Port Clinton keeps perfect record intact

PORT CLINTON — What constitutes a "bad game" all depends on context, and for Port Clinton's 2021 girls soccer team, its context is different than most. The Redskins (5-0) controlled nearly all 80 minutes in a 3-1 win over Perkins (1-2-1) on Monday at True-Lay Stadium. Katerina Fillmore and Gracie Rohrer scored early, and Morgan Woods scored late. Only a Maggie McVeigh goal with two seconds remaining blemished an otherwise clean sheet. But relative to what Port Clinton had been doing on the pitch so far this season, Monday was an off night. "We're just a little tired," Fillmore said. "We had a lot of games the past week. We have a game Wednesday against Huron and then we have a week break, so we're looking forward to recovering. Just hot outside, a bunch of contributing factors. But we'll shake this bad game off and we'll get there." The conditions in which the Redskins find themselves aren't necessarily familiar. The last full season Port Clinton finished with a winning record was 2014. Since then, there have been two three-win seasons, an 0-17 campaign, a one-win year and a 4-14 2019 before going 8-8-2 in 2020. Port Clinton's entire roster was in elementary school the last time the Redskins were a prominent soccer program, and even then they weren't bludgeoning opponents like this Port Clinton group. A total of 40 goals in four preseason scrimmages pointed to potential offensive brilliance, but that came with all the caveats of the exhibitions not counting. PC didn't skip a beat when the games began in earnest, though, putting up an eight-spot and two 10s in addition to a 5-1 win against Norwalk and star Nyah Daniels. "I started feeling (the potential) very early," Fillmore said, "and the farther we got in, the better and better we got and the harder we're working. I definitely felt it coming." It looked like Monday's game could be more of the same. Fillmore scored off a ball into the box from Jasmine Biers less than seven minutes into the match, Fillmore's 12th goal already in her senior season. About four minutes later, Gracie Rohrer pounced on an errant touch by Perkins' back line and slotted her shot home for a quick 2-0 advantage. "We were just looking for different options," Port Clinton coach Paco Romero said of the early goals. "We've been working on different options throughout the whole season, so we've got different people stepping up and scoring goals." But then PC's goal-scoring dried up for the next hour-plus, even though the Redskins weren't devoid of chances. Gladys Wiechman in particular, already with six goals and nine assists on the campaign, created opportunities in just about every way without actually scoring. The sophomore fired from deep a few times, dribbled beyond defenders and popped up in dangerous spots in the box. But this wasn't quite Port Clinton's day, at least not the way its earlier games had been. On five different occasions, Wiechman let rip a strong shot, but all five of those went nearly right at Perkins keeper Faith Fultz, who stood strong. "No excuse, it just wasn't our day to finish today," Romero said. "It happens." Port Clinton did push one more across the line, rather literally, with less than 30 seconds remaining. A corner kick from Wiechman took multiple deflections in the box before Woods threw her body at the ball and powered it home, her seventh goal of the season. Very quickly at the other end, Perkins found a consolation goal from McVeigh, who had been dangerous on the counterattack all evening. Ashlyn Beatty was credited with an assist. "Overall, the tactics are there. I think the options were available," Romero said. "I think we just held on to the ball a split second too much, but we were all right." This Port Clinton group, which includes nine seniors, won't be deterred by an off night. When this year's seniors were freshmen, Romero focused on instilling the basics in his young group. Now they've grown into a cohesive unit and brought a number of talented non-seniors, such as Wiechman and Woods, along for the ride. "We have some end goals in mind," Fillmore said, "but we really just take it day by day, game by game, and just keep thinking about the next thing and not too far ahead."