Toledo - The Northern Lakes League has had it fair share of quality teams since its existence in high school soccer and have seen teams have success in the OHSAA state soccer tournament. In 2001, the Perrysburg Yellow Jackets under the direction of late head coach Pete Raffa reached the final, in 2012 Sylvania Southview under former head coach Chad Cody reached the final and in that same year the Perrysburg Yellow Jackets women's program brought northwest Ohio their first-ever state championship on the girls' side under co-head coaches Jorge Diaz and Margaret Bernard. On Tuesday night at Lake High School, the first two of 5 teams will take battle as the two top teams on the girls' side of the NLL Perrysburg (league champion, 15-2-2) will look to get their second win of the season against a very stout and red hot Sylvania Northview (league runner-up, 13-4-2) in the Division I Regional semifinal at Lake, Perrysburg won the first bout 2-0 at Cats Stadium at Northview, but the Lady Kats looking to make it count at the best time of the season. On Wednesday night - three NLL teams will play including two against each other; defending Region 2 champions Anthony Wayne (11-6-2) look to get past a Perrysburg team who has put it together at the right time. Both teams played to a scoreless draw back on August 26th and the Yellow Jackets had to go the distance on Saturday afternoon at Sylvania Southview by knocking last season's District champion St. John's Jesuit 1-0 (4-3 on penalties) to advance to the Regional semifinal - Anthony Wayne got a early second half goal from senior winger Jared Russell to dispose Springfield in other District final in Findlay Saturday afternoon. That win for the Generals gave them their 3rd straight District title (first in school history to win back-to-back-to-back) - the other team participating in the Regional semifinal is the Napoleon Wildcats. Napoleon (14-6-0) defeated NLL foe Bowling Green in the Division II District final on Thursday evening at Central Catholic by a score of 3-0 to win their first district title since 2007 where former head coach Tim Carney took the Wildcats to the Division II State Final Four (first time in school history). The Wildcats will do battle with Celina (14-2-3) at Findlay's Elmer Graham Soccer Stadium Wednesday at 7PM - Celina who defeated St. Mary's Memorial 1-0 are looking to continue a storied run. Whoever is the Northern Lakes League commissioner is must be very proud with the success of the student-athletes and coaches who have sacrificed and battled through 16 regular-season and now the tough tournament trail - best of luck to the NLL teams participating and representing northwest Ohio with highest level of class.
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