HAMILTON — For a half, Badin looked capable of handing one of Ohio’s premier boys soccer programs its first loss of the season.
Then Carroll looked like Carroll.
The Patriots controlled the second half Tuesday night, breaking a halftime tie and pulling away for a 3-1 victory over the Rams at the Matandy SportsPlex.
Carroll improved to 8-0-1 under longtime coach Scott Molfenter, while Badin fell to 7-2 after entering on a seven-game winning streak.
“We just weren’t ready to play, and credit to Badin, they were playing a good style of soccer and we were not,” Molfenter said. “We just needed to settle down, start moving the ball and create some chances for ourselves. And once we started doing that, good things started to happen.”
Carroll’s Luis Wagner scored midway through the first half for a 1-0 lead before Badin’s Ian Long answered late in the half to make it 1-1.
The Rams generated more shots on goal during the opening 40 minutes, but Carroll took control after halftime.
Wagner scored his second goal of the night, and Tadeas Fedorisin also found the net as the Patriots dictated possession and limited Badin’s attack.
“We proved something to ourselves tonight for sure,” first-year Badin coach Brad Specht said. “But Carroll came out the second half, and they were the tougher team, and they controlled, and they walked away with the victory.”
Badin tied Carroll 1-1 during the 2025 regular season and later eliminated the Patriots from the Division III postseason following a scoreless match decided by a penalty shootout — giving the Rams their first-ever victory over Carroll.
Carroll has responded with another strong start. The Patriots entered Tuesday coming off a 7-0 victory over Northmont and a 2-2 tie against Columbus St. Francis DeSales.
Molfenter, Ohio’s all-time leader in boys soccer coaching victories, likes the balance of his latest team.
“We’re kind of a riddle right now,” Molfenter said. “Collectively, across the board, a lot of guys can do things. I don’t think we have a go-to guy, which I think is a good thing.
“We’re a work in progress. I am pretty happy with it, but we definitely have some work to do.”
Badin has also made an impressive start under Specht. After dropping its opener 3-1 to Elder, the Rams won seven straight before Tuesday.
Specht said the Rams have focused more on daily improvement than their record.
“When you take a step back, even after today, to be 7-2, it’s fantastic,” Specht said. “Extremely proud of the boys, but we have kind of adopted a mentality of one day at a time.”
Specht said that facing a program such as Carroll provided another measuring stick for a team still developing its identity.
“We crave these moments,” Specht said. “That’s what they show up all summer long for, all year long for. It was fun. We enjoyed it, and we will be better because of it.”
