KETTERING — Going into the match, Benjamin Logan head boys soccer coach Jamie Hughes felt his squad could hang with perennial power and top-seeded Kettering Alter in a Division IV district semifinal Tuesday night.
However, the host Knights proved to be too much to contain as they posted an 8-0 victory over the Raiders.
“This is not how we thought this night would go,” said Hughes. “Their ball control and their movement off the ball made it tough on us. We knew we had to play a clean game and we didn’t. But they are the number-one seed for a reason. They are a great program. They have four state titles on their wall.”
The Knights (12-6-2) took a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the match when Sam Wierzbanowski found the back of the net.
The Raiders did their best to slow the Alter attack, but the Knights were able to punch in a goal from Mason Miller at the 16:23 mark of the first half and they added another goal from Sam Fisher in the final final of the opening half to lead 3-0 at halftime.
It was more of the same in the second half as Fisher increased the Alter lead to 4-0 with a goal at the 36:15 mark.
Wierzbanowski tallied his second goal of the evening with 32:56 left to make the score 5-0.
Colin Hess followed with back-to-back goals and Chris Franco’s goal with 17:09 left to play ended the match, triggering the eight-goal mercy rule that the Ohio School Athletic Association adopted lat year.
The loss was an unfortunate end to a season in which the Raiders went 9-6-5 and finished second in the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River division standings.
“It was a solid season,” said Hughes. “I am very proud of the guys. Because of my son, I’ve coached a lot of these guys for most of their lives.”
Hughes also touched on the accomplishments of his seven-person senior class.
“Those seven seniors were part of two CBC championships,” he said. “They got to the district semifinals three times. We have finished either first or second in the league for the last six years, and these guys have been a big part of that.”
Alter advances to play either Wyoming or Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in the district championship match Saturday.