Kim North
CHAMPS AGAIN — The Oak Glen girls soccer team won its fifth-straight OVAC championship on Saturday, topping St. Clairsville, 3-2, in the Class 4A final.

WHEELING — As much as coaches and players hate losing, sometimes a loss can be a learning tool for later in the season.

Just last week Oak Glen blew a 2-0 halftime lead in a loss to Fairmont Senior. The top-seeded Golden Bears (9-2) led No. 2 St. Clairsville by a like score at the break Saturday morning, only to watch the Red Devils (8-1-2) draw even on a pair of net-finders in a 12-minute span of the second half at windy Wheeling Island Stadium.

However, good, championship-caliber teams find ways to win close games. Oak Glen did just that as Kamela Ward’s third goal of the match late in the 70th minute proved to be the difference in a 3-2 victory that gave the Golden Bears their fifth consecutive Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Class 4A championship.

It was the fourth over St. Clairsville and the Golden Bears eighth overall, seven coming in the past eight seasons.

“This is a goal we set every year. We knew this year would be tougher because of the girls we lost and the ones that Beaver Local and St. Clairsville had back, but the girls responded,” Oak Glen head coach Ryan Wells said. “Dropping that game last week to Fairmont Senior the way we did, I think at the end of the year when we look back at that game, that was the turning point (in our season) for us. If that didn’t happen, I don’t know if we fight through the adversity we faced today.

“I was proud of my team because we dominated play. We dominated possession, corner kicks, shots, but we still have to finish. We missed a couple of point-blank shots, but credit goes to (St. Clairsville head coach) Wes (Stoner) and his girls. They were playing without their second leading scorer. It’s a whole different ballgame if she’s in there.”

Wells was referring to Red Devils senior Emily Thompson who missed the match with an injury sustained in Thursday’s semifinal win over Beaver Local.

He also said this championship feels like the one that started this streak.

“Not many people gave us a chance because of our graduation losses,” he said.

“Everyone said this was going to be a rebuilding season for us, but the girls have stepped up to the challenge.”

Ward gave the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead with first-half goals in the 16th and 25th minutes. The first came unassisted and was a beauty that impressed St. Clairsville head coach Wes Stoner.

“There’s nobody in the world that could’ve stopped that shot,” he said. “Off the inside of the post into the upper 90, you can’t get a better shot than that. On the second goal we just missed an assignment.”

The second goal came off a throw-in by Phoebe Molish that Ward looped over a defender. The ball bounced over top of freshman goalkeeper Rileigh Wood.

Being outshot 12-2 and outplayed at both ends of the pitch in the first 40 minutes, Stoner’s halftime speech inspired his troops.

Alyssa Bodkin, who missed some of the first half with an injured left knee, fired a shot on goal in the first minute that was denied by Oak Glen goalkeeper Alexus Greenlief. However, it seemed to spark the Red Devils.

Six minutes later, St. Clairsville cut the deficit in half. Zoe Russell dribbled the ball around a defender before unleashing a drive that found the top shelf in the right corner of the cage. Megan Malin charted the assist.

“That was a great effort on her part,” Stoner said of Russell’s net-finder. “Oak Glen is a hard team to get around, but she did and then found the net.”

Wood, who recorded 12 saves in the match, stood tall between the posts. She denied three golden opportunities in the 56th minute, punching away a corner kick and then making a diving deflection with her left hand. She finished with a dozen saves.

Moments later, a St. Clairsville player was taken down inside the box, prompting a penalty kick. Malin was up to the task as she calmly deposited the ball in the lower right corner for a 2-2 stalemate.

“Megan switched up,” Stoner said. “She usually goes the other way. She saw the goalie cheating to the left side where she always goes. She switched up at the last second.

“We defended well, even in the first half. We had a couple of minor mistakes that led to goals.”

Ward’s game-winner came on a great individual effort. She collected the ball near midfield and dribbled it down the left wing with a Red Devil defender charging hard. She tapped the ball across the crease into the far corner

“Kammy has done a good job for us,” Wells said of his prized sophomore. “It was Maggie Kovalchik and then Reese Enochs … and now it’s Kammy’s turn. We have other girls that, if needed, can step up and score, but she is tough to contain. She’s a really good soccer player.

“This one feels like the redemption because of all the remarks we were hearing.”