By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
Petersburg and Moorefield Soccer teams shared senior night at Michael Brothers Field, but the Vikings refused to share the glory.
The Vikings responded to earlier season dual setbacks in grounding the Yellow Jackets to collect the inaugural South Branch Showdown trophy with the Petersburg Girls winning 5-1 and Petersburg Boys cruising to an 11-2 victory last Monday.
Petersburg and Moorefield Girls Soccer teams battled back and forth across the pitch early in the match, but the Vikings had a big presence in the box.
Moorefield’s Chloe Leroux cleared the box a the first attempt by the Vikings, then Petersburg’s Summer Moyers intercepted a pass and Yellow Jackets goalkeeper Grace Simmons made the stop.
The next Vikings shot by Ava Gray went wide and collected by Moorefield’s Kailynn Penkov.
Petersburg’s Angela Willis snatched the ball and it was cleared out of the box by the Yellow Jackets.
Gray corralled a ricochet and fired towards the goal with Simmons blocking the attempt.
The Vikings had the ensuing shot by Callie Sites sail over the top post and the following shot from Gray was saved by Simmons.
Moorefield’s Elizabeth Williams launched a shot in the box, but it was blocked by Vikings defender Brianna Moyers.
The Yellow Jackets had a deep charge down the pitch again with Parvatee Snyder having a shot deflected out off a Petersburg defense, then the next attempt was saved by goalie Khloe Haslacker.
Petersburg’s Bella Feaster intercepted a pass and an initial shot was saved by Simmons.
The Vikings kept the pressure with Ireland Gray finishing with a goal at the 32:44 mark in the first half for a 1-nil edge.
Moorefield’s Jocelyn Wagner intercepted the ball, but the attack was deflected out, then Ireland Gray swiped it back and the shot was saved by Simmons.
Emily Parisi gave the Yellow Jackets momentum into the Vikings territory, then Keira Cornett collided with Vikings goalie Haslacker as the shot was denied.
Ava Gray took advantage of a missed defensive kick by Leroux, but came up empty on a save by Simmons.
Snyder crashed with Vikings defender Caitlyn Mongold during a kick towards the goal which was saved by Haslacker.
The Vikings cleared a corner kick by Moorefield en route to Ireland Gray scoring a goal at 23:14, 2-0.
Simmons made another save as Gray returned into the box and fell.
Moorefield’s MaKenna See cleared the box and Snyder started an attack that was thwarted by Summer Moyers.
The Yellow Jackets got back inside the box with Snyder challenging the goalie, but a save was made.
Petersburg’s Ava Gray sent a lob towards the goal and the ball ricocheted off the fingertips of Simmons into the net for a 3-0 edge at 17:34.
There were five saves on each side over the next 12 minutes of action.
Moyers stole the ball from Wagner and was tripped inside the box for a penalty kick as a yellow card was assessed on Moorefield and Simmons made the huge PK save.
Moorefield’s Elizabeth Williams earned a free kick from the top of the Vikings box moments later, but the Petersburg wall blocked the attempt.
The Yellow Jackets recovered as Emily Parisi scored a goal off a deflection by a Vikings defender to cut the deficit to 3-1 with 2:48 left in the first half.
Williams launched a last second shot on goal, but it was saved entering halftime.
The Yellow Jackets brought in Kailynn Penkov as the goalkeeper to commence the second half.
Simmons got some time on the pitch moving the ball down to the Vikings box, but Angela Willis cleared the attack.
Williams made a pass across the pitch where Snyder collided with a defender during the shot attempt and it was saved by Haslacker.
Penkov made a couple saves over the next few minutes, but the Vikings found the back of the net on a goal by Sites at 34:28.
Parisi had a shot saved on the next trip down the pitch, then the Yellow Jackets got back inside the box on a move by Wagner prior to a steal by the Vikings’ Caitlyn Mongold.
Wagner snatched the ball back, but the box was cleared out by Willis en route to a goal by Ava Gray putting the Vikings up 5-1 at 31:47.
Penkov made two saves, then a Petersburg penalty kick was denied on a defensive wall block by Allie Wyman with the ball sailing out for a corner kick.
See deflected the ensuing shot, then the Vikings hit the ball out and Simmons returned as the goalie.
Simmons executed five saves down the stretch as Vikings failed to add insurance goals.
Moorefield had a few more opportunities in the Vikings territory with shots by Williams and Snyder, but came up empty including a last second attempt with Petersburg winning the girls contest 5-1.
Moorefield Girls Soccer recognized its trio of seniors: Keria Cornett, Elizabeth Williams and MaKenna See.
Cornett plans to become a neonatal nurse and advice for future players is to lock in and score 6-7 goals.
Williams plans to attend WVU to obtain a degree in international studies and law.
Advice from Williams to the future teams is to remember that we may have been the first team, but you’re the ones who get to build the legacy.
See plans to attend Potomac State College to earn a business degree and advice for the future players is that even if you fail, never stop trying.
Petersburg Boys Soccer avenged a previous loss with an 11-2 win over the Yellow Jackets.
