~ PVN staff report
BERRYVILLE, June 3 — And they said it couldn’t be done. Literally. A midfielder on the Clarke girls soccer team told The Winchester Star last week:
“Every team wants to beat us. Who wouldn’t? Who wouldn’t want to be able to say they beat the reigning state champions? I don’t think anybody is going to be able to do it.”
The Eagles of Clarke County came into Friday’s Region B championship as the reigning Class 2 state champions and touting a 33-game winning streak. They had beaten their opponent Luray twice during the regular season — 8-0 in Berryville on April 20, and a much closer match, 3-1, in Luray one month later — and they had outscored their opponents 124-5 through 20 matches.
When Stuarts Draft fell to Clarke, 6-1, in the Region B semifinals on Wednesday, they became only the fourth team this season to score a goal against the dominant Eagles.
However, the continued improvement of the Luray girls soccer team showed on Friday at Feltner Stadium, as the visiting #2 Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead. The top-seeded Eagles would come back to tie the game twice, at 1-1 and 2-2 — but the reigning state champs would never hold the lead throughout the entire match.
Bull Run District and Region B “Player of the Year” Emilee Weakley lead Luray to a surprising, upset, 3-2, victory on the road in the Region B championship to claim a home field advantage for the state quarterfinals on Tuesday. Clarke was the only Class 2 team to beat the Bulldogs this season.
In addition to Weakley (forward), senior Amber Tharpe (midfielder) was selected for first team All-Region B honors. Sophomore Hazel Parlett (midfielder), sophomore Summer Forder (defender) and freshman Kate Taglauer (at-large) all earned second team honors.
In the VHSL Class 2 state quarterfinals on June 7, Region B champion #2 Luray (17-3) will host Region A runner-up Bruton at Bulldog Field at 6 p.m., while #1 Clarke (20-1) will travel to the Region A champion Poquoson for a 6 p.m. match.
State quarterfinal winners will head to Salem on Friday and Saturday for the semifinals and finals of the VHSL Class 2 girls soccer tournament at the 2022 Spring Jubilee.
Tickets for state playoff games must be purchased online through the Virginia High School League. Cost is $10 per ticket, plus a $1.50 service charge.
Tickets will NOT be sold at the gate during the state tournament.
For full schedules, rosters and standings — check out the Bull Run District website.
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Page and Luray prep for Region B title games on Friday
Two local teams still alive in Region B semifinals
Panthers split district semifinals, title game canceled, region quarterfinals set for Monday
Playoff picture ~ 3 teams still alive in district tournaments
Bulldogs improve to 10-1 with win over East Rock, boys play to 1-1 draw, baseball gets walk-off win
Luray moves to 7-1 with win over Page
Bulldogs remain undefeated after season’s third shutout with 6-0 win over Mountaineers
Be the first to comment