It was another classic between these OCC rivals with added pressure considering a league title was on the line.
MADISON TWP - Whenever Lexington and Madison meet on the pitch, it's going to be a big game.
Throw the Ohio Cardinal Conference title into the mix and...
"We knew we were going to be fighting for our lives," Madison coach Tim Lord. "They knew if they win out, they're the champions. I told them it was going to be a war, and it was from the very beginning.
"But we were able to sneak a few in and our defense held."
The Rams successfully defended their OCC title with an impressive 3-1 win to finish league play with a 6-0-1 record.
"This is my 25th year, and every year this is the goal," Lord said. "It's such an honor and it's humbling, but you get that target on your back and you're the ones everyone wants to battle. It wasn't an easy year, Wooster gave us one heck of a game, Ashland gave us a battle, but these guys made it happen."
Both teams went out aggressive playing one of the most exciting opening 20 minutes of any match this season. And with just two minutes to play in the first half, Madison took the lead on an Ashton Taylor rip from 40 yards out that bounced in front of Rory Glass and deflected off his hands into the back of the net.
Less than a minute later, Lexington equalized drawing a penalty.
"How do we handle adversity?" Lexington coach Peter Them said. "We gave one up there on a mistake, then answered it right away. Coming back and getting the ball in the offensive third, putting the ball in the box trying to make something happen, and that's what exactly we did. Cohen (Lautzenhiser) steps up, a senior captain and leader, and puts the ball in the back of the net."
After a brief high, the Rams went into the break level with Lexington and Lord never worried about their mindset.
"We've seen that happen a lot," Lord said. "You get that high, then that letdown. The guys responded and never lost it, they just said — we'll get it in the second half — and they did."
Seniors shine in second half
Limiting touches for Madison's standout forward Joey Walker was key for Lexington coming into the match. And for the most part, the Minutemen did just that holding him largely in check, a job primarily assigned to freshman Cayden Brown.
"We played a lot of state-ranked teams, a lot of great programs, and I think that's helped prepare Cayden for tonight," Them said. "We've seen some great players and some great guys, and Joey's. one of them. He did a nice job containing him and kind of keeping him in check. Caden got thrown into the fire tonight, his first real Lex vs. Madison game with the intensity, the atmosphere, the people yelling, screaming parents going crazy — I think he did a nice job, he held his own.
"(But) the hard part is if you pick one, there's two or three more that are going to come at you."
That allowed senior Carter Branham a little extra space along the wing and he made Lexington pay for it twice. The go-ahead goal came in the 57th minute when Branham gained possession in the middle of the pitch, stormed out to the left side and curled a shot onto goal that was redirected by classmate Randy Jamieson into the corner of the net.
He put the game to rest in the 76th when Walker chased down a heavy through ball from Taylor and beamed it across the box to Branham who buried it with his first touch.
"It felt amazing," Branham said. "I noticed Joey and Randy were being taken away most of the game, and I saw they were leaving me a little wide open, so I had to capitalize on my opportunities.
"Knowing I sealed the game away and it was done right then and there was just an amazing feeling."
Clinching the league title against Lexington on senior night made it all that much more special.
"It's a perfect way to end (conference play)," Branham said. "It's a great way for us seniors to show out in our last home game during the regular season.
"We come out here on senior night and win the OCC, it's perfect."
Seeing his team respond the way they did after losing senior defender Jordan Clark is what impressed Lord the most.
"Carter Branham just had the game of his life, and great for him to do it on senior night," he said. "Ashton Taylor had to move to center mid from outside, we moved Randy up top, and they did what they had to do.
"And that's what these guys have always done, it's just — what do you need coach — and they do it."
Minutemen were — and are — always up for the challenge
Them admittedly knew the odds weren't exactly in his team's favor coming into Tuesday's clash.
"They have 13 seniors and it's senior night ... but the biggest thing is those boys are polished," he said. "They've been together for a long time, they came and did what they said they were gonna go. They attack as a team, they do it in waves, and I thought we went punch for punch for a long time.
"We answered the call, but a couple mistakes and the score line changed pretty quickly. We put together a solid game, we did what we needed to, the ball just didn't bounce our way tonight."
Even after a loss, he knows how valuable a match like this can be with so much stillto play for.
"Shout out to coach Lord, he has been doing this for 25 years and I have nothing but respect for him and his program. He earned this one. I appreciate that they make up better, we make them better, it's just all respect.
"Hopefully we get another shot at them in the district tournament."
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: OHSAA Boys Soccer: Madison tops Lexington for OCC title
Category: General Sports
