The Chillicothe Hornets boys soccer team hit the road for its final Midland Empire Conference match of the 2026 season, taking on Bishop LeBlond and earning a commanding 8-0 victory.
Chillicothe came into the match with confidence, and the Hornets made an immediate statement. Just 30 seconds into the contest, junior Adrian Trantham found junior Josh Ojeaga down the right side. Ojeaga chipped the ball over the Eagles defense and into the side netting to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
Ojeaga continued to make an impact, delivering a well-placed through ball to sophomore Mason Walter just minutes later. Walter found the net to extend the lead to 2-0 only five minutes into the match. Ojeaga scored again in the first half, finishing a pass from senior Coy Jones to put Chillicothe ahead 3-0.
Jones continued to create scoring opportunities, sending a ball toward Walter, who headed it into the net for a 4-0 Hornets lead midway through the first half.
With Chillicothe comfortably in front, the Hornets moved senior defensive duo Lake Englert and Ryan Schuler into forward positions. The adjustment paid off when Englert received a pass on the left side and crossed the ball toward the top of the box, where Schuler finished to make it 5-0.
Jones added his name to the scoring column approximately 22 minutes into the half, converting a pass from Walter to extend the advantage to 6-0. The Hornets then turned to their younger players, as freshman Blake Beetsma scored off a perfectly placed sliding pass from sophomore Rylan Klein. The goal gave Chillicothe a 7-0 lead heading into halftime.
The second half continued much like the first. Just three minutes after the break, Walter played a through ball to Ojeaga, who completed his scoring performance and pushed the lead to 8-0. The goal ended the match early under the mercy rule.
The victory moves Chillicothe to 8-7 overall and 3-3 in MEC play. No junior varsity match was played.
The Hornets will close out the regular season Wednesday with a road match at Savannah, scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.
