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Olmsted Falls, OH- The 2024 season is over for Holy Name as Olmsted Falls takes them down 18-5 to begin their run back to the state title game.
The first minute of this game contained a surprising first goal. Tommy Ontko would find the back of the net to give the Namers 1-0 lead. Right away, the Bulldogs got back to work and would equalize 73 seconds later courtesy of Jake Bill. A minute after this, Jameson DeMarco found Bryce Guilliford making a run towards the crease, leading to a goal. DeMarco would then score a goal of his own less than a minute later.
While Olmsted Falls continued to apply pressure, Patrick Farrell capitalized on a passing error from OF and scored to bring the game back within one. Aiden Toth would restore the Bulldogs’ two goal advantage a minute later as he found the back of the net for the first time. Phoenix Heygi then made a great run for Holy Name, but his shot ricocheted off of the post. This changed the game as Olmsted Falls would take the ball down the field and score two unanswered goals in the final four minutes of the quarter.
With the score 6-2, there was plenty of work to do for HN. Xavier Rodriguez was neutralized in the first as he barely saw the ball. However, he opened the second with a goal to bring the Namers back within three. For a few minutes of the quarter, neither side could set much up offensively. That all changed in the second half of the frame as the Bulldogs scored four times.
Guilliford found the back of the net first, followed by Jonnathan Blevins finally converting after some tremendous saves from Peter Rose and the crossbar. DeMarco scored his second goal of the contest with 1:44 left to play in the half. Toth closed out the frame with an outstanding solo run while being hit by a multitude of Namers. He danced through the D-Poles, split Leiland Walker and Diego Nunney, and scored. At the break, Olmsted Falls led 10-3.
The Bulldogs’ offense continued to be clinical throughout the second half. Bill, Guilliford, and Parker Link did the damage in the third quarter. In the fourth, Link found the back of the net for the first time while Raymond Halasz and Matthew Heney both scored their first. However, the moments that many will remember in this game came in the final three minutes. Freshmen Dylan Staley and Landon Snowberger scored their first career varsity goals. When asking them about their goals after the game, both of them echoed one word, “Awesome.” Xavier Rodriguez would score two goals at the death, but Olmsted Falls still took home the victory 18-5.
On Holy Name’s side, the historic season is over. Peter Rose set the record for most saves in a career in OHSAA history against West Geauga a few weeks ago. Xavier Rodriguez ends his sophomore season with 70 goals. He only sits behind Zach Spalding for most goals in a single season (79 in 20 games). In the loss Friday night, Peter Rose set a new career and school best with 30 saves in the contest.
As for Olmsted Falls, goalkeeper Caden Vinci made history of his own. At the end of the first half, he made his 149th save of the year—a new school record for most in a single season. The junior shot stopper was also announced as an all-region honorable mention. After the game, Coach Piepenburg commented on his goalie saying,
“It’s awesome. He deserves it 100%…This is his first year starting, but he has been waiting in wings since he was a freshman and got a couple starts as a freshman…He was always ready to go and it’s just the fruits of his labor.”
Olmsted Falls now has a few days to get ready for a tough game Wednesday night as they welcome the five seed Highland to Charles A Harding Stadium. The Bulldogs are one win closer to repeating as state champions, but still have five wins to go.
Holy Name Key Players
#1 Peter Rose: 30 Saves (Career-High and School Record)
#4 Xavier Rodriguez: 3 Goals
#26 Charlie Margosian: Clearances + Hustle
Olmsted Falls Key Players
#2 Jameson DeMarco: 2 Goals + Facilitating the Offense
#7 Aiden Toth: 3 Goals
#10 Bryce Guilliford: 4 Goals
