Marietta’s Cameron Davis (10) battles for possession of the ball with Unioto’s Bryce Derringer (16) during Saturday’s district final match at Zane Trace High School in Chillicothe, Ohio. Marietta won, 4-3. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Same field. Same opponent. Different result.

Two years after losing a heart-breaking district final match to Unioto at Zane Trace High School, Marietta got redemption.

The top-seeded Tigers defeated the fourth-seeded Sherman Tanks 4-3 Saturday to claim the boys soccer program’s 10th district championship, and first since 2019.

Tied at 3-all with nine minutes left, Ronnie Limegrover assisted Mac Threatt on the go-ahead goal, and the Tigers were able to hold on from there to advance to the Sweet 16. Marietta will play Fairfield Union in the regional semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Chillicothe High School. The Tigers beat the Falcons 3-0 early in the season in Lancaster.

The Tigers (15-1-2) had a 3-1 halftime lead, but Unioto scored twice in a two-minute stretch to tie it up with 23 minutes remaining, which is very similar to how the 2021 district final played out.

“We had a little deja vu moment there for a few minutes, but we put ourselves in position to win,” said Marietta head coach Todd Morris. “We had to battle. Give Unioto credit. They never gave up and had a spell where they were able to get the equalizer. Our guys found a way. That’s what it’s about at this time of year. It wasn’t the prettiest at times, but we found a way.”

Morris said the Tigers’ mindset this week was to “right the wrong” from two years ago. Threatt, now a senior, was a key contributor on that 2021 team and hasn’t forgotten how much the end of that season hurt.

“It’s amazing. To come back and win against the same team felt so good,” Threat said. “It makes it sweeter (that it’s Unioto), but really just winning the game and being district champions is all that matters.”

Landon Koscho had two of Marietta’s goals and got things started in the fifth minute when he buried a 20-yard shot into the back of the net. Cash Wheeler was credited with the assist.

Unioto’s Lucas Hanes, who had the game-winning goal in the 2021 match, scored two goals Saturday, with the first knotting it up at 1-all at the 24:26 mark.

A little more than a minute later, Koscho’s corner kick found Cameron Davis, who headed the ball just out of Unioto keeper Blake Egginger’s reach to put the Tigers back in front. Later, Cameron Koscho played a ball back to his brother Landon, who again found the back of the net to make it 3-1 at halftime.

“Landon Koscho had two great shots and an assist on the corner,” Threatt said. “Great game by him. One of the best of the year for him.”

Marietta maintained until the 25:13 mark in the second half, when MHS was called for a handball in the box. Hanes buried the penalty kick to cut the Tigers’ lead to one.

Two minutes later, Johnny Wetzel got free and placed a shot through to tie the score at 3-3.

Marietta didn’t panic, though, and went back to work. The Tigers controlled the possession for most of the remainder of the match.

“We just thought that if we could just maintain and keep moving the ball and keep creating chances that one would fall eventually,” Morris said.

Threatt added, “Our guys kept going and kept fighting.”

On his goal, Threat said “I thought the (defender) was going to foul me so I just broke through that and slotted it home. Great ball by Ronnie to find me and then see it, and then I just put it away.”

When the go-ahead goal happened, Morris had leaned over to grab a drink and missed it, but he wasn’t surprised it was Threatt that came up clutch.

“Mac’s been there all year — all four years,” Morris said. “When we needed one, he stepped up. The two goals by Koscho, just amazing. Landon’s been amazing all year, too. This was a really, really good win for us.”

Marietta did not allow Unioto any chances at an equalizer in the final nine minutes.