LEADING SCORER … Evergreen sophomore Emma Hein (above) scored the Vikings first two goals in their upset of Ottawa Hills.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
GAME WINNER … Addy Gleckler (above) scored the game winner with less than ten minutes remaining off a corner kick by Sophia Goodson.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
OTTAWA HILLS (October 14, 2025) – Sometimes in the midst of a tough season, teams might pack it in at tourney time. Parents get whiny about coaching, and players make excuses for what went wrong rather than get locked in for the postseason.
After reaching the Sweet 16 last year, Evergreen had to overcome heavy losses due to graduation and reload.
And after playing the likes of highly touted Eastwood, Genoa, Maumee, Woodmore, etc. etc. etc., the Vikes were battle-tested like a pack of piranhas, ready for the OHSAA tournament.
Jacob Ott’s team was just that swarm and used Addy Gleckler’s late goal to knock out fourth-seeded Ottawa Hills 3-2, to win a Division V sectional title.
“I’ve known that we had a good team all season, and we have had a lot of frustrations,” Ott said. “At practice Monday (prior to match), we set the tone that we were done with the lack of effort and responsibility.
“We wanted to make sure we didn’t finish the season with teams that would challenge us to compete at a high level for the tournament.”
Evergreen jumped out to a fast 1-0 lead just eight minutes into the game when Emma Hein put the ball in the back of the net after Gleckler battled the ball away from a Bear defender.
Viking goalie Ellie Nash kept the Bears off the board until late in the first half, when Maeve Mackey knotted the score in the closing minutes.
Hein struck again ten minutes deep in the second when she rattled one off the back post.
“I have to give a huge shout-out to Emma with her two goals,” Ott stated. “It was a team effort. Everyone on the team had their best game of the season, and it was like a huge weight was lifted off our shoulders.”
Ottawa Hills retaliated at the halfway mark of the half when Mackey again got one past Nash to bring Ottawa Hills even.
The score stayed that way until, with less than ten minutes left, the Vikings were the beneficiaries of a corner try.
Sophia Goodson’s perfect set was drilled home by Gleckler to put Evergreen up for good. Nash and the Viking back line kept Ottawa Hills in check the rest of the way with only a couple of easy shots that the senior goalie corralled.
Evergreen, after losing their entire back line to graduation and now having won back-to-back sectionals, will now play at home in a Division V district semifinal against top-seeded Archbold on Monday night.