By Dan Stillwell
It was a mighty onslaught.
Woodrow Wilson hit Parkersburg’s defense with everything it had: shot after shot, corner kicks and more corner kicks, direct kicks and indirect kicks.
Yet, by the final buzzer of the Class AAA boys state high school soccer tournament championship game, the Big Reds’ defense had stood firm.
“We preached we couldn’t let Woodrow score,” coach Don Fosselman said after Parkersburg held on for a 2-0 victory Saturday at Paul Cline Stadium. “We survived their best punch.”
Woodrow dominated possession but made crucial defensive errors that allowed the Big Reds to claim their sixth state title and fourth in the past five years.
George Capel eluded three defenders to break a 0-0 deadlock in the 29th minute.
Then, with the Flying Eagles’ back line forced to play a little more forward to aid in the attack, Brian Runyon pounced on a loose ball up close in the 71st minute and scored to seal the win.
“The second half we played like champions, but that second goal put the nail in the coffin,” Woodrow coach Rocky Powell said. “Today the ball bounced Parkersburg’s way.”
Yet, the two scores were the Big Reds’ only shots on goal. In fact, they rarely took a shot at the goal.
Woodrow maintained a steady barrage against Parkersburg in the second half.
During one five-minute stretch, the Flying Eagles’ Logan Powell shot high, Reid Landis had a shot deflected by a defender, Tony Serge’s free kick was corralled by goalkeeper Spencer Griffey and Aaron Dunbar’s header swerved harmlessly out of bounds.
Plus there were assorted corner and direct kicks, each a dagger at the Parkersburg goal.
“I thought for sure we’d get at least one, maybe two,” Woodrow all-stater Jonah Moore said. “We were putting pressure, but that’s an unbelievable defense.”
Even after Runyon’s goal, Woodrow kept taking the ball away from the Big Reds and attacking.
Ben Stafford missed wide. Ditto Reid Landis, twice.
Moore charged at full steam, only to have keeper Spencer Griffey knock the ball away.
Moments later, Griffey pulled in a shot on goal by Stafford.
“We just couldn’t maintain possession,” Fosselman said. “It was just dodging a bullet, dodging a bullet.
“But our defenders have carried us all year. Griffey is the best goalie in the state.”
Woodrow concluded its season at 16-4-3.
“There’s not a team out there that worked harder than we did. That’s what bothers me,” Powell said. “It was two good teams out there, but it was (Parkersburg’s) day.”
The Flying Eagles will lose eight seniors to graduation: goalkeeper Pierce Jarrell, forwards Moore and Derrick Law, midfielders Dunbar and Landis, and defenders Serge, Christian Planté and Billy Hall.
“When you look at what we accomplished in the tournaments — we hadn’t given up a goal and we beat two teams in the top 6 (Fairmont Senior in the semifinals and George Washington in the regional) — we had a pretty good run,” assistant coach Dave Harrah said.
“The guys gave it all they had. We can’t ask for any more than that.”
— E-mail:
dstillwell@register-herald.com
Parkersburg 2, Woodrow Wilson 0
Halftime: P 1-0. Scoring: P George Capel (29), P Brian Runyon (71). Shots on goal: P 2 (Capel, Runyon); WW 3 (Derrick Law, Ben Stafford 2). Keeper saves: P (Spencer Griffey 3). Corner kicks: P 4; WW 9. Offsides: P 5; WW 0. Fouls: P 16; WW 17. Yellow cards: P (Zach Bowman, Jordan Alleman, Runyon); WW (Reid Landis, Jonah Moore, Tony Serge). Red cards: None. Records: P (21-2-2); WW (16-4-3).
