ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Rocky River closed out its 2020 Great Lakes Conference season with a 4-1 victory over Normandy on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Pirates got two goals from senior Chase DeClerck as they battled back from an early deficit and put the finishing touches on a 7-2 GLC mark for the fall. Rocky River won its final five circuit matches after starting the conference season 2-2. And with Wednesday's victory, River has now won four-of-five matches since Sept. 30.

The Invaders landed the first punch in the game, scoring off a one-on-one in the 27th minute. River knotted the affair at 1-1 when DeClerck scored five minutes before halftime, taking a feed from Gold Rrustemaj and planting his 14th of the year. The Pirates battled both Normandy and a stiff breeze on a southward tack in the opening half.

The second stanza brought winds of change. And three unanswered strikes for the Sons of Blackbeard. Goals by Nathyn Marius, DeClerck again (and again assisted by Rrustemaj), and Jack Maher closed out the decisive victory. DeClerck's second goal marked his team-leading 15th of the fall and the 24th of his career.

Goalkeeper Ian Tomsik made five saves for the Pirates, who have now allowed one goal-or-less in four of their last five games.

In other GLC action, Bay defeated Buckeye, 5-0, to clinch the conference title. Rocky River and Buckeye finished the league season tied for second-place.

"It wasn't easy to get the result we wanted tonight, but in the end our effort and quality paid off," said Head Coach Kevin Zerbey, whose Pirate teams have now clocked four conference titles and six runner-up finishes since 2005. "Finishing second in this talented conference is a good thing in our minds, and now we have one more regular season game before the playoffs. We need to stay sharp and healthy."

River's next contest is slated for Saturday, when the Detroit Road Buccaneers host Orange in a non-conference tilt (7 p.m.). The Pirates will then head into postseason play: the Maroon & White are scheduled to host a DII Northeast District Tournament match on Tuesday (Akron Coventry, 6 p.m.).


CANNON FIRE ...

CRUISING LAKE WATERS: Since going 2-4 over six Great Lakes Conference matches in 2016, the Pirates have gone a combined 24-4-1 (.845) in league play. Rocky River went 11-0-1 while winning back-to-back GLC crowns in 2017-18.

NET EFFECT: With its quartet of twine-finders in Wednesday's tilt against Normandy, the Double-R has now scored four-or-more goals in each of its last seven wins. For the season, Rocky River has scored 4.07 goals per game while allowing 1.36. The Pirates' 4.07-mark is the program's best since 2017 (5.32).


by Skip Snow