Weather delayed the start of Wickliffe’s sectional championship game against visiting Grand Valley on Saturday. Following that 40-minute delay, the Blue Devils sat through another hour-long lightning delay before beating the Mustangs, 3-2.
“We talked after the first one about coming out with intensity and getting on the board early with the anticipation of another potential delay at some point during the day,” Wickliffe coach Chris Adkins said. “We did just that jumping out early 3-0 in the first 15 minutes. We dealt with the wind in our face in the second half to secure the win and move on.”
Nick Telisman finished off a cross from Nick Colbert to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. Telisman then fed Jack Sumrada for Wickliffe’s second goal and Mason Pugh scored off an assist from Colbert to close out the scoring for the Blue Devils.
Grand Valley scored twice in the second half but the Blue Devils locked down the net and advanced to Wednesday’s district semifinal against either Kirtland or Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
Kirtland is the No. 1 seed in the Gates Mills district while VASJ is No. 8. That game was scheduled for Saturday but was postponed after long delays.
Wickliffe tied Kirtland, 1-1, back on Aug. 28.
“At this point in the postseason, you concentrate on getting the win in front of you and then afterward you look forward to your next opponent,” Adkins said. “You hope at this point when your season is on the line each time you step out there, that you don’t need any more motivation than that.”
