Pioneers claim first-ever district soccer title

In a season that keeps giving, Jonathan Alder’s boys soccer team can add another accolade to the list.

“I’d be remissed if I didn’t mention how great of a team Bloom-Carroll is,” JA coach Jordan McMurray said post-match. “They challenged us.”

For the first time in the program’s history, the Pioneers were able to upset second-seeded Bloom-Carroll, 3-2, to claim the Division II Central District title.

“We did it,” Mauro Musceilli said. “It gets me excited because it is the first time ever for this.”

Jonathan Alder’s Mauro Musceilli (14) delivers a shot on a penalty kick during the final minutes of the second half. The junior Pioneer secured two goals against Bloom-Carroll in the team’s 3-2 win in the Central District finale.

(Photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

After securing the first Central Buckeye Conference title, the Pioneers were primed for another title during the district tournament.

Wins against Hebron Lakewood (8-0) and Gahanna Columbus Academy (4-1) led to sixth-seeded Alder taking on the Bulldogs for the district crown.

“The game plan was to play the way we’ve been playing all year and control our possessions,” McMurray said.

The Pioneers got on the board with a first-half goal from Ryland Vogel at the 28:26 mark.

Battling with the Bulldogs toe-to-toe, the halftime score remained 1-0.

The pitch began to heat up during the final 20 minutes of the second half.

BC’s Wyatt Fetherolf tied the match at 1-1 with approximately 17:30 minutes to play.

“When they scored to tie the game, it really tilted in their favor and we were looking for a spark,” McMurray said.

Trying to get the upper hand, Alder struggled to secure another goal.

However, a chance occurred when BC’s goalkeeper committed a foul against Mauro Musceilli.

That prompted a penalty kick.

Staring down at a one-on-one situation, the junior Pioneer struck gold, putting Alder back on top by one as around five minutes left in the match.

“I was already thinking where to go,” Musceilli said about the moments leading to the score. “As soon as the referee called it, I just found where to take it.”

Moments later, Musceilli claimed his second goal of the night off an assist from Vogel.

That brought JA’s lead to 3-1.

“I switched Charlie Aurin and Mauro Musceilli and bam, we scored twice in two minutes,” McMurray said. 

However, with around one minute left, BC’s Fetherolf notched his second goal to cut down the deficit as the Bulldogs scrambled for a final chance at tying.

Despite the sudden score and surge, the Bulldogs could not regain composure as Alder walked away with its first-ever district boys soccer title.

“I could barely contain myself,” McMurray said after the Pioneers got up 3-1. “I was screaming and running up and down… we haven’t conceded two goals all season long… for a team to score a third on us is a lot.”

“At the beginning of the season, I was already thinking about it,” Musceilli said about the district title. “I’m just proud of the whole team.”

The Pioneers will face off against the Southwest District champion Tipp City Tippecanoe in the regional semifinal.

The match will be played on Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m., at Springfield High School.

“We are going to enjoy this… as great as it is to win a district championship, we’ve said this before, we can’t listen to our own elevator music,” McMurray said. “We can’t break our arm patting ourselves on the back.”