Twister teams claim sectional titles
OA Athletics
Oldenburg Academy’s soccer teams emerged from the pitch as sectional champions on Saturday. Both Twister teams are set for regional semifinals later this week.
There is probably no argument against the fact that Oldenburg Academy’s soccer programs entered the 2025 season around the coverage area as top contenders. This past Saturday, the two teams were able to complete such a lofty label and the Twisters were crowned as Class A Sectional 44 champions.
Oldenburg’s boys have now won four-straight sectional crowns and eight total in program history while the Lady Twisters are champions for a second-straight season and a seventh time overall.
Connor Holder’s two goals in a 2-0 win against South Ripley (7-7-3) highlighted the semifinal round on Wednesday at Jac-Cen-Del and Class A No. 8 Oldenburg completed its sectional journey on Saturday afternoon with a 2-1 title tilt victory over Union County (5-10-3).
The two teams played a scoreless first half before both offenses mustered up some free space. Holder put the Twisters on top 1-0 to begin the final 40 minutes but Union County tied the match to make things interesting down the stretch. Oldenburg provided the go-ahead heroics with 4:30 left in the match as Adam Weber’s boot to the back of the net sealed the deal. Defense prevailed the rest of the way and the Patriots were unable to mount any further threat.
Just a couple hours after the Oldenburg boys wrapped up their sectional championship, the state’s top-ranked Lady Twisters found themselves in Milan for a title clash with South Ripley and were never threatened, winning 10-0 over the Lady Raiders.
Oldenburg surged in the biggest of ways on offense and scored nine goals in the first half before adding a final score in the last 40 minutes. A pair of sophomores in Sophia Leising and Mary Kara Wanstrath each recorded a three-goal hat trick and junior Claire Niese put together two goals and four assists. Lydia Niese and Madison Hamilton scored a goal apiece.
The Lady Twister defense kept South Ripley (8-7-1) in check and never allowed a shot on goal as goalkeeper Ellie Satterfield was credited with the shutout.
Oldenburg punched its championship match ticket with a 4-0 win over Class A No. 5 Switzerland County last Thursday night. After having only beaten the Lady Pacers 2-1 in the regular season, the Lady Twisters left no doubt in the postseason as Lydia Niese scored two goals and both Claire Niese and Jayne Lamping connected on a goal apiece.
Satterfield saved all seven shots on goal taken by Switzerland County (13-4).
South Ripley beat Rising Sun 2-0 on that same night. Madison Melton scored both goals for the Lady Raiders.
Both Oldenburg teams are looking for regional championships this week. The Lady Twisters (18-0-1) are at 12th-ranked Monrovia (16-3) on Thursday at 6 p.m. for the regional semifinals with the winner moving to Knightstown on Saturday at 4 p.m. to face either No. 6 Heritage Christian (12-7) or Muncie Burris (11-5-1) in the regional championship.
Oldenburg’s boys (11-4-4) play No. 17 Southwestern (Hanover) (13-2-4) on Wednesday at Madison High School at 6 p.m. in the semifinals with the winner going to Knightstown at 2 p.m. on Saturday for the championship against either Christel House (10-6-1) or Class A No. 10 Indianapolis Scecina (14-4-1).
