Wickliffe vs. Apple Creek Waynedale girls soccer: Blue Devils bow out in Division III district final heartbreaker

Oct. 26—BRUNSWICK — It's never come easy for the Wickliffe girls.

Earning playing time in a coed side with the boys before the girls side was established in 2007.

Progressing into being a viable district title contender.

Two extra-time losses in the last four seasons in district finals. A district semi appearance in 2020 taken away amid a pandemic the day of the match.

That all set the stage Oct. 26 in a Division III district final at Brunswick Middle School against Apple Creek Waynedale for what would have been the perfect punctuation to this journey.

Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, that journey remains open-ended after a heartbreaker that will make this eventual breakthrough even sweeter when it comes, but cruel in its immediacy.

Eliza Wills gave Wickliffe a halftime lead, but Waynedale netted a late equalizer in regulation and emerged with the result after seven rounds of a penalty-kick shootout, 4-3 on PKs and 2-1 overall.

The Blue Devils bow out at 17-2.

Wickliffe generated 20 shots on target, six in the first half of extra time, and were right on the precipice of a moment for which it's long aspired. On this night, though, it wasn't to be.

"Ultimately, it's about the success of the season," Blue Devils coach Steve Gribovicz said. "We set program records this year, for wins in a season and advancing as far as any other team has. Giving up 10 goals before this game — setting a mark there.

"I'm just trying to assure them their season was a success, regardless of what this postseason game says. We played successfully in this game. It didn't turn out in our favor, but we had success. We had opportunities. We created. We gave ourselves an opportunity to advance, and unfortunately, we did not. But the message overall is what a great season it really was."

Wills opened her side's account in the 35th minute. The senior All-Ohio midfielder, whose workrate to guide her youth-laden Blue Devils' side was exemplary throughout, capped a weaving diagonal run into the left side of the box for a slick lefty finish wide. It was her 14th goal of 2023 and 50th of her standout high school career.

⚽️ Wickliffe 1-0

Eliza Wills 35th min pic.twitter.com/Tlh39BPag4

— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) October 26, 2023

"They were all yelling, 'She's going right. She's going right,'" Wills said. "So I committed to my right side, cut back, saw a gap and finished with my left foot back post."

The Blue Devils never lacked in quality and intent throughout, but a precious second strike did not come. They had a pair of bar rattlers by the 17th and close calls in reserve.

In the 72nd, Waynedale's Misha Yoder got a touch for a near-post finish to level the match, 1-1.

Wickliffe sought the match-winner in extra time. Wills was turned away in the 86th, as were Tiana Torrence in the 89th and Ava Gabriel in the 87th and 92nd.

"I just think our shots on frame were there, but I don't think our shots were quality on frame," Wills said. "Their goalkeeper is good. She kept them in this game. I firmly believe their goalkeeper kept them in this game."

In PKs, the sides emerged tied, 2-2, through five rounds, with the Blue Devils' conversions coming from Wills and Leah Skufca. That meant sudden death from there. Both sides converted in Round 6, with Torrence putting away hers. In Round 7, Wickliffe's PK was saved.

Waynedale goalkeeper McKenna Baney stepped to the spot and slotted her strike, sprinting toward her touchline to celebrate the result.

"I mean, it's absolutely heartbreaking to end your high school career on PKs," Wills said. "Not just PKs. Sudden-death PKs. Double overtime. I'm getting PTSD from last year. It's bringing it all back. It hurts even worse.

"To go 17-2, obviously we put in the work over the summer. We put in the work at practice. It is absolutely devastating."

This defeat spelled the end of the road with the side for Wills and right back staple Annabella Stoehr, who helped lead the side to 50 wins in the last four seasons. Wills hopes their example carries forward.

"I mean, it's amazing to be a key leader on this team and to have people look up to me and come up to me after games, people from my community and people from my elementary school in Wickliffe and look up to me," Wills said. "They're inspired to play like me. It warms my heart. I love being a role model, and I know AB does, too, because the kids look up to her just as much as they look up to us.

"I hope these freshmen can grow into the leaders that Annabella and me did, because we were once freshmen, too. We weren't always leaders on this team. I hope they step it up next year and get our get-backs, win and make program history next year."

It's never come easy for the Wickliffe girls. But Wills is certain the side's day will come soon. Her message to a side returning nine starters in 2024 is simple.

"Don't get complacent," Wills said. "Don't think 17-2 is enough. This season was amazing. This season was everything I could have hoped for, everything I could have asked for — an amazing senior season. But they can't think that's enough. They can't be OK with this season. They've got to want more. They have to want more."