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Weir stops Big Red in 4A

WEIR THE CHAMPS — Members of the Weir High boys soccer team pose for a photo following the Red Riders 2-1 victory over Steubenville in the OVAC 4A boys championship on Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium (Aaron Petchal)

WHEELING — Game 2 was just as intense — maybe a little more — than Game 1.

For the second time in little more than a week, the Weir and Big Red boys’ soccer teams met on the field, but unlike the first meeting of the two local rivals, this game was for a championship.

Top-seeded Big Red struck first, but the second-seeded Red Riders scored two unanswered goals en route to a 2-1 victory in the OVAC Class 4A Tournament Final Saturday afternoon at Wheeling Island Stadium.

“It is sweet,” Weir (10-2) head coach Jim Luevano said. “It is always tough whenever we play Steubenville. The best soccer matches are Weir vs. Big Red. We were able to battle through it.

“We have now won two in a row. It is nice to win back-to-back.”

The victory gives the Red Riders their second-straight OVAC Tournament title as well as the third in school history.

The loss prevented Big Red from capturing its first tournament title.

“No, it was not the result we were hoping for,” Big Red (9-2) head coach Greg Bowers said. “In the first 20 minutes of the game we did what we wanted to do. It is what it is. Things might have been different if we could have changed a few plays.”

Big Red forced to play a man down for the final 44:56 of the game after Justice Slappy picked up a red card with 4:56 left to play in the first half, and had to play two-men down when Marc Porter was given a red card with 22:31 remaining in the game. Porter was originally given a yellow card, but the ruling ended up being changed.

“We have to keep our heads, but we do have to play to protect ourselves,” Bowers said. “It was a physical game.”

Weir did not score while the game was 11-on-11. The Red Riders scored their first goal with 2:53 left to play in the first half after Big Red was a man down, and the victors recorded their second goal with 16:39 left in the game, while Big Red was down two players.

“We had to pull out a couple of our defenders,” Bowers said. “Offensively, we had to move players to positions they are not used to playing. We tried to build our attack to get a goal.”

Weir made changes to its lineup to take advantage of Big Red’s player dilemma.

“Absolutely,” Luevano said. “We started in a 4-4-2. After we tied it, we changed it up to a 4-5-1. We played more of a defensive game. If we happened to get possession of the ball, then we would push numbers up the field.”

Cheyton Luevano and Michael Gresko each scored for the Riders, while Ryan Bodrog and Luke Tenaglio each tallied an assist. Brett Hinchee made one save.

Codey Criss delivered Big Red’s goal. Goalie Jacob Clevenger recorded six saves.

“Defensively, we were great,” Coach Luevano said. “When we get caught, we kind of cheated a little bit. Our defense came up huge for us.”

Criss opened the scoring when he banged in a loose ball from in front of the goal to give Big Red a 1-0 lead with 24:06 left in the first half.

“I can’t fault the kids,” Bowers said. “They did an excellent job. We had to play with only eight field players. That is something we have never experienced before. We just came out on the short end today.”

Big Red held the lead until late in the first half when Tenaglio sent a cross into the box where Chayton Luevano headed the ball into the back of the net to tie the score at 1 with 2:53 before halftime.

Bodrog a corner kick that found Gresko’s head and a 2-1 lead 16:59 left in the game.

“It is not something we practice a lot,” Coach Luevano said about his team scoring both of its goals off of crosses. “We do work on it.

“Steubenville always changes things up.”

Big Red had some good opportunities to score the rest of the way, but the Red Riders’ defense was up to the challenge.

“The guys really worked hard,” Coach Luevano said. “They knew what they were up against. In practice, they worked hard, and it paid off.”

The teams played Sept. 15 at Harding Stadium. Weir scored the first two goals, Big Red the next three and Weir the final two.

“This one feels better,” Coach Luevano said. “It was a tough game last year. It was 1-0. It is always good to beat Steubenville. Today was another battle. Whoever could control the ball was going to win that game.

“Even when Steubenville is down a couple of players they give you a battle. It is a battle every time we play them.”

Weir heads to Linsly at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Cadets lost to Steubenville Catholic Central, 7-1, for the Class 1A/3A title.

Big Red welcomes Wheeling Park at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Harding Stadium.

“We still have some goals in front of us,” Bowers said. “We are going to regroup and get ready for the rest of our season. We like our odds going into the district tournament.”

In the Class 5A Final, Morgantown defeated University, 3-2.

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