Blake Limegrover, 14, of Marietta heads the ball into the net during the Tigers’ 4-1 win over Jackson in the Division III regional semifinals Thursday at Chieftain Stadium in Logan. He scored the first of three goals. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Patrick)
Logan – You can call him Blake. You can call him Ronnie. The Hat Trick King may be equally deserving.
For the second straight postseason game, Marietta senior Blake Limegrover scored three goals. The senior accomplished the feat by the end of the first half as the Tigers defeated Jackson 4-1 in the Ohio Division III regional semifinals Thursday night at Chieftain Stadium on the campus of Logan High School.
Limegrover, also known as “Ronnie,” is just grateful to be on the field after missing the early part of the regular season with a back injury.
“It feels great just to keep coming out and getting results,” Limegrover said. “Honestly, it’s a miracle. I had no idea if I would be able to play this year.
“I’m especially grateful this year as I’m a senior.”
Marietta’s Reed Slotter (1) and Jackson’s Grady Massey battle for the ball in the corner of the field during Thursday’s Division III regional semifinal game at Chieftain Stadium in Logan. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Patrick)
Marietta (14-3-2) returns to Chieftain Stadium on Saturday to face Chillicothe in the district final. Start time to be determined. Chillicothe defeated Athens 6-2 in the second game Thursday at Chieftain Stadium. Marietta and Chillicothe did not meet this season.
“Ronnie is healthy,” Marietta coach Todd Morris said of Lymegrover’s recent scoring outburst. “He’s a very dynamic player and probably the most creative player with the ball at his feet. He has great vision of the field and can finish.
“He fractured his C4 or C5 his freshman year and it took him a year to come back. He got frustrated early this season and missed five or six games. He’s playing his way back. We’re starting to see what he can do. He had a great first half tonight and we needed that.”
Against Jackson, Marietta led the pace from the beginning. Limegrover and teammate Cameron Davis had challenging shots on goal in the first five minutes of the game, but they came up short on two saves from Jackson College freshman keeper Tanner Jenkins. .
Limegrover beat the keeper on a corner kick and headed the ball into the net at 34:31 of the first half.
Will Haller, 4, of Marietta pounces on a loose ball during Thursday’s Division III regional semifinal game at Chieftain Stadium in Logan. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Patrick)
Before the first half reached midway, Limegrover scored his second goal. In a scramble downfield with Jackson’s defenders on his side, he approached the net area and Jackson’s goalie came out to close the angle.
Lime Grover chipped the ball into the left net. Jackson’s second defender fumbled while trying to stop the shot in its tracks, and the ball continued on its course and rolled into the back of the net as the clock read 23 minutes, 44 seconds.
As the stadium lights were dimming, Limegrover struck one more time before intermission. He paralleled the end line deep in Jackson territory, making his way toward the net with defenders clinging to his every move like his own personal steamroller, with five minutes left before intermission. He scored his third goal in 06 seconds.
One problem that caught Marietta off guard occurred in the opening minutes of the second half for a rejuvenated Jackson team. At 37:01, Thatcher Brown found the inside left pole open, resulting in his first and only Ironman goal.
“Credit (Brown), that was a hell of an attack,” Morris said. “But that’s just us being lazy. Clearance is bad and no one is closing. That can’t happen.”
Cameron Davis, 10, of Marietta gets the ball in his hands during Thursday’s Division III regional semifinal game at Chieftain Stadium in Logan. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Patrick)
Jackson kept the energy high for the first part of the second half, but ran out of steam as Marietta dominated the ball in the final 18 minutes. Meanwhile, Brady Lent added an insurance goal for the Tigers with 7:54 left in regulation.
“I thought we had a better tempo in the first few minutes of the second half than the first five or six minutes of the second half until Jackson scored,” Morris said. “We’re happy and proud of the progress we’re making, but we’ve got to be better than we were in the second half or it’s going to be a long day Saturday.”
Coach Morris praised Jackson’s growth since the two schools first met this year. On a steamy preseason day, the Tigers won 8-0. Jackson finished the season with an 11-8-0 record.
“Jackson coach Lee Lord has been here a long time and has done a great job with these guys,” Morris said. “The first scrimmage in August, it was 95 degrees. They bused us, and the players had to sit out the joint game in the heat.
“They were more organized (tonight). They pressed really well. Hats off to them. They had a great season.”
Marietta’s Blake Limegrover, 14, chases the ball during the Division III regional semifinals Thursday at Chieftain Stadium in Logan. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Patrick)
Contact Kelly Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com
Scoring Name, School TD FG 2 1 PTS Connor Lambert, Wahama 34 0 0 0 204 Brodie Ewing, Wirth 21 0 8 0 142 Lane…
