Pirates soccer headed back to state!

LOGAN — Simply put, this band of undefeated Pirates now has its validation —and more importantly for them their redemption.

But best of all, in this truly November to remember, the Wheelersburg High School boys soccer squad has its rightful regional championship victory —and is bound back again for the state tournament.

That’s because, on a Sunday funday and fall-like indeed, senior standout striker Nick Sylvia scored the game’s only goals —and the Pirates pitched a 2-0 shutout of defending Division IV state champion River View in the Region 13 championship match at Logan Chieftain Stadium.

As the Pirates controlled the majority of the match in the Black Bears’ defensive half and third, and actually dominated the possession, it still took until a minute and 23 seconds remained in the opening half before they could finally break the proverbial ice.

That’s when the star Sylvia scored off an Andrew Tabor assist, giving him his 49th goal of his senior season.

With 26 minutes remaining, and with more of the second-half same, Sylvia scored again —on his actually easiest marker in quite some time.

More momentarily on Sylvia, and definitely don’t forget about the Pirates’ defense —spearheaded by standout senior goalkeeper Breyden Byrd.

Byrd made his record-adding 47th all-time shutout the most memorable of his decorated career, as Wheelersburg punched its ticket to the state tournament — its second all-time trip and first since the COVID-impacted campaign of 2020.

In addition, Wheelersburg makes it a second consecutive season for the Southern Ohio Conference Division II to capture a regional championship, as Minford did it in Division V last year —before finishing as state runner-up.

This marks the second season in which boys soccer sports five divisions of Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament play.

“It’s obviously pure joy and excitement right now. When we started this thing back in February in the weight room, our focus was how to get back to this very spot and a possible rematch with these guys. It was developing our skill, and just focusing on those areas we needed to get better at that River View exploited us in last year,” said Wheelersburg veteran head coach Jon Estep. “We’ve been to this part of the tournament here for five of the last six years, and how are we going to continue to press forward? We were here five years ago, and now we’re excited to have that opportunity to attack it again. For these seniors, and I feel like I say this every year that it’s the most decorated senior class through four years that we’ve ever had. This group has won four conference championships, four (Southeast) district championships, and now a regional championship. They can add a Final Four to it.”

The co-captain Sylvia spoke on behalf of the Pirate players, especially the 10 senior strong-group.

“We have to give all the glory to God. We put Him first as a team before ourselves and before each other. That’s really what gives us our drive and our passion as players. This is just a testament to our class and our work over the last four years. This has been our goal every year and we are finally able to achieve it,” he said. “It feels absolutely amazing.”

The Pirates raised their Jolly Roger record to 18-0-2, as they eventually avenged their regular-season ties against Unioto and South Webster —first clinching the SOC II championship by beating the Jeeps 4-1, then doubling up Unioto in the Region 13 semifinals (4-2).

Speaking of 4-2, that was last season’s score against the Black Bears —in this same regional championship round at Athens High School.

“They had 11 guys on the field that could play with both feet, and they were so skilled across the field where we lacked in a few areas,” recalled Estep, of last year’s loss. “That’s what we tried to do this year.”

River View went on to capture the state championship, but this season’s return to this level was perhaps a surprise.

Wheelersburg, with its roster and experience and talent and skill level and senior leadership, was not a shock in the least.

Sylvia, of course, garners most of the headlines —thanks to being the Pirates’ all-time leading goal scorer, not to mention the most goals scored in the history of the SOC boys.

On Sunday, and strikingly similar to what he did in the 1-1 tie at South Webster when he unbelievably rocketed a kickoff in for the equalizer, Sylvia scored —almost —on the match’s opening kickoff.

River View senior keeper Layton Massie made a nice save to knock it wide, and as the Pirates piled up early shot advantages of 4-0 and 5-1 halfway into the first half, the Black Bears battled right with Wheelersburg to keep the contest scoreless.

Massie made a point-blank super save on a Sylvia shot at exactly the eight-minute mark, but then finally Sylvia showed off his skills —after taking the Tabor cross from left to right.

Sylvia stepped up and deftly dribbled, as eventually one, two, and then three Black Bear defenders approached him —before finally beating Massie with the hard-earned goal into the net’s lower midsection.

River View man-marked Sylvia all afternoon, but that’s nothing new to the prolific goal-scorer.

“They had a great defense, but it really comes down to coming out with energy and passion. That’s what really set us apart in this game,” said Sylvia. “Just going through and playing hard. I put two in the back of the net, but on any given day it could be any of us.”

True that, but to what degree, as Sylvia scored again for his 50th goal —and the astonishing and record-increasing 171st of his illustrious Orange and Black career.

The junior midfielder Coleton Schwamburger assisted this one, which was really a tame tap-in with his right foot in front of the net.

Sylvia put his individual accomplishments in their proper context —praising the play of Pirates teammates, both past and present.

“It means so much to me, but I would like to say that those are really team records, not really my records. Because I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without...Evan Mitchell getting past five people before he gets the ball to me. Or in years past playing alongside Jackson Schwamburger or Max Hagans or Ethan Hochstetler and all these guys,” he said. “It’s a testament to every single one of them. Not just myself.”

Still, Estep offers up plenty of praise for his Pirate goal-scorer aplenty.

The message to his team entering the match was to put its trust in Sylvia.

“We knew they were going to have a guy near him at all times. But one of the things I expressed to the guys this week was that we have to trust Nick in these moments. His skill set is going to allow him to make the plays. If they put one on him, you have to trust Nick in those one-on-one situations to receive the ball, get his turn, and make the right reads,” said Estep. “Whether it is playing it off, attacking the goal or getting the shot off. That first goal today was just Nick being Nick. It really is. That goal just sums him up of what he’s been able to do throughout his career. It puts an exclamation point on his season to date and his career to date. Big-time players step up in big games. I told Nick to go be great today, and sure enough, he was.”

But Byrd and the Burg defense was too —with their 12th shutout of the season.

“Breyden is extremely gifted as a keeper. He made a name for himself at this very field his freshman year against Grandview Heights (2022 Division III regional championship match) in having to save 20 to 30 balls just to keep us in that game. To cap it off for him, to go win this thing and to keep a clean sheet and to get to this moment, he has deserved every bit of it,” said Estep. “Then those guys in front of him, those four seniors —Clark Weller has been there the longest, Andrew (Tabor) had a coming out party in this River View game last year, Kayson (Whitt) coming back, and Sean Bays plays outstanding on the right wing. I will put those five seniors on that back line up against anybody, any day every day.”

Well coach, that next day is Wednesday night —and the Division IV state semifinal against Central District powerhouse Worthington Christian.

The Warriors will enter at 17-3-2 — as Estep, Sylvia, Byrd and the remainder of the Pirates play once again at Logan’s familiar Purple Palace.

First touch for the state semifinal in Logan Chieftain Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

The winner will play in Sunday’s state championship Division IV tilt —against the winner of the other semifinal between Cincinnati Wyoming and Bay Village Bay.

So the Pirates now have their redemption —and definite season validation.

The only remaining burning question is does Wheelersburg win a state soccer championship?

“This week is going to be determined. How long are we going to extend it? Every day, we don’t want this to end,” said Estep. “The togetherness that this group has, the bonding that this group has, the faith that this group has, it is truly a blessing to watch.”

Wheelersburg 2, River View 0

Wheelersburg 1 1 — 2

River View 0 0 — 0

W — Nick Sylvia (Andrew Tabor assist), 1:23, 1st (1-0 W)

W — Nick Sylvia (Coleton Schwamburger assist), 26:02, 2nd (2-0 W)