Moorefield Boys Soccer came close in the box just two minutes into the match with a save made as Alex Perez slid and Bereket Tamiru leapt over Petersburg goalkeeper Garrett Nuzum.
Moorefield defender Jake Lumia cleared the box on the other end, then the Yellow Jackets swiftly came down the pitch with Javier Acosta scoring a goal at 36:34 for the initial lead, 1-nil.
It took a little over two monies for the Vikings to equalize as Moorefield goalie Teagan Eversole got a save on a corner kick, then Caden Ours swiped the ball and it was taken back by Austin Arbaugh only for an offsides to be called.
The Vikings marched down the field and knotted the contest on a goal by Micah Ertel at 34:02.
Petersburg took the lead on a goal from Ours at 32:45.
Moorefield’s Perez dashed for the ball near the top of the box and was tripped resulting in a free kick and Nuzum came up with a save.
Acosta stole the ball and the ensuing shot was blocked out by Isaiah Reel for a corner kick chance with Acosta deflecting it.
Eversole made a save moments later, then a steal by Lukas Wolford was negated on a penalty.
Arbaugh was tripped deep in Vikings territory along the sideline, then a push by the Vikings created a free kick with Acosta having a shot redirected out of play by Wolford.
A potential hand ball during a Moorefield corner kick was not noticed and the Vikings got a save.
Petersburg scored on a corner kick as Iann Doman bounced the ball off the hands of Eversole for a 3-1 lead with 24:31 remaining in the first half.
Arbaugh entered the box and a shot attempt appeared to be blocked out by the Vikings, but it was determined to last be touched by the Yellow Jackets for a goal kick.
A Petersburg player was given a yellow card for foul language, then the Vikings made a save on a swift running attempt by Perez.
Moorefield’s Pedro Mucu-Mo created a steal as the Vikings were whistled for an indirect high kick.
Petersburg’s Ertel stole the ball and charged down the pitch, but the initial attack was cleared by Moorefield’s Chris Baldwin prior to a save by Eversole.
Acosta raced into the box for the Yellow Jackets, but Nuzum stepped up making a challenging saving block for a corner kick as the ball trickled out.
Moorefield missed the corner kick attempt with a deflection off the Vikings, then Ours swiped the ball and Baldwin blocked the ensuing kick with Chernet Ansani clearing the box.
Doman intercepted a pass from Baldwin, then Mucu-Mo slid to prevent a goal with the ball ricocheting out and a yellow card was called.
Wolford scored the penalty kick goal at 14:45.
Perez chased the ball down as Owen Reel crashed in to clear the box with a yellow card called on the Yellow Jackets.
A steal by Ours resulted in a Vikings goal for a 5-1 lead at 13:42.
Petersburg had the next two corner kick attempts cleared away by Ansani and Arbaugh.
There was a fight with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half resulting in red cards for both teams and play resumed with a 10-on-10 match.
Moorefield’s Tamiru and Anthony Jackson had shots on goal denied by Nuzum.
Petersburg had two opportunities thwarted before a goal scored by Ours with 4:36 left in the half, 6-1.
Eversole deflected a corner kick, but the Vikings corralled the ball and Ours scored again with a minute to go for a 7-1 lead.
The Yellow Jackets opened the second half with Mucu-Mo scoring a goal just a minute and change into the action. 7-2.
Play was getting more aggressive with collisions on slides and the referees tried to dissuade the situation with yellow cards.
A free kick by the Vikings went wide, then Eversole deflected another shot for a corner kick chance.
Eversole made two more saves moments later.
A second yellow card resulted in a red card for a Petersburg player, then Moorefield got a yellow card when discussing the sequence.
Petersburg hit the past, then Eversole made three saves.
Doman found the back of the net for an 8-2 advantage with 25:18 left.
Lumia cleared the ball on another Vikings attack, then a steal by Petersburg ended in a corner kick and the shot went over the crossbar.
Perez made a sliding tackle prior to a penalty on the Vikings.
Moorefield had the next two shots on goal go awry, then the Vikings cleared the box.
Doman created a goal scoring header for Petersburg at 17:29.
A Moorefield player was given a red card and sent off the pitch.
The Vikings added two more goals in the final dozen minutes by Ertel and Doman and the game was called with under two minutes left on the clock for an 11-2 victory.
Moorefield Boys Soccer honored its six seniors: Javi Escobar, Dane Foster, Jake Lumia, Pedro Mucu-Mo, Bereket Tamiru and Yaziel Torres.
Escobar plans to study graphic design in college and advice for the future players is to work hard and always try your best.
Foster plans to become a chef or marine biologist and advice is that hard work is worth less for those who don’t believe in themselves.
Lumia plans to join the U.S. Army prior to attending culinary school for a degree in the culinary arts and a quote to live by is “fear is the mind killer.”
Mucu-Mo plans to return to Guatemala and his advice to future players is to play strong and confident.
Tamiru plans to study criminal justice in college and a quote to live by is “hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Torres plans to attend WVU and advice for future players is to never give up on your dreams and keep on pushing forward and always keep on thriving.
The Yellow Jackets have shown great effort on the pitch during this inaugural season and the foundation to grow is solid.
