No. 4 Oak Glen Boys Stun Top-Seeded Union Local

ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Five years ago Oak Glen didn't have a boys' soccer team due to the lack of numbers. Fast forward to Saturday and the Golden Bears will be playing for an OVAC Class 4A championship.

Tuesday night on the artificial pitch at soggy Red Devil Stadium, fourth-seeded Oak Glen (6-4) stunned No. 1 Union Local 3-2 in semifinal action.

With the victory, the Golden Bears will take on No. 2 St. Clairsville at Weir High's Jimmy Carey Stadium at 12:30 p.m. for the title.

"Winning tonight gives us some confidence going into Saturday," first-year Oak Glen head coach Camden Barr said. "I'm just hoping we play well, execute out on the field and play the way we can. St. Clairsville is a really good team all the way around. They always have good teams. We're definitely going to be on our 'A' game against them.

"We're excited for the chance to play them."

The Golden Bears drew first blood as Camm Dittman scored the first of his two goals in the fourth minute off an assist by Lyndon Graf.

Union Local (5-3-2) answered back as Dominic Crum found the net from 20 yards out in the 15th minute.

However, missed opportunities cost the Jets.

Crum was denied by Oak Glen goalkeeper Jackson O'Rourke and the rebound deflected right to Mason Fowkes, but his point-blank shot clanked off the post to the right of O'Rourke and trickled out of harm's way.

Oak Glen couldn't generate much offense but Dittman found the back of the net on the Golden Bears second shot for a 2-1 advantage in the 25th minute. Graf also collected the assist.

It appeared Union Local had drawn even in the 37th minute, but the goal was disallowed due to an obstruction call.

"We've been working on set pieces and throws. That's where we are going to get our scoring chances," Union Local head coach Andy Schmidt said. "We've been working on them. We got one to go, but it was ruled no good

"We've been working on set pieces and throws. That's where we are going to get our scoring chances," Union Local head coach Andy Schmidt said. "We've been working on them. We got one to go, but it was ruled no good. We had our opportunities."

"The Golden Bears went ahead 3-1 in the 45th minute as Chase Hartung and Jordan Tomisic perfectly executed a give-and-go-and-give with Hartung tapping the ball just inside the post to Gavin Fowkes' left.

The Jets didn't quit as Crum hit a post in the 56th minute before Jake McCormick banged home a loose ball from the lower box with less than a minute to play.

"It's just the little moments," Schmidt said. "They scored off of two corners and we hit three or four posts. We had a few mental lapses and they cost us."

O'Rourke finished with a dozen saves.

Gavin Fowkes had three.