Perrysburg’s Alexander Birch tries to get past Ottawa Hills’ Sam Petro at Steinecker Stadium Wednesday. (Lee Welch|Sentinel-Tribune)
By Nicholas Huenefeld
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
PERRYSBURG — The Perrysburg boys lacrosse team was unable to overcome an early deficit in a 13-7 loss to Ottawa Hills at Steinecker Stadium on Wednesday.
Reece Hill got Ottawa Hills (2-1) on the board just over a minute into the game, and Perrysburg’s Zachary Schroeder responded with the equalizer 34 seconds later.
However, behind three more goals from Hill, the visiting Green Bears scored five straight over the next six minutes and led 6-1 with 3:29 left in the opening quarter.
“I think a lot of it was just shooting ourselves in the foot, not playing good team defense, making our goalie have to make one-on-one saves, which is not what we’re looking for,” Perrysburg coach Baily Weatherwax said.
“We just have a few things to tighten up, and we’re a young squad, so I’m optimistic on the future.”
The Yellow Jackets (0-2) were able to set up the offense down the stretch in the opening quarter with Mitchell McKay scoring in the final second to pull his team within four.
Perrysburg continued the momentum as McKay and Grandin LeBoutillier joined Liam Thompson to help the home team score three of the next four goals, which pulled the Yellow Jackets within 7-5 with 5:37 left in the half.
Graham Hill scored his third of four goals with just over four minutes left to give Ottawa Hills a three-goal lead at the break.
“It was tough not getting to practice yesterday or get a game in,” Weatherwax said. “We’ve had three games canceled already, and we’re a young squad so I think handling some adversity (is good for us). We have a tough schedule. We just have to start clicking.”
The Green Bears scored both of the game’s goals in the third quarter as part of a 5-0 spurt that started with Hill’s late first-half score and gave the Green Bears a 12-5 advantage.
Rain started coming down early in the fourth quarter as Perrysburg’s Trey Haney and Brody Macke scored down the stretch, but it was the lone offense the Yellow Jackets could muster in the second half.
“I think we were trying to pass off the back foot a lot,” Weatherwax said. “I don’t think we were moving our feet as much as we normally do. We were just dodging not to open space, but just to dodge. I don’t think there was real intent.”
McKay led Perrysburg with a pair of goals while five others had one goal apiece.
