Photo by Brian Hoffman
The Lord Botetourt boys’ soccer team has gotten hot at the right time. The Cavaliers have won four of their last five games, have qualified for the Class 3 state tournament and will play for the Region 3D championship on Thursday at Christiansburg at 7 p.m.
The Cavaliers opened the regional at Pulaski County and took a 2-1 win. Freshman Cooper Pastrikos showcased his technical ability by breaking down multiple defenders and capitalizing on a scoring opportunity near the top of the box to put the Cavaliers on the board. Sophomore Jonah Dunker later delivered the game-winning goal early in the second half off an assist from sophomore Gus Feeny.
The semifinal match proved to be the Cavaliers’ longest and most demanding contest of the season, extending through four overtime periods. After building an early 3-1 advantage, the Cavaliers saw regulation end in a thrilling 4-4 draw.
In the final golden overtime period, Dunker once again delivered the decisive goal off a perfectly played through ball from sophomore Braylen Wolford to secure the Region Championship berth. Sophomore Luke Peery led the offensive effort with two goals and an assist, while sophomores Cole Cecil and Jackson Taylor each added goals of their own.
That win clinched a spot in next week’s state tournament. If the Cavaliers win Thursday they would host a state quarterfinal game, and if they don’t win they still be in the tournament but play on the road. LB is now 10-7-3.
“What has made this regional run especially exciting is not only the victories and what they mean for the program, but also the balance of contributions throughout the squad,” said coach Tim Wright. “The Cavaliers have had five different goal scorers during Region play so far, and all five are underclassmen, a testament to their maturity in difficult moments and a promising sign for the future of the program.”
