BECKLEY – Morgantown will play for a state championship after a victory over Hedgesville in a Class AAA semifinal Friday evening that took two overtimes. MHS junior midfielder Gracie Brown scored the game’s lone goal during sudden-death overtime to give her team the semifinal victory.
With the win, the Mohigans punched their ticket into today’s title game and will now square-off against Parkersburg South and will look to capture their first state title since 2019.
After nearly 100 minutes of scoreless soccer between top-ranked MHS (19-1-1) and Hedgesville (14-3-3), the Mohigans finally found a breakthrough when Brown got in behind the Eagles’ defense and found herself all alone with the keeper.
“Gracie just doing Gracie things,” MHS head coach Stirlin Rivers said of his all-state nominee. “It was a great pass as well, these girls never quit tonight.”
Quitting wasn’t an option, as the Eagles gave MHS everything they had the entire length of the game. A scoreless opening twenty minutes saw both teams flying down the field on offense, while each defense held strong in the back.
“This game was exactly what we expected it to be,” Rivers said. “It was a battle to the end, give credit to Hedgesville. They knew how to play coming in to this game, they were prepared to give up some possession and keep their defensive shape really solid.”
That solid defense gave Hedgesville a chance against the Mohigans, and the Eagles found some chances of their own despite them being rare.
None were better than just before the end of regulation. The Eagles got through the MHS defense and worked the ball down the left side of the field before a shot was whipped toward the goal from the top left of the 18-yard box.
Mohigan goalkeeper Madysen Scheller was equal to the task, making a full-stretch save that sent the ball over the crossbar, keeping her team’s hopes alive.
“This is the thing about soccer,” Rivers said. “We can play well all game and have chances all game, but they can have that one moment to beat you. Maddy didn’t have that many saves to make but when she had to, she did her job as a goalkeeper. That’s what she has done all year, she stays prepared for the moment.”
The girls Class AAA championship game will kickoff 45 minutes after the conclusion of the boys AAA championship game, which is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at Paul Cline Youth Memorial Complex in Beckley.
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