Rams Fall To Mariemont, Remain Focused On Long-Range Success In Division III Postseason

By Rick Cassano

HAMILTON – Success is an expectation within Badin High School’s girl soccer program, so when it doesn’t happen, there’s an immediate reaction to get back to work.

The Rams had won five of their last six games heading into Saturday afternoon’s matchup with visiting Mariemont, but Badin couldn’t avoid a late goal and a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Warriors at the Matandy SportsPlex.

“We’ve had a great week, but we didn’t play very well today,” said Rams coach Chris Slusher, whose squad fell to 6-7. “I think we just weren’t focused. We really weren’t able to get practices in because we played so many games this week, and I think it took a toll on us a little bit.

“But I don’t want to come up with any excuses. Mariemont’s a good team. I don’t want to discredit them. We had some individual players perform, but collectively, it wasn’t a good performance by us.”

Badin, the 2025 Division III state runner-up, got a standout showing from junior goalkeeper Morgan Byrne. Her only blemish was a goal by Alyssa Dewey with 3:59 remaining off a cross by Marisa Murphy.

Reagan Barclay collected the shutout in goal for Mariemont (7-1-2) with eight saves as the Division IV Warriors ended a four-game winless streak against the Rams.

“I think we really underestimated Mariemont,” said senior Avery Schermer, Badin’s goal leader this year with six. “They came out strong and fast and so did we, but I think we could’ve done a better job of mentally preparing for the game.

“I think overall we’ve gotten better and better. Maybe it was just a Saturday game. Our effort really kicked in the last three minutes, but at that point it was just too late.”

The Rams have played five Saturday games this year. They are 1-4 in those contests.

“These Saturday games have not been our greatest performances,” Byrne said. “Monday and Wednesday we came out and played great against two great teams. Mariemont definitely gave us pressure the whole game and really turned it up in the second half. I think we ran out of gas at the end. We let them take it away from us.”

Dewey’s goal was her fourth of the season. She tops the Warriors in that category.

“Their girl had a cross and one of our defensive players ran up and missed the touch, and it was a nice finish to the corner,” Byrne said.

Mariemont coach Mike Haney, in his 29th season at the helm, said he got the kind of challenge he was seeking from Badin.

“The game went exactly the way I thought it was going to go,” Haney said. “I told the girls yesterday that this is going to be one of the best teams we see all year. They’re going to find their way in. We’re going to find our way in. It’s going to come down to a goal. It could’ve been 3-2. It could’ve been 4-3. It could’ve been 1-0.

“In the first half, they were all over us. I think I had them outshooting us maybe 12-6, and we don’t give up too many shots. But I think we only gave up two shots in the second half. That was the difference. Our defensive pressure just stunted everything they did.”

Haney praised the play of his back line – Ella Garrison, Emme Padjen, Mia DeMain and Cecily Kessler. The Warriors have nine seniors, so they’re setting a high bar.

“It’s a very seasoned team with a couple young ones that are difference makers,” Haney said. “We’re not done. We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

Mariemont will host Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy on Monday. Haney said that could be for the No. 1 seed in Cincinnati for the upcoming D-IV postseason.

Badin will press on in the Greater Catholic League Coed Division. The Rams are 1-0 in league play and will travel to Dayton Carroll on Wednesday.

The week started with a 4-0 blanking of CHCA and was followed by a 2-0 victory over McNicholas. Slusher said Badin was very strong in both games.

Right before that, in the midst of a surge of winning, was an 8-0 loss to Division I power Seton.

“Seton was a rough one,” Byrne said. “We played really good soccer the first 20 minutes, then they scored the first goal. We played really well off of that and they got a second one, and after that second one, we just shut down and let them have it. We battled with them, but then we lost it.”

Slusher loves playing top-level opponents. The Rams started the season 0-4 against that kind of competition, and even with some injuries, the BHS coach thought his squad performed well despite a lack of goals.

“The bar and goal for Badin soccer will always be state,” Slusher said. “We definitely play the toughest schedule in the state, and state is what we always prepare for. Right now, I know the girls are excited about league games. We’ll rebound.”

Byrne said the Rams weren’t discouraged by losing the first four games of the season.

“Those games are honestly good for us because peak is tournament time, so these games are just building up to the games that really matter,” Byrne said. “The chemistry is definitely there. I just think we’re not completing every game when he should. We have a lot of good people on this team. A lot of us don’t know how good we are.”

Schermer is among the players who have stepped up for Badin this year. She’s always been a defender, but Slusher chose to move her up top in 2026 and she’s responded with an offensive flurry.

Schermer had to keep playing defense earlier in the campaign because teammates were sidelined, but now she’s pretty much a full-time striker.

“I feel like I’m getting more and more used to it,” Schermer said. “I think my first game I had two goals, and I was just shocked. You’ve just got to kind of flip the switch in your brain from defense to offense. I try to practice on my own just getting my touches better. It’s really hard, I’m not going to lie, but it’s getting better.”

It looked like Schermer had her seventh goal of the year against Mariemont. She put the ball in the net with 21:59 left, but an offside call erased the goal.

Slusher said he talked to Schermer in the offseason about the switch to offense.

“We got her geared up for it and she was receptive and has responded well to it,” said Slusher, noting that Schermer has been among the Rams fighting the injury bug this season. “She understands what the back line’s doing and she can hold the ball for us, but she scores goals.”

Slusher said Badin is continuing to take a look at different formations throughout the season. The Rams also still aren’t at full strength. Defender Rylyn Reynolds missed the Mariemont game in her recovery from an ankle injury.

Schermer said Badin has a collective confidence that should make the Rams difficult to beat in the postseason.

“It’s a very fun team to be around,” Schermer said. “I feel like everybody just brings out the best in each other. Sometimes it’s hard when we’re losing a game and everybody gets in their heads, but I think at the end of the day we’re a sisterhood and we’ll always be there for each other.”

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