While the host Perrysburg boys soccer team controlled the majority of play against St. Francis de Sales in the first game of the Friday Night Futbol event on a toasty evening at Steinecker Stadium, the Knights ultimately forced a tie.
Perrysburg junior forward Brayden Heitmeyer scored for Perrysburg midway through the second half before St. Francis senior Josh Brennan knotted it late for the Knights as the teams battled to a 1-1 tie.
The Yellow Jackets possessed the ball for most of the contest before a sizable crowd.
Perrysburg finally broke open a scoreless deadlock when Heitmeyer scored with 27:33 left in regulation. However, St. Francis tied it at 1 with 6:27 left in regulation when Brennan scored on a penalty kick.
“I thought we controlled a little more than they did, but it definitely wasn't a clean game,” Perrysburg coach Dennis Jeansonne said. “Neither team is playing at form yet. Accuracy is still not there for both teams.”
In 2015, the Ohio High School Athletic Association started the state-wide initiative where soccer games are played one day earlier than the traditional Saturday start.
“I think it certainly lived up to expectations with the atmosphere and hype,” St. Francis coach Mike Kern said. “I think they got the better edge over us. We're lucky to have a tie. We definitely have some things to work on. We're more of a possession-based team, and we just struggled building out from back and holding the ball.”
St. Francis (9-7-3 last season) defeated Perrysburg twice last fall, 4-1 in the opener and 1-0 in the district final. The Knights handed No. 7-ranked Perrysburg (16-2-2) its only two losses of the season. The teams are now in different divisions and will not meet again this season.
A pass from Dylan Motter sent Heitmeyer free up field and Heitmeyer finished by sending a roller across the field as the ball deflected off the far post and into the net for the 1-0 lead.
“That felt amazing,” Heitmeyer said. “Dylan Motter had a great ball to me. Our midfield dominated the entire game and gave me those opportunities. All I did was finish one of them. We dominated the entire game and had so many opportunities.”
Heitmeyer, who had several other chances throughout the game, missed most of last season with a back injury.
“Brayden stands out a lot. This is kind of his coming out party. You see what he can do,” Jeansonne said.
But Brennan was awarded a penalty kick and converted by beating Perrysburg goalie Tucker Benge to his right side.
“That felt really good, especially after missing a penalty kick last year in the district,” Brennan said. “It felt good to put one in. We were more on the defensive side the whole game. They got the better of us today. We didn't play our best game, but we will learn from it and move forward.”
The Yellow Jackets possessed the ball for the majority of a scoreless first half and had the majority of the quality chances as St. Francis goalie Ben Baker had to be sharp.
St. Francis charged out of the gate to start the second half as Drew Puckett had his point-blank chance stopped by Benge.
Heitmeyer sent a lofting shot off the top of the Knights' net five minutes into the second half. Perrysburg hit the post with a shot that could have made it a two-goal lead with about 16 minutes left in regulation.
The Knights then mounted some late pressure and tied it.
“I'm proud of [our] resiliency and getting the result against a good team,” Kern said.
The Perrysburg 1994 state semifinalist boys team was recognized at halftime. The team is being inducted into the school's hall of fame. Jeansonne was a member of that team coached by the late Pete Raffa.
“It was a bigger crowd and I think that takes a little toll on both teams,” Jeansonne said. “We know where we have to go from here.”
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