By Cort Reynolds

FINDLAY__The Ada boys soccer team lost to top-seeded Liberty-Benton 10-2 in the Div. III sectional finals Saturday morning, October 21, to finish their 2023 season.

Bulldog junior ace Logan Jolliff netted both Ada goals.

The Bulldog campaign ended with a record of 4-8-6 after the elimination defeat which snapped a two-match win streak.

Liberty-Benton improved to 11-4-3 and advanced to the district semifinals October 25 at Tiffin vs. Edison (11-7) with the win. 

After enduring a slow start against a tough schedule, the Eagles have caught fire. L-B is unbeaten (9-0-2) in its last 11 matches.

The first time they met this fall, Ada tied Liberty on the road 1-1 on September 14. This time, the explosive Eagles were more patient and capitalized on their chances.

L-B scored first early, but Jolliff scored 45 seconds later to knot it up 1-1.

Venezuelan newcomer Jairo Colina then untied it by blasting a shot past Ada freshman keeper Jacob Rush with 24:47 left in the first half.

The Eagles then went on to build a 5-1 lead by intermission. 

Two minutes after the Colina tie-breaking goal, Reid Thomas found the net for a 3-1 lead. A few minutes later, Aiden Hatch tallied a goal to provide a 4-1 margin with 20 minutes still left in the first half.

The L-B flurry of three goals in less than five minutes broke the game open.

Eagle Dorian Bickhart tacked on another goal with an assist from Colina just 37 seconds before intermission to extend the lead to a four-goal margin at the break.

Colina netted his second goal in the 45th minute on an assist from NCOSA Player of the Year Garrett Nealis to extend the lead to 6-1.

Colina fed Trevor Farris for the next L-B goal 30 minutes later. Quinn Taylor made it 8-1 by scoring with 22 minutes left. 

Jolliff tallied his second goal, but Thomas answered for a 9-2 cushion. L-B’s Silas Arredondo netted the final goal.

The district finals will be hosted by Tiffin Columbian at Frost-Kalnow Stadium Oct. 28.