Another jump in the rankings for both PCHS soccer teams

Dunmore, W.Va. –

#13 Lady Warriors (6-5-1)……………………………1
Liberty (Harrison) (5-5-2)……………………………..2

Always tough Class AA Liberty (Harrison) traveled to newly ranked #13 PCHS on October 1 and came from behind in the second half to win 2-1 over #13 ranked PCHS. Freshman Brittany McMillion scored the only goal for either team in the first half with 3:12 to go. Liberty scored their two goals in the second half (30:29 and 28:58). Liberty pounded PCHS with a shots advantage of 19-4 (McMillion-1, ??-1 and junior Makeia Jonese-2). Rose hustled all game and had 14 saves to 2 for Liberty.

#13 Lady Warriors (7-5-1)……………………………5
Nicholas County (1-11-1)…………………………….2

The very fast and athletic Class AA Nicholas County Girls Soccer Team traveled to PCHS on October 4 and PCHS improved upon their 1-0 win in their first match of the season at Nicholas. PCHS and their new sectional rival were tied at 2-2 at the half. Senior Olivia Workman scored the first goal of the match (38:32) off a high, arching direct kick over the goalie’s head from 40 yards out. Junior goalie Lorena Rose had a beautiful diving save of an open NCHS kick (19:52). After Nicholas tied the match at 1-1 off a stop by Rose, McMillion, off an assistant from senior all-stater Sam Walton, upped the lead to 2-1. With 11:36 to go in the first, NCHS took advantage of a dropped ball by Rose and tied the match at 2-2.

It was all-PCHS the second half with three scores to end the match 5-2. Jonese scored off an assist from Walton; McMillion was tripped in the box, and her penalty kick was put back by Workman; and McMillion drove and kicked from ten yards out for the third goal of the second half. NCHS was out shot 13-4 (PCHS: Jonese-6, Walton-3, McMillion-3 and Workman-2), and NCHS made 5 saves to 4 for PCHS.

The #13 Lady Warriors open sectional play next Tuesday, October 16 at Beckley with finals on Thursday, October 18 at Beckley. Other Region 3 Section 1 teams are: James Monroe, #12 Midland Trail, Nicholas County and Mingo Central which has only reported three games as of September 19.

#14 Warriors (6-5-1)………………………….2
#7 Bluefield (9-4-2)…………………………..3

The #7 ranked Class AA Bluefield Beavers traveled to Warrior Stadium minus their injury-riden girls team on September 29 with visions of a Region 3 Section 2 soccer crown in their post-season. PCHS lost at Bluefield ten days earlier 1-4. PCHS is always a contender in Region 1, and the Warriors played the higher ranked Beavers even until the last seconds of this home match. Senior Justin Phillips of Bluefield would score first with an assist/header by Tyler Brooks. PCHS senior Tyler Davis would score a goal to tie the match at 1-1 (20:09) with an assist provided by sophomore Cary Robertson. Bluefield’s freshman Josh Dudding would give the Beavers the 2-1 lead at the 7:21 mark. Senior midfielder Parker White tied the match again at 2-2 just before the half.

The two teams played a scoreless second half until senior defender Ethan Pugh’s aggressive defensive play resulted in the referee awarding a penalty kick to Bluefield with 34 seconds in the match. Senior Justin Freund scored, and the match ended 3-2 Bluefield. These two teams could easily meet again in regional play. Each team had 10 saves, and Bluefield led 15-10 in shots (PCHS: Davis-4, Robertson-2 and White-1). PCHS was awarded two more corner and indirect kicks and five more direct kicks. Bluefield graduates twelve seniors and PCHS only seven.

#11 Warriors (6-5-2)………………………….1
Liberty (Harrison) (2-10-2)…………………..1

Class AA Liberty (Harrison) journeyed to newly ranked #11 PCHS on October 1 in hopes of getting only their third win of a tough season. Liberty would not lose, but they also did not win. Although PCHS out-shot Liberty 29-11, the Liberty goalie out-saved PCHS 18-6, and thus the 1-1 tie. With 27 seconds to go in the first half, Liberty scored the only goal for the 1-0 half-time lead. It would take until the 6:21 mark of the game, but White scored the only goal for PCHS in the match to end the match 1-1.

#11 Warriors (7-5-2)…………………………..8
Nicholas County (5-8-1)……………………..4

The PCHS Boys Soccer Team traveled to Nicholas County on September 11 and came home with an easy 6-1 win, but when NCHS came to Dunmore on October 4, both teams would score more points for the 8-4 Warrior victory. It was all-PCHS the first half with sophomore Cary Robertson scoring the first and third goals and both assisted by senior Tyler Davis. Davis would score the second goal with an assist from junior Garrett McCurdy for a 3-0 PCHS half-time lead.

The Grizzlies came alive the second half with four scores, but PCHS would answer with five of their own. Robertson would add a third goal in the second for a hat trick. Davis would score two more, one assisted by Robertson, for a hat-trick also. Davis would assist two more goals, one by McCurdy and one by junior Nils Schmidt, a German exchange student, off an indirect kick. Davis finished with four assists and three goals. NCHS was out shot 26-4 (PCHS top-three: Robertson-10, Davis-6, McCurdy-3), and their goalie made 15 saves.

The #11 Warriors open sectional play next Wednesday, October 17 at Summersville with finals on Friday, October 19 at Summersville. Other Region 3 Section 1 teams are: #19 Midland Trail, Nicholas County and Greater Beckley Christian. The Nicholas County boys are still listed among the Class AAA schools, but they were dropped to Class AA this year.

Both soccer teams have home matches with Petersburg on Tuesday, October 9. The boys travel to Pendleton County and the girls travel to James Monroe on Thursday to end their regular season.