Maumee boys stay perfect with trio of wins last week

Noah Preciado goes up for a ball against an Oak Harbor defender. / Pride of the Panthers

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

According to coach Chad Kain, the Maumee boys soccer team wasn’t taking preparation seriously leading up to last week’s game at Bowsher.

So when the Blue Racers went up by three goals in the first half, Kain wasn’t surprised. The Panthers rallied for a halftime lead, but Kain let his players know in no uncertain terms what they needed to do and what was expected of them.

They received the message loud and clear. In addition to an 11-3 win over Bowsher, Maumee added an 11-3 win over Eastwood and a significant 6-1 win at Celina last week.

The Panthers are now 11-0 overall and 5-0 in the Northern Buckeye Conference. They’ve scored 98 goals this season and have allowed eight.

Blake Wagener had four goals and three assists against the Blue Racers. Mac Abderalzek added two goals and three assists, Frankie Folger had two goals and an assist, and Noah Preciado had a pair of goals. Brock Saneholtz had one goal and one assist.

Wagener set another school record in the conference win over the Eagles, netting a single-game record seven goals with one assist.

Preciado had three goals, and Jaxson Greenlese had a goal.

Kain and the Panthers had the matchup at Celina circled on their calendars as a way to prove that they’re for real to the rest of northwest Ohio.

Folger had four goals against the Bulldogs (6-4). Wagener had a goal and two assists, and Danny Ballez had a goal.

Wagener now has 31 goals and 75 points this season. He ranks second in Ohio and first in Division III in both categories. His 75 points are fifth in the nation, and his 31 goals are sixth nationally, according to MaxPreps.

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com