River View celebrates state championship soccer team

Saturday, Dec. 27 was a thrilling evening as River View High School hosted an RV Alumni Mixer game for all alumni and celebrated the RV soccer team’s 2024 state championship.

The evening included a basketball game between the RV Black Bears and the Ridgewood Generals, a live auction for an RV boys soccer ball with personalized signatures and other RV memorabilia, and the 2024 Division IV State Champion soccer team was inducted into the Hall of Fame. All former soccer players were asked to come and celebrate.

"We're here tonight, obviously, for the basketball, but also to induct a couple of our players and our team into the Hall of Fame at River View," said Vince Andrews, head coach for the River View soccer program.

In the Hall of Fame, you have to be first team all Ohio or win a state championship.

"It's kind of special that we have both happening tonight — to not only get to the state championship game, but to actually win it. It is a really special night," Andrews said. "It's a really big deal to be able to come together, and it is a memory we will never forget. Seeing their team pictures in the Hall of Fame and the team especially is just a proud moment, along with having the banner that's in the gym so people can see it forever.

"The biggest thing about the game, other than making it there, was the huge crowd we had at historic Crew Stadium in Columbus. We had the biggest crowd ever for a high school soccer game. They had to open the upper deck. It was not just people from River View, but people from Coshocton, Ridgewood, Tri-Valley, our whole league area. Anyone associated with our athletics, alumni people came from out of state. It was special, and I've watched a lot of soccer games.

"A lot of teams don't have the crowd that we had. I kept telling the boys that with every stage the crowds will be bigger, and I think they didn't really believe me, but when we got to Crew Stadium, it was awesome. We want to thank the people that support our athletic programs. We want to thank the community for all of their support. If it's your dream and you actually get to live it, there are a lot of thank-yous to the community who rallied around us."

"It is a fantastic night to celebrate the boys," River View High School Athletic Director Katie Wesney said. "The last state championship was in 2007 and the last time our team got inducted, so this is a big event. They won a state title for Div. IV. Our goalie Layton Massie deserves a lot of credit because he played a fantastic game, probably the best game of his career. Cael Summers shot to Hayden Walters, and Hayden shot the goal and won the game.

"Last year Hayden and Cael were juniors standing there in the gym, when they told me that they were going to put a sign up in my gym, and sure enough, they did. They won the soccer tournament and put their sign up last basketball season. We have eight or nine kids that graduated last year coming back tonight to celebrate too. We also have Hayden and Laired both getting inducted for being first-team All-Ohio. The whole soccer team being inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame is an honor for them."

Laired Williamson, now a River View graduate, said, "Winning was a big thing for us, especially here, being a small school, switching divisions, going into Div. IV and winning the state championship. We were the underdogs, and not many people thought we would make it out of our region or even out of our league, so winning the state championship was huge. We got our game ball, a big trophy, which is in our case here, and we were inducted into the Hall of Fame here at River View. We both got first-team All-Ohio in soccer, so we both also were inducted into the Hall of Fame." 

Hayden Walters said, "The game was something I will remember forever. Receiving the pass from my best friend Cael Summers for the game-winning goal is again something I will remember forever. Seeing the crowd and seeing the whole Coshocton community come and support us, even other schools, it was amazing to see. It was very cold because it was Nov. 11 last year, but we had so much adrenaline going that we didn't even feel it."

The Black Bears became the first school in Muskingum Valley League and East District history to win a state soccer championship after the team's 1-0 win against Worthington Christian Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at Historic Crew Stadium.