ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (April 23, 2024) -- On Tuesday night at Rocky River Stadium, the Pirates were short-handed but they were not not short on grit, talent, and the will to win. After being dealt four yellow cards, the Double-R weathered long stretches of man-down action and edged a strong Walsh Jesuit team 7-6.
The rainy-night non-conference game between two Buckeye State top-10s (LaxNumbers pegs RR No. 3 in DII and Walsh No. 7) was rife with ties and lead changes and whistles. The two squads were evenly matched, especially after a fourth yellow card was issued to the Maroon & White at 6:01 of the third quarter. Walsh would have the advantage the rest of the way, save for a two-minute stretch in the fourth. But one difference was clearly evident and impactful: the Pirates had a junior midfielder named Grace DeWitt; the Warriors did not.
DeWitt took charge of the game at both ends of the field. She finished the night with five goals, an assist, and three caused turnovers. Her netfinders included the first two of the night, the second and third goals of the third quarter (the last of which vaulted River in front 5-4). and a key insurance goal late in the fourth. All three of DeWitt's goals in the second half were short-handed free-position jobs.
The other two goals scored by the Pirates (10-1) came in quick succession late in the first half. Mackenzie Russell planted the first, and then after a win on the ensuing draw, Elle Mocho scored her 20th of the season on a DeWitt assist. Those goals would be key with Walsh goalkeeper Kate Feliciano coming up with five saves in the second half.
Feliciano's opposite-end competitor, Acadia Hover, filed two key, man-down saves in the second half. The second of those turned aside a grade-A Warrior opportunity at 3:54 in the final stanza.
For the game, River outshot Walsh 16-13. Jackie Holtzer (two goals) and Maddie Rogers (3G) netted multiple goals for the Warriors (9-1), who were dealt their first loss of the season after nine straight wins. Walsh had posted double-digit goal totals in eight of those previous nine games.
Grace DeWitt's fourth goal Tuesday marked a twine-finding milestone. The goal was the 100th of her career. The 2023 DII second-team all-Ohioan netted 20G as a freshman and 50G as a sophomore. In 2024, she leads the Pirates with 31G. DeWitt has scored three-or-more goals in eight of her last nine games. Her five goals Tuesday matched a season-high (5G vs. Hathaway Brown April 11).
Rocky River's win marked its sixth straight against the Warriors. Two of those games were 7-6 triumphs; three were decided by two goals or less. Since 2017, the Pirates and Warriors have met 11 times. Eight of those meetings have been decided by three goals or less.
The most recent of those close-shave conquests had two simple ingredients. The Double-R prevailed with Grace and grit.
For the Striped Buccaneers, Tuesday's victory marked a bounce-back from Saturday's loss to Medina, and it opened a busy week against talented non-league foes. Rocky River will play at Strongsville (LaxNumbers DI No. 13) Thursday and then host DII No. 11 Chagrin Falls Friday (Rocky River Stadium, 7 p.m.).
by Skip Snow
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