The boys varsity soccer team traveled to Miamisburg on Wednesday night to face the #1 State Ranked and #3 Nationally Ranked Moeller Crusaders in the Regional Semi-Finals. The Boys absolutely came to play and pretty much dictated the play all night against an incredibly talented Moeller squad who set a state record with consecutive shutouts for a season with the 1-0 victory over the Elks. That broke a record held by the Elks.

The game started with the Elks apparently scoring on a header pretty early in the first half but the ball clearly had crossed the end line prior to the Elks centering that ball for a header that went into the net so that goal was properly wiped off. However, later in the first half the Elks had a corner kick that Landon Miller struck perfectly and it was headed into the net for what appeared to be a 1-0 Elks lead. But the AR called the corner kick out of bounds in the air and the goal was taken off the board. That is the first time in my 33 years of being involved in athletics that I have ever seen that call. I was not aware that there was an imaginary wall around the field, mainly because I have never seen the call before and to experience that call in a Regional Semi-Final of this magnitude was heartbreaking. The first half ended in a 0-0 tie.

The second half saw the Elks with multiple scoring opportunities to score but our shots were just off or Moeller made the play defensively that they needed to make. Moeller took advantage of maybe the only defensive breakdown by the Elks all night and did what great teams do and scored the goal they needed. I do not want to take anything away from Moeller because they are an incredible team and credit to them to figure out a way to beat a Centerville squad that had them on their heels most of the night. It was an incredible soccer game with two great programs competing. The Crusaders moved on with a 1-0 victory.

The Elks finish the year at 15-3-3, great year boys!