The Lord Botetourt soccer teams will have Blue Ridge District games with William Byrd this week as the final district standings begin to take shape. The girls will host Byrd on Thursday night while the boys are in Vinton to take on the Terriers Friday.
In the past week the boys lost two and tied one in three very competitive games. They dropped a 3-2 game to Franklin County last Tuesday, lost 2-0 to a strong Salem team on Wednesday and tied Heritage, 3-3, in Daleville on Monday of this week. That put the Cavs at 4-5-3 overall and 4-2 in the district.
“It was a week defined by narrow margins and hard lessons for the Cavaliers,” said coach Tim Wright. “Outings that tested both their resilience and composure.”
The 3-2 loss to Franklin, in Rocky Mount, came after Botetourt jumped off to a 2-0 lead. The following night they fell to Salem in a match that was delayed at the outset by lightning. The week concluded with a high-energy clash against Heritage, which ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw.
In a now familiar storyline, the Cavaliers built a two-goal lead but were unable to see out the result. Senior captain Isaac Alderman delivered a standout performance, securing his second hat trick of the season and consistently threatening in the attacking third.
“His leadership and clinical finishing helped power the Cavaliers’ offense throughout the match,” said Wright.
Additional contributions during the week came from Paxton Kirby and Cooper Pastrikos, who each found the back of the net, underscoring the team’s ability to generate scoring chances from multiple players.
“Though the results may not fully reflect it, the Cavaliers showed encouraging signs in their attacking play and overall fight,” said Wright. “The focus moving forward will center on turning strong stretches into complete performances, particularly in managing games when holding a lead.”
The girls defeated Franklin County at home, 2-1, as Taylor Jones scored both goals. Emery Collins and Reagan Helms had assists.
Last Wednesday Salem defeated the Cavs, 5-0, in Daleville. Botetourt was scheduled to play at Staunton River on Tuesday but results were too late for publication.
