By CODY TOMER
The Intelligencer
WHEELING — Wheeling Park High girls’ soccer coach Carrie Hanna told senior defender Loryn Ramsey that if there was a free kick opportunity in overtime of Thursday’s Region 1, Section 1 Championship, she wanted her taking it.
Ramsey got that opportunity moments into the extra period and did not let her coach down, as she drilled a 30-yard free kick over the head of Morgantown goalkeeper Madysen Scheller and into the top-right corner of the net to give the Patriots a 1-0 triumph as her teammates came spilling on to the field in celebration.
The sectional title sends Wheeling Park to the Region 1 Championship at Brooke on Oct. 31, where it will play for the right to march on to the state tournament.
Morgantown coach Sterlin Rivers did not believe that the refs gave his goalie and his defense enough time to build a wall on the game-winning free kick, which put his goalkeeper out of position on the kick.
“My frustration is more for these girls. It’s so sad,” Rivers said. “The team asked for 10 (seconds). My keeper is setting the wall and he allows them to just kick the ball. She is on one side of the field setting the wall and they are kicking the ball and he doesn’t do anything.
“I have nothing against Wheeling. They worked hard, but it’s just a sad way to go.”
Wheeling Park goalie Josephine Kulpa made five saves in the victory, while Morgantown’s Scheller made seven saves.
“All credit to Morgantown,” Hanna said. “They constantly adjusted and were changing things up. I prayed that I’d stay one step ahead of them (Thursday). We had forwards move back to defend to match up with players. The girls just did everything I asked of them.”
