No. 2 Eastwood closing in on fourth straight NBC title

Eastwood girls soccer is ranked second in the Division III state coaches’ poll behind Cincinnati Country Day (10-0-1). Woodmore (10-2-1) is also receiving votes with both losses coming to Eastwood.

The Eagles, 12-0, have outscored opponents 94-2, including five games where the Eagles scored in double figures. Despite the blowouts, coach Megan Rutherford says she has no problem keeping her girls focused.

“I’m really happy. This group of girls is really good,” Rutherford said. “Obviously, they are very talented, but they are also very competitive. 

“It’s super fun when as a coach you almost must rein them in at times so they don’t beat each other up too much. They are competitive about moving goals (before and after games) and about who puts soccer balls away in the bag at the end. They are competitive about everything that they do. It makes it a lot of fun because they also know how to laugh. There is good balance.”

Many of the seniors, including three-time All-Ohioan Makenna Souder, have been starting since they were freshmen. This is their final chance to make a statement during the tournament.

“They just want more. We had a stretch where we had the Genoa game was canceled and then we had to wait a few more days, so we had a stretch where we had almost two weeks between games, and they were just more than ready to be playing again.”

The Eagles first raised eyebrows when they defeated Liberty-Benton, 5-0, in their season opener. L-B has been a thorn in Eastwood’s side, ending the Eagles’ tournament run in regional play the last three years. Since the Eagles’ victory this season, L-B has regrouped and they are now 7-4-2.

“They’ve been putting up some good wins. They have some talent still,” Rutherford said. “They have some speed, and they have some size. We were just more than ready to get them back on our field. 

“Liberty-Benton is still pretty good but the team that we are keeping our eyes on right now is (No. 8) Ottawa-Glandorf (11-1). We were able to scrimmage them during a preseason tournament. They have some size.”

Two Eastwood seniors have committed to play collegiately, but Rutherford says others “are interested and looking to find a home.” Sydney Ameling will play at Ashland University and Kaylynn Simon at the University of Findlay, both NCAA Division II schools.

Ameling and Simon play with a team that has rewritten the Eastwood record book, and Simon’s name is included amongst the record-holders. Here a few for starters —

• Souder broke the record for goals scored in single game with six, hitting that mark twice this season. The previous record was five, held by Megan McCracken (2006), Danielle Jenson (2011), Jordan Davidson (2016), and, of course, Souder (2018). By the way, McCracken is now Megan Rutherford after she married football coach Craig Rutherford.

• Souder tied her own record for most goals scored in a single season with 33 through 12 games, but she has plenty of games remaining to break that record.

• Souder broke her own record for most goals in a career so far with 132.

• Simon broke own record for most assists in a single season with 21 through nine games.

• Souder set a new mark for most points in a single game with 13. She has done this twice this season. Previous record was 12, held by McCracken (2003, 2006).

• Simon set a new record for assists in career so far with 70. The previous record was 50, held by McCracken (2006).

“I don’t think I have much left. It’s so fun to watch,” Rutherford said, adding that she does not mind that Souder is systematically removing her from the record book one by one.

Behind Souder’s 33 goals, senior Aubrey Haas is next at 14, senior Jada Jensen and junior Hannah Montag have eight apiece, senior Addie Young and sophomore Delaine Zura have five each, junior Grace Kingery and Ameling have four each, and freshman Sam Brooks has three. Senior Megan Graham, sophomore Abby Rothenbuhler and Simon have two goals apiece, and sophomore Kayla Buehler and junior Emelisa Parades have on goal each.

Behind Simon, Ameling is next in assists with nine, Souder has eight, Rothenbuhler and Haas have six apiece, sophomore Reilly Might, Graham and Montag have four each, and seniors Jada Jensen and Mikayla Hoelter, junior Grace Kingery, and sophomores Kayla Buehler and Zura have three apiece.