Olentangy Berlin players celebrate with Claire Walden, middle, who made the final shot of penalty kicks to lift the Bears to a walk-off win over the Pioneers in a Division I district final Thursday night in Sunbury.

Ben Stroup | The Gazette

Claire Walden was the hero in Thursday night’s Division I district championship in Sunbury, stopping the first shot of penalty kicks and burying the last into the back of the net to lead the sixth-seeded Olentangy Berlin girls soccer team to a thrilling 2-1 win over 11th-seeded Olentangy Orange.

After regulation and two sudden death overtime periods failed to produce a result, the intra-district rivals went to PKs.

Piper Davy got the party started, putting the Bears up 1-0 with a low liner just inside the right post.

Orange’s Sophie Garling looked to even things back up, but Walden, who came up with more than a few key saves during regulation — and a few more in the OT periods — was up to the task. The senior keeper picked correctly, diving to her right to stop a shot that looked destined for the left corner.

The teams combined to make each of the next six shots as they headed into the final attempts with Berlin up, 4-3. The Bears (12-3-3) got connections from Sarah Kroskie, Gianna Filia and Gracie Dusenberry while the Pioneers’ Sydney Schwade, Caroline DeBolt and Alexis Knisely all converted.

That’s when you-know-who stepped to the mark … and Walden didn’t miss.

The game was tight throughout. Unlike the regular-season matchup between the two — a 3-1 Berlin win way back in early September that saw a the Bears pull away with three second-half goals — Orange started fast.

The Pioneers struck early, taking a 1-0 lead when Sadie Thompson tracked down a long through-ball and poked it past Walden at the 28:21 mark of the first half.

The Bears didn’t take long to answer, though, scoring less than 10 minutes later when Emerson Rehklau scored off a perfectly-placed cross from Addison Davis.

It was nip and tuck from there.

Orange had a dangerous-looking corner midway through the second half, but Walden punched Thompson’s kick out of harm’s way.

Berlin got the better of the opportunities in the overtime periods, but Orange’s organized back line, anchored by Schwade, made things difficult all night long.

The loss ended a nice postseason run for the Pioneers (7-11-1), who reached the final with a 1-0 win over seventh-seeded Olentangy last week in Lewis Center.

Berlin, meanwhile, advances to Tuesday’s regional semifinal against third-seeded Dublin Coffman. First kick is set for 7 p.m. at Westerville Central.

Big Walnut 5, Canal Winchester 0

The third-seeded Golden Eagles scored early and often Thursday night at Westerville Central, rolling to a Division II district championship win over the seventh-seeded Indians.

Ainsley Curran, Ava Oakes, Sara Elliot and Anna McGough, who scored twice, each found the back of the net for Big Walnut (12-6-1).

The defense took care of the rest, with Remi Largent notching the shutout in goal.

Next up, Big Walnut will take on Whitehouse Anthony Wayne in Tuesday’s regional semifinal at Impact Stadium in Marysville.

Also: Olentangy Liberty 4, Hilliard Bradley 0; Pickerington North 2, Delaware Hayes 1 (OT).