OTTAWA – Last season Ottawa Glandorf captured their second state championship game appearance but fell just short to eventual champion Waynesville at Lower.Com Field 1-0.
Though one bad break determined the outcome of the color of the trophy the Titans bussed back with them to Putnam County the community reception and well wishes for a squad that ended with a 21-2 mark did not.
Under then first year head coach and 2013 Ottawa Glandorf graduate Michelle Maag the midnight blue and gold raced out to an 11-0 start on the back of a 73-6 goal differential.
OG’s lone loss of the regular season came during a trip to Lima that saw the powerful offensive unit held to just a pair of shots in a 1-0 loss to eventual league champion Shawnee.
Despite a setback and a long bus ride home, the Titans regrouped behind the goaltending of senior Abby Warnecke and junior Emma Brinkman to allow just one goal over the next eight games and just 11 for the year, a total which tied the school record for lowest allowed in a single campaign. OG’s duo between the pipes accounted for 13 shutouts as well.
On their way to the finals in Columbus the Titans broke the school record for goals with 122 and the most wins in a season with 21.
This season will see Ottawa Glandorf return 14 letter winners including three of their their top scorers from a year ago. Returning to lead the high octane attack are seniors Lily Haselman (15 goals, 12 assists), Clara Beach (15 goals, 10 assists), and junior midfielder Myka Aldrich (23 goals, 7 assists) who finished as one of two Titans to notch 20+ goals on the back of seven games with a pair or more of goals.
Returning senior Maggie Verhoff adds veteran leadership to a group that includes sophomores Carlie Brinkman, Megan Horstman, and Makenna Siefker who led the Titans with 25 goals and eight assists during her freshman campaign.
Junior returners Emberleigh Cutlip, Madelyn Hovest, Ashlyn Siefker (1 assist), Lauren Siefker (1 goal, 1 assist), Bri Douglas (12 goals, 5 assists) and Mackenzie Recker (8 goals, 7 assists) round out the letter winners coming back for the Titans.
Promising newcomers to the team hoping to make waves according to coach Maag are juniors Marissa Brown and Colleen Diller, sophomore Maya Heringhaus, and a pair of freshman players Savannah Recker and Karsyn Erford.
Savannah Recker and Carlie Brinkman were two players Maag expects to surprise folks who come to watch the youthful Titans play this season.
“We will need to continue to do what we do well this season, create chances in the attacking half and use our defensive pressure to make opponents uncomfortable” said Maag. “One of our weaknesses we are working on is being able to hold possession and speed of play”.
Offensively the Titan boss expects three returning All-WBL performers Myka Aldrich (1st team), Lily Haselman (2nd team), and Clara Beach (2nd team) to lead the way while the defense will be led by Mackenzie Recker and keeper Emma Brinkman.
“The Lady Titans have a good core of returning players back from last year’s long tournament run. We have some holes to fill left by players graduating last year, but the team is motivated to get better each day. We have the ability to create attacking chances in a variety of ways, but will need to work on defending as a team and playing well together. I have high hopes for the season and am looking forward to great competition in WBL play” opines Michelle Maag on her 2022 squad and their chances of success.
OG kicks off their season on Wednesday August 17th at 7pm on the road at Anthony Wayne and a second game for the week on Saturday, August 20th at 1pm in a varsity only tilt at Evergreen.
Both games as with most of the Lady Titans regular season outings for the 2022 season can be heard live on WZOQ Radio