Soccer heads to district championship game after sudden death goal

Tara Vogler

Four members of the boys varsity soccer team, Dominic Riggio (10), Thomas Hutcheson (12), Ben Stevens (12), and Samed Ganibegovic (10) (from left to right) celebrate Hutcheson’s goal in double overtime to beat Lindbergh in the first round of districts 1-0.

OHS varsity soccer player Thomas Hutcheson (12) is tied for first in the St. Louis area with 11 game-winning goals. However, his most important goal of the season came on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Hutcheson scored less than four minutes into the second overtime period of the Tigers’ first district game as OHS beat Lindbergh 1-0 at Mehlville.

“It was a pretty exciting game yesterday and a good confidence-builder going into the district final,” Hutcheson, who leads the team with 22 goals, said. “I was pretty excited when I scored.”

Kolade Osikoya (12) had the assist on Hutcheson’s goal. It was Osikoya’s second assist of the season; it could not have come at a better time.

“It was a very competitive game,” head coach Dave Robben said. “Both teams came prepared to win. It was a hard-fought game: total team effort on Oakville’s part.”

The game lasted almost 99 minutes, and keeper Joe Martinelli (12) had four saves.

“We were overjoyed with the outcome,” Robben said. “It means we get to play again and get to play for the district championship against Mehlville, our archrival who beat us in overtime earlier this year.”

The varsity soccer team, which lost 2-1 to Mehlville in overtime on Oct. 9, has a record of 16-8-1 and will play the Panthers at Mehlville on Thursday, Oct. 30 at 6:00 p.m. for the district championship.