ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Coaches, no matter what the sport, want their teams to be playing at their best when tournament time rolls around.

After a so-so end to the regular season where it battled injuries and other forms of adversity, St. Clairsville put together a complete effort Wednesday night in blanking Maysville, 4-0, in a Division II East 2 girls’ soccer sectional tournament final on the artificial surface inside Red Devil Stadium.

“Honestly, I think this might have been the best all-around game we’ve played all season. I really think it was,” St. Clairsville coach Wes Stoner said.

“We’re a lot healthier than we have been recently and we switched up our formation a couple of weeks ago due to an injury that Alyssa (Otto) suffered. We’re playing really, really well out of it.”

After coming up empty on a dozen shots in the first 40 minutes, the seventh-seeded Red Devils (11-6) didn’t waste any time in getting on the scoreboard in the second half. Otto put the finishing touches on a superb home career as she tallied all four goals.

With the quartet of net-finders, the Mercyhurst University recruit moved into fourth place all-time in the Buckeye State with 145 career tallies. She will remain there, however, as Centerville’s Missy Gregg (1995-96) is third with 180. Amber Silvis (1999-2002), of Mt. Orab Western Brown, is second at 182. St. Clairsville’s Jaclyn Dutton finished with 192 from 2006-2009.

“I couldn’t do any of this (scoring) without my teammates,” the modest Otto downplayed her success. “They give me great balls to run to and finish, so I give a big thanks to them, especially Macy (Malin)”

St. Clairsville advances to Monday’s district semifinals opposite a familiar face in third-seeded Beaver Local, who routed Cambridge, 15-0 Wednesday. The two teams have split a pair of matches this season. The site has yet-to-be-determined by Ohio High School Athletic Association officials. It will begin at 6 p.m.

Otto gave the hosts all the goal support they would need before the fans could even warmup their chilly seats after the halftime break. After being mugged in the box, Otto clanked a penalty kick into the twine.

“It hit the post, but it went in. I got lucky,” Otto said with a huge smile.

Seven minutes later, she took a pass from Macy Malin and one-timed a left-footed blast past Panthers goalkeeper Riley Hartley for a 2-0 reading.

Otto notched the natural hat trick in the 53rd minute and capped her performance in the 70th minute.

“I’m running out of words to describe her,” Stoner said. “She truly is special. She really is. She is one of those kids that can do it all. She’s playing injured with a brace on and still works her tail off. You saw it. She’s a goal scorer. That’s what she does.”

With Otto filling up the net at one end of the pitch, Jaeda Nowak was keeping everything she saw — which wasn’t much — out of the net at the other end.

“Jaeda was outstanding in goal,” Otto said of Nowak, who is only a sophomore. “She has played really well all season back there for us. Our defense has done an outstanding job, as well.”

Stoner agreed.

“She played great and the defense in front of her played great,” Stoner said. “They didn’t get a lot of quality chances, which is great. I never want an opponent to get a lot of quality shots against us. I’d rather she not have to touch the ball, but when she did she was right where she needed to be.

“Honestly, I was pleased with everyone. Our midfield played great. It was truly a team effort in all senses.”

Nowak ended with four saves in recording her eighth shutout of the campaign.