By Drew Terhall
DailyAdvocate.com
WEST LIBERTY — It was a story of two halves at West Liberty-Salem within the Division VI, Area 24 soccer playoffs. The Tri-Village Patriots dedicated a number of errors, however had been solely down 23-15 at halftime.
Senior Reed Wehr put the crew on his again to assist his crew transfer on with a 50-29 win over the fourth seed West Liberty-Salem Tigers. Wehr had seven whole touchdowns within the sport. He was answerable for each Tri-Village landing.
Head coach Matt Hopkins mentioned Wehr confirmed why he is among the finest gamers within the space.
“I’ll die on this hill, that child is the most effective participant in Southwest Ohio. I’m telling you that proper now. It’s a disgrace he didn’t get participant of the 12 months within the league. I’m virtually glad as a result of now he’s acquired a chip on his shoulder and he’s taking part in to show folks flawed,” Hopkins mentioned.
The primary couple of minutes of the primary quarter went nicely for the Patriots. They acquired a cease on fourth down and scored on their first play of their first possession. Senior Braden Keating discovered Wehr for a 60-yard landing go.
However then the Tigers responded. Senior Gabe McGill scored from six yards out to tie the sport. A number of Tri-Village penalties helped lengthen the West Liberty scoring drive.
Later after Tri-Village was pinned deep in their very own territory close to the aim line on a misplayed punt return, Wehr tried to make a play on fourth down because the punter. He was tackled within the endzone for a West Liberty security. Wehr mentioned he tried to do an excessive amount of there and discovered from the error.
McGill scored once more on the drive after the protection from 4 yards out to go up 16-7.
On the following kickoff, Wehr took the kickoff to the home for 70+ yards. Tri-Village acquired the two-point conversion and had been solely down 15-16.
However then once more, West Liberty drove down the sector and McGill scored on a one-yard run to go up 23-15 simply as the primary half was winding down.
Hopkins mentioned the crew was too juiced up within the first half and that led technique to the various errors they made. However, the Patriots had been in a position to put the primary half behind them and got here out robust within the second half.
“I’m going to cite Coach Prime, we performed like sizzling rubbish in that first half. I coached like sizzling rubbish within the first half. These guys responded, they weren’t able to be completed. They play an ideal, nice second half,” Hopkins mentioned.
Hopkins mentioned they performed their sport within the second half and that led them to the win.
On the opening kickoff within the second half, West Liberty tried to keep away from Wehr. That didn’t work because the ball bounced in the direction of Wehr and he took it to the home once more for a kickoff return landing.
“I spotted they weren’t going to kick it to me, so I advised my buddies Paul and Tanner, ‘Again off, let me get this. I’m going to go home this.’ I noticed a gap and I reduce up and left them within the mud,” Wehr mentioned.
The Patriots had been solely down 21-23 at first of the third quarter. After getting the ball again , Tri-Village drove down the sector on a scoring drive for the primary time within the sport. Wehr scored on a five-yard run to take a 29-23 lead.
Momentum rapidly shifted round after the 7:33 minute mark of the third quarter. West Liberty transformed on a faux punt at midfield to get a primary down on the Tri-Village 37-yard line. However the Patriots responded as sophomore Trey Sagester snagged an interception to get the ball again.
Two performs later, the Tigers scored on a 21-yard interception return for a landing to tie the sport at 29-29 with 4:24 left within the third quarter.
Ten seconds later, Wehr scored a 40+ yard landing run to take a 36-29 lead. Wehr added on a 24-yard landing run within the closing seconds of the third quarter.
Within the closing couple of minutes of the fourth quarter, junior Kaeden Lipps recovered a fumble to arrange one other 40+ yard landing run by Wehr.
All through the sport, Wehr was coping with an harm. He mentioned he fought by means of the harm to be there for his crew. His teammates responded by becoming a member of him in taking part in an ideal second half.
“Our line, I get on them fairly a bit. They’re younger. We misplaced all of our guys final 12 months to graduate and these guys have stepped up. I recognize them for that. Our protection, they stood up. We wish to resemble ourselves because the 2000 Baltimore Ravens once they had been taking part in,” Wehr mentioned.
The one rating from West Liberty was on the decide six. Exterior of that, the Patriots protection shut down the run sport and didn’t let the Tigers drive deep into their territory.
Hopkins mentioned they targeted on making an attempt to cease McGill, who had 30 speeding touchdowns on the season. As soon as the second half began, they had been shutdown.
“All 11 of them performed simply imply, nasty. We acquired after folks and tackled higher. That was what we talked about all week lengthy. We needed to deal with, we needed to deal with 21 (McGill). We did a very good job of that within the second half,” Hopkins mentioned.
The fifth seeded Patriots will tackle the eighth seed Anna in a impartial web site sport on Nov. 10. The placement can be introduced on Nov. 5.
Contact Each day Advocate sports activities editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]
Originally posted 2023-11-04 03:54:38.