Clay 7 - New Boston 5

[Burg_Grad_77]

Clay scored 7 goals in the first half and held a 7-3 halftime lead and then held on for a 7-5 win over the Tigers at New Boston stadium. Clay was very aggresiive in the first half taking numerous shots on goal and then seemed like they tried to set back on defense in the second half and just protect a 4 goal halftime lead and it almost cost them. NB scored two quick goals cutting the lead in half and was much more the aggressor in the second half with most of the half played on Clays end. Clay finally woke up with about 15 minutes left in the game and started attacking the goal again and forcing the issue on NB and kept the Tigers from scoring any more goals. Clays goalie had some nice saves in the second half when NB was really pressing the ball forward and kept Clay in the lead. Nice win by the Panthers and I'm not sure but I thought someone said it was Clays first win ever over New Boston.

I'm not sure who all scored for Clay, but I know Jon Valentine had 3 goals and 2 assists, #5 had at least 1 goal when he scored by kicking a corner kick that bent by the keeper for a goal, #13 had 2 goals I believe, and I think #14 had one as well.

Great win by Clay. They seemed to pass and move the ball very well when they wanted to. They really need to stay aggressive and keep pressing the ball forward and not try to set on a lead. They seem to do much better that way. Good luck the rest of the season.

Anna "The Beast" Valentine was injured early in the first half and hopefully it was minor and she'll be back on the pitch in no time.

[OUBobcat]

...thought someone said it was Clays first win ever over New Boston...

how soon people forget...what about last years win? what about 2006's win?

[drrabbit]

What about the years that Clay won the SOC I soccer championships?

Clay had some really good teams in the late 1990's and the early part of this decade.

[Burg_Grad_77]

Maybe I misunderstood and it was just Clays first win over NB in a while.

[drrabbit]

Just so everyone knows, Clay has beaten every team in the SOC more than once. There are no more 'first times' unless a new team is added.

[Burg_Grad_77]

Doc, can you explain to me why South Webster is in the SOCI in soccer when they compete in the SOCII in basketball and baseball. It seems a little unfiar to the smaller schools to have to play such a bigger school and they seem to dominate the SOCI year after year. Just curious.

[ssusoccer]

What about the years that Clay won the SOC I soccer championships?

Clay had some really good teams in the late 1990's and the early part of this decade.

Ahhhh how soon they forget!

Those were some good teams.

They made my job easy!

[svbt1112]

There are 16 total schools in the SOC-9 of them are DIV 4 for bball and baseball. South Webster is one of those schools. SW is the only Div 4 school in SOC II. Occasionally Lucasville is also a d4 school. Regardless of sport, SW is in small school division when it comes to tournament time-it is only in the SOC that they compete with the large schools.

[vballsoccer178]

I believe it depends on the sport. There are now 10 soccer schools in the SOC. Top five based on size go to Div II; bottom 5 go to Div I.

South Webster is #7 on the list when you compare number of boys. Here's the numbers I found.
School # of Boys
Waverly- 253
NW -192
West -180
Minford - 169
Burg -150


Valley - 152
sw -116
Eastern -89
Clay -54
Glenwood - 38

[drrabbit]

That is easy to explain. The SOC divides their divisions by enrollment.

When they went to 2 divisions in soccer, they were moving to eight teams their size were as follows:

Waverly
Northwest
Minford
Wheelersburg

Valley
South Webster
Clay
New Boston

And so they were divided.

At Nine teams it was:

Waverly
Northwest
West
Minford
Wheelersburg

Valley
South Webster
Clay
New Boston

Wheelersburg was on the bubble and some years, like this year, Valley was a little larger than Wheelersburg.

Now it is:

Waverly
Northwest
West
Minford
Wheelersburg

Valley
South Webster
Eastern
Clay
New Boston

If any team was 'bumped up' it would be the larger school: Valley. But there is no way that you can logically move up South Webster-especially when there was nine teams. (six in SOC II and three in SOC I?) That would have been silly. Even now it would be seven in SOC II and three in SOC I.

We need Western to start a soccer team. Then Valley will be on the bubble.

Bottom line is that just because South Webster has good coaching and a good feeder program does not mean that they should be 'punished.'

--Just a little more historical perspective.

[Burg_Grad_77]

I guess since Green, Notre Dame, Symmes Valley, and Western don't have soccer that SW doesn't a choice but to play in the lowere division. But since they don't have football they have just as many boys to draw from as the Burg, Minford, and Valley since you have to take away around 50 boys for those schools that play varisty or freshman football so that kind of even things out.

I just thought it was strange that SW competes in SOCII in the other boys sports, but not in soccer.

[drrabbit]

Soccer is not the only sport in which South Webster is SOC I. They are also in SOC I in Track and Field and in Golf--at least in some years. They have dominated SOC I track and field for longer than they have soccer.