Botkins’ Brayden Welsch passes while pressured by Seven Hills’ Miles Rizor during a regional semifinal on Wednesday at Bellbrook.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
BELLBROOK – The Botkins Trojans boys soccer team lost 2-0 to the Cincinnati Seven Hills Stingers at Bellbrook High School on Wednesday in a Division V regional semifinal.
“I think if we would have gotten one, we probably would have gotten a couple,” Botkins head coach Kevin Lynch said. “We just couldn’t crack it.”
The Stingers got on the board immediately with a goal just 13 seconds into the game from Harrison Zhang to take a 1-0 lead.
“I don’t know if we weren’t ready for the kickoff or what,” Lynch said. “We dug ourselves a hole early. They played a counter-attacking style and we knew that.”
The Trojans (17-2-1) were in a position to score after they were awarded a free kick after the Seven Hills goalkeeper touched the ball outside of the box. The Stingers keeper got a yellow card and was taken out of the game.
The backup Seven Hills goalie made a brilliant save on a shot on goal that was smoked toward the net by Botkins’ Memphis Meyer.
“It’s a game of inches,” Lynch said. “We played hard. I told them as long as we can walk off the field knowing we gave everything we have, we just have to accept it.”
At the half, the Trojans trailed 1-0.
Late in the second half, the Stingers scored again on a shot from Griffin Osher that was just over keeper Connor Butcher’s head with 10:08 to play.
Botkins was unable to get anything to the back of the net for the rest of the game and fell 2-0.
“The year we went to state we were 19-1-2,” Lynch said of the season. “This year we were 17-2-1. We haven’t lost since Troy Christian which was on August 31st, we put a good run together. Unfortunately, it has to come to an end.”
Reach assistant editor/sports writer Ryan Harless at 937-538-4651 or follow @RyanHarless_ on X (formerly Twitter).
