Parkersburg girls soccer team prepares for state tournament

By MATT LOCKE, Sports Writer

Friday, November 02, 2007

PARKERSBURG — After Parkersburg High School won its first ever girls soccer state championship in 2006, anything short of it’s second consecutive state title would be a disappointment.

The Big Reds (21-1-2) advanced to the state finals in 2005, but were upended by Elkins 3-0. In ’06 Parkersburg’s Chelsey Maiden scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Fairmont Senior.

Wheeling Park (16-5-3), which defeated Fairmont Senior 1-0 in the regional finals, will be Parkersburg’s final obstacle for the Big Reds’ third straight state final appearance.

The Big Reds and Patriots will square off in the tournaments’ first game at 9 a.m. Friday at the YMCA Sports Complex in Beckley.

In Parkersburg’s 1-0 victory over Winfield, Alex Bush’s left-footed strike proved to be enough on a rain-soaked field. In Park’s win over Fairmont, Elizabeth Kosowski drilled a corner kick rebound into the net for the game’s only goal. Both teams realize the significance that one play can make.

“They know what to expect,” PHS coach Mike Lockney said. “The field and the process will be familiar to them. There will be no surprises and expectations are very high.

“It’s not enough just to get there, they’re going there to win.”

Wheeling Park is familiar with state tournament territory as well. From 1998-2001, the Patriots became the first and only West Virginia prep soccer team to win four consecutive state titles.

Their last title, though, was six years ago. This year’s Patriot team lost a host of talented players to graduation, but has rebuilt and improved over the season. The Patriots return 2006 first-team, all-state midfielder Lauren Thomas and first-team defender Sarah Bizanovich.

“(The Patriots) play a possession game and look to move ball around some,” Lockney commented. “They’ve got two or three talented players that they’ll get the ball to and see if they can get by us.”

Not much has changed since the Big Reds won it all last season. The Big Reds retained the core of the 2006 team, including first-team, all-state midfielder Katie Roberts and second-team, all-state midfielders Brooke Logston and Amelia Hammell.

Up front for the Big Reds, Bush and Maiden perpetually create scoring opportunities and direct the ball down field. Maiden scored at least one goal in 13 of this year’s games, including a streak of nine consecutive games with a goal scored.

On the back row, ’06 honorable mention, all-state defenders Emma Levin-Nielsen and Tara Cheeseman absorb the brunt of offensive attacks. Levin-Nielsen, at stopper, has only allowed 11 goals in 23 games and three of those goals were on penalty kicks.

A solid defense along with a precise and intelligent passing attack have made the Big Reds an impressive team that is always on the attack. Over the last three years, Lockney’s teams are a combined 61-7-5.

Parkersburg had its most successful season with 21 wins in ’06, but in ’07 the Big Reds have an opportunity to eclipse that record by two more wins. In 24 games played, Parkersburg has scored 87 goals while allowing only 11. Park has scored 69 and allowed 23.

“I think we play the best when we’re attacking,” Lockney said. “We don’t sit back. We’re going to attack as many ways and the best we know how and hope we can get a couple to go in.”