By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

This is one habit the St. Joseph Flyers have no intention of trying to kick.

The Flyers beat the Lucasville Valley Indians 3-1 on Wednesday to clinch the Southern Ohio Conference-1 soccer championship.

St. Joseph has now won the SOC-1 title outright for the second straight year and they have now won 4 of the past 6 titles.

The Flyers — who won the first meeting 1-0 at Lucasville — improved to 13-2-1 overall and are 7-0 in the league. Valley slips to 8-5-1 and 5-2 in the SOC.

The Flyers struck at the 22:09 mark when Texas Jack Whaley took a pass from Carson Lyons and drilled a shot home from 25 yards away.

Landon “Rocky” Rowe used his speed to outrun a pair of defenders and took a feed from Lyons and lined a shot over the goalkeeper’s head into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead with 19:39 on the clock.

Valley scored first in the second half as Jaxsyn Bender avoided the goalkeeper on a runout and scored into an open net.

But St. Joseph got the goal back with 9:40 play as Wesley Neal made string music off a touch pass from Rowe on a play started by Whaley who made a great crossing pass to Rowe.

Flyers’ goalkeeper Beckham Waginger had 6 saves while Valley’s keeper Hunter Sparks had 5 saves.

Both teams took 18 shots with the Flyers attempting 8 on goal and the Indians 7. St. Joseph had 6 corner kicks and 8 fouls with Valley having 3 corner kicks and 6 fouls.

The Flyers final regular season game is Thursday against SOC foe Portsmouth Clay.

Lucasville    0 1 = 1

St. Joseph 2 1 = 3

First Half

SJ — Jack Whaley (assist Carson Lyons) 22:09

SJ — Landon Rowe (assist Carson Lyons) 19:39

Second Half

LV — Jaxsyn Bender (unassisted) 17:40

SJ — Wesley Neal (assist Landon Rowe) 9:40

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Game Statistics

Goalkeeper—Valley; Hunter Sparks 5 saves; St. Joseph: Beckham Waginger 6 saves

Shots—Valley 18, St. Joseph 18

Shots on Goal—Valley 7, St. Joseph 8

Corner Kicks—Valley 3, St. Joseph 6

Fouls—Valley 6, St. Joseph 8