DOVER — Grant Keilin laid on the pitch Nov. 6 following Beachwood’s Division IV state semifinal against Warsaw River View, fellow senior Jaycob Zabell sitting up about a yard to his right. The fighting spirit the Bison had embodied amid a brave 80 against a dynamic foe in the Black Bears was evident by the extent of sweat on Keilin’s face and the workrate throughout by Zabell as they and their side faced their challenge full-bore. Beachwood brought its mettle. But River View brought the town with a full house at Dover’s Crater Stadium — and brought the end product to match through its two premier attackers. Parker Andrews bagged a brace, sandwiching a backbreaking Hayden Walters strike, and the Bison’s breakthrough 2024 campaign concluded with a 3-0 loss to the Black Bears. Beachwood caps its season — and by extension as the last side left, The News-Herald coverage area’s season — at a laudable 19-2-2. Coach Brian Greene couldn’t have asked much more from his determined side, remaining within 1-0 well past the hour mark and showing promise for an equalizer. “So we changed our shape at halftime,” Greene said. “And it was working. It was the first time all season we haven’t scored. Credit to the goalkeeper, I guess. He made a couple big saves. But it just wasn’t in the cards for us, I guess, tonight.” Andrews opened his side’s account in the second minute, sliding a strike inside the right post. That put the Bison on the back heel the rest of the way, but they rose to the occasion amid a comeback bid. Keilin had a good look from the right side of the box in the 14th minute, but River View’s Laired Williamson blocked the senior midfielder’s strike on frame. Beachwood goalkeeper Josh Rosenblitt made a first-class stop on the Black Bears’ Cameron Murphy in the 32nd to keep it a 1-0 match. To close the 40, Keilin served in a free kick. Nicely weighted, it left Daniel Park an opportunity for a header, but it went begging just high. But that, an organized effort in the back paced by central defender Kyle Bennett and recording four corners yielded reasonable hope at the break. “We had a bunch of corners,” Keilin said. “They played some great defense. I’ve got to hand it to them. They got to everything.” Pushing toward the hour mark, the Bison had a series of quality chances for an equalizer. Keilin played into the six for Asher Gearity in the 50th. The junior mid lunged toward the right post, trying to get a touch, but to no avail. In the 51st, Keilin won a free kick just outside the box. Beachwood opted for a quick restart, which sailed high. Rather than take their time over the restart, Greene was at peace with his side playing fast. “No, the goal was open,” Greene said. “He took it quick to try to put it in the back of the net. It was just wide. We always talk, ‘Pick your head up and see if there’s an opportunity.'” To close the series in the 53rd, Jonah Greller slid in for an effort on target off a Keilin touch. But River View keeper Layton Massie made the save to keep it 1-0. “Yeah, we definitely had our chances,” Keilin said. “Their keeper made some world-class saves. Sometimes, you’ve just got to tip your hat to the other team. He made some incredible saves.” Park also was later tackled in the box that was, at minimum, debatable for a penalty kick being awarded. But the center official waved it off, and play continued. pic.twitter.com/KwIjg68tbN — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) November 7, 2024 Walters made the trek further uphill in the 68th with a slick chippy from distance, his 38th goal of the fall, and Andrews provided the final margin in the 78th, collecting Murphy service for a near-post tapper. Beachwood’s state quest began long before this, of course. But its quest to break through the proverbial glass ceiling that was regional finals began in 2014 with a heartbreaking extra-time loss at Ravenna on an own goal. On a windy afternoon, a headed clearance was caught in the breeze and spun backward upper-90 into the net from the top of the box. Then came three more tries at the elite eight in the years that followed, matches Greene openly grants were tall orders against South Range, Cardinal Mooney and Andrews Osborne, respectively. Finally, on its fifth try this fall, the breakthrough came to make it to the final four for the first time. “I mean, it comes down to your workrate,” Keilin said. “This team, they wanted it. You could see it from the beginning of the season. If you have guys that are willing to work for you, then you’re going to show results on the field.” While there, the Bison galvanized their community in the process. The symbolism of the sweat on his face following such a gritty 80, Beachwood has put a lot of sweat into becoming a perennial factor in November. Now that the inaugural final-four charge has been made, Greene and Keilin — from afar from here on out — hope this is merely the beginning. “I’ve already noticed it: When we’ve been training, and every night we’re there, there’s little kids up at the field knocking the ball around,” Greene said. “Those are the kids that will be on the team the next few years. So it’s great.” Added Keilin: “I hope this lights a fire under their butts. To see that we could do it, I know that we can do it again. And I want to see this team accomplish great things when I’m gone.” THE SCORE River View 3, Beachwood 0