Walton-Verona’s girls soccer team set two records Monday.
The Bearcats overwhelmed Grant County, 7-0, behind two goals each from Campbell Christy, Emma Landrum and Trinity Bauwens. They’ll meet Simon Kenton for the championship at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
And the records? Walton-Verona’s 17-3-2 record is the best in school history, and goalkeeper Brynn Willis recorded a all-time program-high 13th shutout.
Christy has 32 goals for the season. She’s also quite patient – she long ago lost count of the times people reversed her first and last name.
“It happens a lot,” Christy said.
She’s getting some national notice – her Ohio Elite club team went to the U-17 Elite Clubs National League tournament this summer in California. Walton-Verona coach Patrick Luken, meanwhile, said Christy’s 17 assists is equally impressive.
“She has D-I potential all day long,” Luken said.
It took Walton-Verona just a couple minutes to open the scoring. Christy’s first goal split two Braves and went past goalkeeper Madison Utter from about 15 yards out.
“One of my teammates (Olivia Sams) played a great ball, and I just … put it in the goal,” Christy said.
Landrum scored her 19th goal in the 27th minute and added her 20th about 40 minutes later. After Aubrey Fuller’s goal extended Walton-Verona’s lead to 3-0 in the 30th minute, Bauwens scored in the 38th and 39th.
Grant County finished its season at 12-7-1.
One large goal remains for Walton-Verona on Wednesday: beating Simon Kenton for the first time in school history, The Pioneers are 24-0 since 2009, including a 4-3 setback Sept. 20 in Walton.
“Our goal was to win districts this year,” Luken said. “We have eight seniors that have checked every goal and box that we’ve put in front of ourselves. The next big one for us is to beat SK and win a district championship.”
Boys
Grant County 1, Walton-Verona 0
A few minutes after the final whistle, there were seniors Tyler Wolfe and Jared Volz – two of nine who finished their high school careers – hugging as they squatted and consoled each other.
“We’ve been with each other since middle school, this whole team, every single senior,” Wolfe said. “That was kind of a hug for the last ride. We were just telling each other we love each other. We all played our heart out.”
Bearcats head coach Jeremy Riggs coached his last game – he is stepping down after seven seasons.
“I started with these guys when they were little kids in middle school, and then we basically rode out together,” Riggs said. “It just gets to the point where there’s not enough hours in the day – starting a family and all that. I absolutely love the game; if I could make more hours, I would.”
Grant County’s Landon Griffith’s penalty kick in the 21st minute was the only scoring; he beat Bearcats goalkeeper Sam Kunkle to the lower right corner – the shot he usually takes.
“Coach (Dustin Smith), he has us do some PKs in practice, just to get the consistency down,” Griffith said. “My team put me in a good position to get a PK for us, and then I just put it in the corner to give us a lead.”
But Riggs didn’t think that was the match’s turning point.
“The PK was just a dumb foul,” Riggs said. “I don’t really think there was a turning point; I mean, we gave them everything we had.”
Something else hurt Walton-Verona maybe a little more: Blake Morrison receiving a red card in about the 60th minute, which meant the Bearcats played with 10 the rest of the way.
Grant County (11-6-2) outshot Walton-Verona, 15-11, with a 9-3 edge in shots on goal.
Walton-Verona’s (7-12-1) strategy all night was basic: man-to-man marking.
“With the exception of the PK, I think we did pretty well,” Riggs said. “We just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
The Bearcats wanted to add an extra attacker early in the second half.
“Then we went a man down shortly after that; everything kind of changed,” Riggs said.
Grant County meets Simon Kenton for the title at 8 p.m. Wednesday.