for an equalizer.
However, it made one small mistake and that was all she wrote as Fairbanks crossed into the box. As the Green Devils attempted to clear the ball, it ricocheted off a defender’s foot and into the back of the net for an own goal that ultimately put the finishing touches on their season.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
“We had to score and that meant pushing up a little more, which leaves your defense more vulnerable. But we had to take our chances,” Bunn said. “The ending of last season is what got us here to this point. If you don’t set the goals high, you’re not going to know if it’s possible to get there. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
It’s a senior class that will never be forgotten. In total, the Devils will lost eight to graduatation — Preston Call, Tyler Richendollar, Beau Helser, Tristan Young, Colin Tolle, Dalton Pence, Dylan Mullenix and Kaleb Eldridge.
“This is the winningest class in school history, and they’ve set North Adams soccer up for the next few years,” Bunn said. “Who knows if we’ll ever make it back to this point, but these kids will be remembered for what they accomplished and the ride they took the community on. It’ll be tough to replace them, they’re great athletes, great kids and they’ve meant so much to the program.”
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