SPARTA – The 2020 Mount Vernon girls soccer team has risen to a level it has not seen since many of the current players were babies.
For the first time since 2004, the Jackets (7-7-1) can finish above .500 with a win against Maysville on Saturday. Mount Vernon will host Westerville Central in the first round of the OHSAA Division I playoffs Wednesday.
Coach Bill Lonsinger, now in his fourth season at the Yellow Jackets’ helm, inherited a team that won only a single game the year before his arrival. He guided the Jackets to three wins in his inaugural season. Since then, Mount Vernon has increased its win total every year.
“We don’t have a main star,” Lonsinger said about his current group. “We have it spread out between four or five girls. We’re feeling good. We are back to .500 and we will see what happens on Saturday against Maysville (in the regular season finale).”
Mount Vernon spent most of the the first half of its match with rival Highland trying to put together the right scoring combination. The Jackets finally found it just before halftime on a Stella Bainbridge goal, assisted by Olivia Reddy. They added three more goals in the second half to take a 4-0 win over the host Scots on a windy evening of non-league play.
“We went against the wind in the first half,” Lonsinger said. “We wanted the wind at our backs in the second half. Also, our passing got better in the second half.”
Bainbridge led the Jackets with a pair of goals after scoring again early in the second half. Senior Lexi Rapp and freshman Grace Neibargher each added a goal and Ella Conway had an assist. Jackets goalkeeper Madeline Henricksen stopped all four of the Scots' shots on goal.
“I think in the second half we played more calm and collected,” Bainbridge said.
Highland goalkeeper Kendall Rogers saved eight of the Jackets' 12 shots on goal.
“Things got away from us a little bit tonight,” Highland coach Anthony Wilson said. “It was a great game, especially that first half. Our girls look forward to this game every year.”
BOYS SOCCER
Mays Gunderson scored three goals and Isaiah Jones added two goals and an assist to lead Mount Vernon to a 7-0 win at Highland in non-league play on Oct. 14.
Gunderson scored his three goals in the first half to help the Yellow Jackets (9-5-1) build a 3-0 lead.
Bryce Wiles followed with a goal before Jones knocked in his first of the night, and Mount Vernon led 5-0 at the break.
Jones scored his second of the game in the second half before an Andrew White goal rounded out the scoring.
Wiles, Christian Dean and Cody Allen each dished out assists, and Dean had four saves in goal for the Jackets.
Cale Everrod and Adi Karya combined for 13 saves to lead the Scots (5-5-4).
