COLUMBUS, Ohio — *EDITOR'S NOTE: The video in the player above is from 2020.
It didn't come easy, but St. Ignatius High School was able to continue its run of dominance on the pitch.
The top-ranked Wildcats outlasted Centerville 2-1 in overtime Saturday to win the OHSAA Division I boys state soccer championship as well as the consensus national championship. Nolan Spicer's goal less than 10 minutes into the extra period provided the difference.
Both teams remained scoreless through the first half at Lower.com Field in Columbus before Josip Rimac finally put Ignatius (21-0-0) ahead with a goal in the 54th minute. Centerville had just 10 shots the entire game compared to the Wildcats' 27, but the Elk managed to tie it up in the 74th thanks to a Colin Gottron score.
The two squads each had opportunities in the first of what could've been two 10-minute overtimes, but it was Spicer's kick that found the bottom right of the net in the 90th minute just before stoppage. The junior went to the left side of the zone before kicking across his body for the winner.
St. Ignatius has won the last three state titles and 11 in program history. With 54 straight wins since 2019 and zero losses since 2018, the Wildcats are also likely to finish No. 1 in the national polls, where they had been for most of the season.