CRESTON — Norwayne is headed to a state championship game for the first time in school history. The Bobcats scored three times before halftime and beat Rootstown 5-2 in an OHSAA Division V state semifinal on Wednesday, November 11, at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium, according to The Daily Record.
Senior forward Erik Neruda opened the scoring about 15 minutes in, getting a foot on a ball played into the box and touching it over the onrushing Rootstown goalkeeper, The Daily Record reported. Norwayne kept pressing and took a 3-0 lead into halftime, putting a Rootstown team playing in its first state semifinal in a deep hole.
Rootstown (17-3-2) refused to fold. The Rovers, who had not trailed since their district semifinal, cut the margin to 4-2 behind goals from seniors Zach Pastor and Bryson Scarlett, according to the Record-Courier. Pastor’s goal was the 107th of his career, extending his own Portage County record, the Record-Courier reported.
Neruda ended the rally. With a little more than 16 minutes left, he fought off a defender and lifted the ball over the goalkeeper for his second goal of the night and Norwayne’s fifth, sealing the 5-2 win, according to The Daily Record. Norwayne improved to 17-4-1 with the victory.
The trip to the final caps a breakthrough postseason for the Bobcats, who won their first regional championship by beating Ottawa Hills on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw. Rootstown’s historic season — its first regional title and first state semifinal appearance — ends one win short of the final.
Norwayne now plays for the Division V state title on Sunday, November 15, at 4 p.m. in Columbus against Milford Center Fairbanks, widely viewed as the No. 1 team in Division V, according to The Daily Record. One more win would give the Bobcats the first state championship in program history.
For Creston and the Norwayne community, the week ahead is a first: a state final trip, a Sunday afternoon in Columbus, and a chance to finish a record season with a trophy.
Photo: Roseohioresident, CC BY-SA 4.0