SANDUSKY, Ohio - Unranked Kirtland’s magical playoff run came to an end Tuesday night as the Hornets lost 3-0 to No. 8 Archbold in a Division III boys soccer state semifinal game on Strobel Field at Cedar Point Stadium.
The wind had a major impact on the game. Archbold’s high-scoring duo of Elijah Zimmerman and Josh Kidder ended up being the difference in the game, scoring all three goals.
In the third minute of the game, Zimmerman appeared to give Archbold a 1-0 lead with a goal but the official waved off the score.
Archbold controlled the pace of play, but the game remained scoreless until Zimmerman finally found the back of the net with 12:38 left in the first half. The goal was Zimmerman's 30th of the season.
The Blue Streaks extended the lead seven minutes into the second half on Kidder’s free kick goal from 24 feet away into the wind. Kidder scored his second goal of the game with just 26 seconds left in the contest. The two goals gave Kidder 31 for the season.
The victory was Archbold's 18th in a row. The Blue Streaks improved to 21-1 and have not lost since Aug. 27. They enter the state title game having already defeated two of the top teams in the state, No. 1 Ottawa Hills and No. 4 Independence, earlier in the postseason.
The Blue Steaks entered the contest averaging 6.8 goals per game and have only allowed 14 goals in 22 games.
This was Kirtland’s first ever appearance in a state final four game. The Hornets finished with a 17-2-3 record. Entering the game, Kirtland had only allowed nine goals all season and had 14 shutouts. The loss was Kirtland’s first since Sept. 18 against Independence.
The matchup was the second of a doubleheader between the two schools. The Kirtland girls team won 1-0 earlier in the evening to advance to the Division III girls state championship game. It was the first time in OHSAA soccer history two schools had both their boys and girls soccer teams meet up in the state semifinals in the same season.
Archbold advanced to play in the D-III state title game on Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus against the winner of Dayton Christian/Grandview Heights game that will be played on Wednesday.
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