By Brendon Matthews
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Facebook’s cup runneth over today.
As I scrolled through my feed I saw post after post of joyful faces celebrating an improbable run by the Bluffton High School boys' soccer team.
Not only did they beat the 1st and 3rd ranked teams in the state to get to this point, but they also won four straight overtime games: three in sudden death overtime and one in a shootout.
They trailed 1-0 in the 2nd half of two different games, and, according to one Facebook post (so it must be true) they haven’t led in a game in over 400 minutes.
Yet here they are.
They’ll play Sunday in the state final against the 5th ranked team in the state, Columbus Wellington.
It takes a village
Whether they win or lose, it has been an awesome run. It would be easy to say the focus should be on “it takes a village” because it is true in this case.
Many people and local businesses have supported the team in various ways. By the end of the day Sunday, the student “spirit” buses will have traveled approximately 760 miles to support their Pirates.
The Bluffton Police and Fire Departments have stayed up way past their bedtime multiple times to escort the victors back to town.
Bluffton Family Recreation and Bluffton’s newest celebrity, Tyler Chamberlain, have live-streamed the last three games on Facebook and Wednesday night’s game streams have been viewed over 14,000 times to this point.
It would also be easy to say the focus should be that “this team is building on the foundation of the teams that came before” because that would also be true.
I remember...
I remember winning the Sectional finals against Temple Christian in a shootout my senior year (before getting beat by the Alex Hanna-led O-G Titans in the District semis).
I remember watching my brothers—Devon and Adrian—when their strong teams made some noise in the tournament.
I remember Jeremy Parkins and Matt Renfrow and the awesome teams they led.
I remember Tristan Smucker, and the August boys, and the Reichenbach twins, and the Garrett trio, and a hundred other names I don’t have the space to mention here.
I remember the coaches including Dave Fett and now Steve Smucker. I also remember Bill Gaines and Dave Lee and their sons and the work they put in to build the first Pirate teams.
We have Steinmetz Field, and Bluffton Soccer Club, and Citizens Fields thanks to the support—financial and otherwise—of key contributors.
It would be easy to say the focus should be on the parents who deserve this because of the time (and the money, and even more time) they have invested in their sons, and that would be true.
By doing a little Darryl Nester calculus (another Bluffton Pirate Superfan and father of a Pirate soccer alumnus; I did get a C+ in Calculus, by the way) I calculate that the average parent has attended more than 240 soccer games, dropped a kid at soccer practice at least 1,152 times, done 1,392 loads of soccer laundry, and been to way too many soccer tournaments in Beavercreek.
But in addition to these facts and focuses, there are a few other things I love the most about this tournament run.
This team has character
This team has character. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a team and its players rise to the occasion like the 2019 Soccer Pirates.
Nic Essinger played the game of his life against Ottawa Hills in the Regional Final with some truly unbelievable saves in Overtime and the Shootout.
Jonathan Schriner fought through double teams the entire tournament to score the winning goal Wednesday night against South Range.
Jude Spallinger dribbled around the keeper on a breakaway to beat Fairview in the Regional Semifinals.
The defense collectively shut the door time after time on some very talented teams.
The team as a whole came from behind in multiple games to advance. Every single player—on the field and the bench—stayed on the same page and worked together no matter how much time they actually spent on the field.
I really love the fans and their passion. I love the coaches and their dedication. I love the grin on Steve Smucker’s face after Wednesday night’s game.
I love the collection of Dan Lee selfies with the team he posted on Facebook.
I loved catching up with BHS alumni at the games.
I loved Brandon Good in the middle of Wednesday’s nights enormous prayer circle after the game. I loved giving high fives to anyone and everyone—strangers included—whenever the Pirates scored a goal.
So, no matter the outcome, the Pirates and their fans have already won. And as a former Pirate athlete, and as a current Pirate coach, father, Blufftonite, and fan, I couldn’t have asked for a better, more satisfying ride.
And, in the words of Tyler Chamberlain, I’ve got my fingers crossed that on Sunday “the Slipper Still Fits!!!!!”
