The Dawgs wrapped up a three game week Thursday evening as Kenowa Hills came calling in a non-conference matchup. The weather had cleared off, the teams were both looking to end the week on a high note, and Otsego had the excitement of Homecoming week on their side. The Dawgs were determined to start the match on the front foot, and assert their will on the game from minute one.

Though the Dawgs carried play through the entire first half, keeping the Knights pinned into their own third and out-shooting them 8-1, they could only muster one goal. It came at the 23 minute mark as Junior Jace Engels pounced on a poor goal kick from Kenowa Hills and deposited it past the keeper after a bit of fancy footwork. The Dawgs were dominant, but continued running into a wall of Knights defenders who were compacted in the middle of the pitch. The home team needed to get the ball wider, and use the support of their backs and holding mid more often if they were to unlock the Kenowa Hills defense.

The halftime talk went well, and the team responded early in the second half by using the width to develop better attacking play. The services were raining into the box from the likes of Ian McClellan, Josh Loll, Jerin Jameson, and Avery Bush. 4 minutes into the half two of the Captains made a brilliant connection as Jameson drove into the box, gained the endline, and slotted the ball to a waiting Addison Atwater who finished past a diving goalkeeper to double his team's lead. Just six minutes later, Freshman midfielder Coleton Hutchinson recorded his first point of the season when he cut back just outside the box and whipped a ball into the path of Josh Loll. Josh placed home a beautiful right footed volley for his 12th goal of the year. 

At 3-0 up, and controlling play, the Dawgs began resting a few of their starters and giving some much deserved opportunities to younger players. The visiting Knights still looked dangerous on counterattacks, but the combination of young defenders like Jack Waters, Jon Reitenour, and Hunter Lucas did a great job dealing with those situations with the help of leadership from elder statesmen like Jameson, McClellan, and Sallee. Jayden Dentler was a strong presence in net all evening, commanding and organizing his team with his voice, as well as making a couple timely saves at full stretch to hold the visitors scoreless. With a quarter of the match left Jerin threaded a pass to Hutch who danced, shifted, and poked the ball past the outstretched keeper for his first career high school goal! The scoring for the night was capped off just as it had started. . . Through Jace Engels. Jace shook his mark as Loll drove up the left flank with the ball. A beautifully timed run met a beautifully placed cross, and Engels left his feet to slide into the volley and put the ball home for a 5-0 lead, and his seventh goal on the year.

Defensive efforts from Sallee and Jayden Dentler earned them defensive Man of the Match. A 3 point night for Coleton Hutchinson, and a brace (including the match winner) for Engels earned them offensive Man of the Match. Dentler recorded 5 saves in securing the clean sheet. Dentler's save percentage on the year is at 87% currently, and he is averaging 1.2 goals/game allowed. The second of those numbers is excellent by any standard, but is tilted by a 5-0 defeat at the hands of top 10 state ranked Coldwater. The first year keeper has been nothing short of stellar on the year, and continues to learn and grow with every match.