By Any Count, Broad Run is No. 1

By Matt Brooks (Contact)

Sunday, June 8, 2008

RADFORD, Va., June 7 — All season long, the Broad Run girls' soccer team has been counting down. The number was 25 heading into the 2008 season, fell to 24 following a victory in their season opener and continued the descent with each successive win.

In the jubilant postgame huddle following Friday's semifinal victory over Hidden Valley, Broad Run could finally shout the number they'd been counting down toward all season: one. One game was all that stood between the Spartans, the Virginia AA title and a perfect season. And one familiar opponent was all that stood in their way.

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Broad Run Wins Soccer Championship

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With 34:55 on the clock in the first half, Broad Run's Holly King steps in to take the ball from Courtland's Kara Blosser. Broad Run went on to win the Group AA Girls Soccer Championship at Radford University. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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During the first half Courtland's Lauren McCoy runs down the field with the ball while Broad Run's Valerie Powell comes from behind to steal the ball. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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Broad Run and Courtland play for the Virginia AA girls' soccer championship. Broad Run's Ellie Zoepfl scores her team's first goal and Holly King runs up to congratulate her. Broad Run won the game. (Tracy A. Woodward)

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In a rematch of last year's state quarterfinal that ended in a penalty shootout loss to Courtland, the Spartans avenged that result Saturday, grinding out a 1-0 victory over the Cougars in the state championship game at Radford University's Cupp Stadium. It is Broad Run's first title since 2001.

By earning a bye in the Region II first round, the Spartans needed only 24 wins to take home the state title, but as Coach Claire Collins said: "Twenty-five has been the number all year long, and this is what we've been working toward since Day One."

After the teams reacquainted themselves through a tentative first few minutes, Broad Run (24-0) got on the board in the 12th when freshman Ellie Zoepfl found the back of the net on a perfectly bent right-footed effort from just outside the right corner of the 18-yard box, beating Cougars goalkeeper Karina Monroe.

More goals were expected from two teams that combined to score seven Friday, but the contest turned into a pitched defensive struggle as both teams pushed, elbowed and kicked each other on another afternoon of heat and high humidity. The teams combined for only 11 shots on goal and four yellow cards in a chippy second half.

"Because we got [the lead] so early, we had to protect it for 60 minutes," Spartans junior midfielder Holly King said.

The Cougars' best shot at an equalizer came with just over 16 minutes remaining in the opening half when freshman forward Heather Schnake's right-footed blast smacked the crossbar. Courtland (11-4) failed to get a better look the rest of the way.

"At the beginning of the season we said we wanted to play Courtland again," King said. "We got here to the state final, got to play against them and beat them. It was just awesome."

Tagged: Broad Run High School, high school sports, soccer

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