By Bryce Hudik

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

PERRYSBURG — In an early season key Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division matchup, the Anthony Wayne girls soccer team narrowly beat Perrysburg in a 3-2 grudge match on Thursday night behind Lila Simon’s two goals.

The game, played on Perrysburg’s Widdell Field at Steinecker Stadium, marked the beginning of league play for both teams, and saw the top two perennial powers go at each other right off the bat. Anthony Wayne improved to 2-0 on the year while Perrysburg fell to 1-1 overall.

“They had a very good gameplan coming in, they had two (goals) over my best players all the time,” said Perrysburg coach Jorge Diaz.

“There’s no other player (Lila Simon) that could put those two goals like that. I’ve known that kid since she was little, she played very well. But it could’ve gone either way, obviously we didn’t want to lose but we’re not disappointed.”

One would expect nothing less from two of the best teams in the NLL than a back-and-forth dog fight. A gritty, physical match, Perrysburg jumped out to an early lead thanks to a goal from junior Camille Francis.

This, paired with an injury to an Anthony Wayne midfielder, seemed to fuel AW’s effort going forward. Simon knocked in her first goal from downtown to even things back up.

The half concluded with a pair of back-to-back goals from each respective side. Perrysburg’s Sophie Mitchell flipped one just over Anthony Wayne goalkeeper Kaity Carr in the 18:00 minute for a score.

This was immediately answered by another deep Anthony Wayne goal from senior Alaina Chisholm. Leveling the score to 2-2 at the half.

Just past the midway point of the second period Simon scored her second goal, putting the Generals up one with a laser beam that found the top corner.

Perrysburg had a few good opportunities to tie the game up. The most promising attempt came in the 15:00 minute when Perrysburg had a chance deep in the goal area. The Yellow Jacket forward received a pass with only the goalkeeper in her way but was denied by senior, and Lourdes commit, Addie Beil.

While she came up with the ultimate game winning save it wasn’t her who began the game in the net.

Referring to the half time change Anthony Wayne head coach Lori Williams said, “We have full belief and think very highly of both of our goal keepers.

“Obviously Beil didn’t get the nod at the start, but we know that she’s a great leader for us in the back as a senior. She’s so good at organizing but that save was something special.”

The game concluded with AW playing solid defense and draining the remaining clock.

“Perrysburg is a great team,” said Williams. “I think it’s okay to be excited and celebrate tonight but tomorrow we start for our next opponent. Then chip away at the season one game at a time.”

With the thrill of victory, there’s always the agony of defeat but Diaz was in positive spirits following the loss.

“We were undefeated last season and lost the last game. I’d rather lose right now and kind of work on things moving forward,” Diaz said.

The Yellow Jackets will continue their campaign with an away game on Saturday on the road against Rocky River Magnificat at 1 p.m., then get back to league play, traveling to take on Toledo Whitmer at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Whitmer Memorial Stadium.