The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Early goal gets Bay on way to state berth
The Bay coaches have preached all season about the importance of the first five minutes of a game.
While their opponent may still be getting settled in, the Rockets want to do their damage early to put all the pressure on the other side, and on Nov. 3, Bay scored less than two minutes into the match and had its best scoring output of the postseason to beat Wapakoneta, 4-0, in a Division II, Region 6 final.
The Rockets will face Lake Catholic (14-5-1) in a state semifinal match on Nov. 6 at Nordonia.
The teams hardly had a chance to get their footing before senior Grace Frey put Bay (13-5-3) on the board in what turned out to be the game-winner.
Frey sent the ball through the top right corner on a cross from Avery Alexy and the Rockets took a 1-0 lead at the 38:54 mark of the first half, proving the coaches’ point that, in fact, the opening minutes are absolutely crucial to a team’s success.
“It just felt amazing to get one so early in the game,” Frey said. “That’s what the coaches always try to tell us to do. Those first five minutes are so
critical to every game, so to score so early gave us so much momentum to go through the whole first half, really shut (Wapakoneta) down and gave us the energy we needed.”
The Rockets held a 1-0 lead through halftime but scored three goals in the second half to top the most goals scored in a playoff game this season. The previous best was in a 3-2 overtime win over Holy Name in a district semifinal.
Maeve Johnston had another standout performance in goal for Bay.
The senior tallied four saves and likely changed the complexion of the match midway through the first half.
Johnston made a leaping save at the top of the net at the 20:20 mark, touching just enough of the ball to send it over the top post in what was one of Wapakoneta’s best scoring chances of the night.
“It can change the whole momentum of the game,” Johnston said of allowing a goal.
“(At first) I was kind of mad at myself because I should’ve gone and intercepted that ball but I didn’t and I saw it go over and I knew I had to get this. It would’ve been a big deal (to tie the game) so I knew I had to make the save.”
Bay coach Beth English called Johnston the “backbone” of the team this season and credited her defense for locking in and making the senior’s life that much easier in net.
“Our defense has been rock solid all year,” English said. “They have just come together as one team back there, really. They trust each other. Maeve is phenomenal in goal and she trusts her team to do the right thing and get the ball out.
“She has made just some outstanding, fabulous saves. It’s incredible where her ability comes from. That was just one save. We trust her back there. We don’t get too nervous.”
Abby Smith, Madison Wall and Tenley Allerding each added goals for the Rockets as they advance to the D-II state tournament for the second time in three years.
“As a team we came in confident,” Johnston said. “I mean, we knew we could win this game. We’ve been playing so well these last few games. I’m just so excited for my teammates because scoring four goals in a game like this is rare, and I’m just so excited for everybody because everybody contributed and that’s the best, when everyone contributes to a win.”