CLYDE — Port Clinton provided a second-half wake-up call and Clear Fork answered.
The Colts let a halftime lead slip away before rallying for a 5-3 win over the Redskins in a boys varsity soccer Division II district semifinal match Wednesday evening at Clyde High School.
The Colts (14-2-3) will play Norwalk for a district championship at noon Saturday at Clyde. Norwalk beat Tiffin Columbian 3-1 in Wednesday’s late game.
Clear Fork led Port Clinton 2-1 at halftime only to surrender the advantage midway through the second half. Port Clinton’s Josh Brown tied the score at 2-2 with 35:10 rto play before Simon Schulz gave the Redskins a 3-2 lead with 26:29 remaining.
“We had a moment of realization after Port Clinton scored the equalizer in the second half,” veteran Clear Fork coach Brian Kinnard said. “Then they took the lead and put a scare in us.”
Jake Neumann’s goal with 19 minutes remaining pulled the Colts even. Karsten Vuillemont gave Clear Fork the lead for good with 11:59 to go.
Vuillemont scored two goals while Neumann had a goal and three assists. Griffen Robinette and Cade Hickenbotham had goals ad Sam VanDyke had an assist.
“Once we settled in, I thought we had some very good sequences offensively,” Kinnard said. “Defensively, I thought we played very well. We allowed 10 shots and only four in the second half, but to Port Clinton’s credit they took advantage of their opportunities.
“It turned out to be a thrilling game.”
The Colts are in the district title game for the second time in three years. Clear Fork lost to Bowling Green 2-1 in double overtime in the district championship game in 2011.
“These kids have put in a lot of hard work and done a lot of training,” Kinnard said. “They deserve this.”
Clear Fork beat Norwalk 3-0 at Norwalk on Sept. 14.
“They have a very good center-back who anticipates well and a center-midfielder who is a playmaker,” Kinnard said. “It’s going to be an exciting game.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.