Wheeling Park Loses Heartbreaker To George Washington, 2-1, For State Soccer Title
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BECKLEY -- Early in August, the Wheeling Park Lady Patriots and the George Washington Lady Patriots kicked off their soccer seasons in Charleston by battling to a 3-3 tie.
On Friday, for the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission Class AAAA state title, the game went much the same, ending regulation and the first overtime period tied at 1.
Unfortunately for the Ohio County Patriots, the game ended in George Washington's favor just 2:16 into the second overtime.
On a seemingly routine clear by the Kanawha County players out of their own zone, the ball sailed into the Wheeling Park zone. There appeared to be confusion between a defender and goalkeeper Madeline Kirchner, as Kirchner came several yards out of the box to play the ball. Her clear attempt bounced off the leg of George Washington's Ellie Pray, who had hustled downfield. Pray gathered the ball and scored, securing the state title for George Washington.
The ending was eerily similar to last year's state semifinal game between Wheeling Park and Oak Hill. That game ended in the first overtime after a defensive breakdown led to an Oak Hill goal.
"I'm not at all disappointed in the way the girls played today," Wheeling Park head coach Tom Smith said. "They gave everything they had, and I could not have asked for a better effort. Sometimes, unfortunately, the ball doesn't bounce your way, and bad things happen at the worst times. Congratulations to George Washington, they're a good team and they played a good game."
Wheeling Park led for most of Friday's championship game. Just four minutes in, senior striker Corin McFarland took an excellent corner from junior midfielder Molly Bradshaw and headed it into the open net for a 1-0 lead.
The momentum ebbed and flowed following that goal, with both teams having good scoring opportunities through the final 36 minutes of the half. Park's Maggie Miller had several strong strikes through the half, while Bradshaw headed away a handful of corner kicks from George Washington. Wheeling Park turned on the pressure in the final two minutes of the first half and had two good chances, neither of which could get past George Washington keeper Oriah Allen.
The pace slowed through the early part of the second half, with Park settling in defensively and protecting its lead. That changed in the 65th minute, when George Washington was awarded a free kick from just inside the midfield line. The shot into the box was deflected and ended up on the foot of a George Washington play who put the ball into the open net and knotted the score at 1.
Wheeling Park had a chance to retake the lead came just three minutes later, when McFarland took a Bradshaw corner kick and headed it just wide of an open net.
In overtime, Wheeling Park controlled play through the first 10-minute stanza. The team's best scoring chance came when Miller rocketed a shot from about 22 yards out, forcing Allen to make a great save to keep the score tied at 1.
The game ended with 7:44 remaining in the second overtime.
McFarland, Brenna Tipton and Riley Wright were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Smith thanked his seniors for an exciting career. "To play your entire career and have your last game be for a state championship? That goes a long way and says a lot about how fantastic this group has been. I've been delighted to be their coach for the past three years, and I wish all of them nothing but the best."