Northside High School’s Jim Hickam Field will be the site for both the Blue Ridge District girls’ and boys’ soccer championships this Friday night. The girls’ championship is scheduled for 5 p.m. with the boys to follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Semifinals for both tournaments were Tuesday. In the girls’ tournament Lord Botetourt was at Franklin County and Northside was at William Byrd. The boys’ semifinals had LB hosting Franklin County and Northside at top-seeded William Fleming.
The Botetourt girls are the third seed, coming into the week at 10-7 overall and 6-4 in the district. The girls come into the post-season red hot as they went 3-0 last week, outscoring three opponents by a total score of 9-1.
The week opened with a 5-1 win over William Fleming in Roanoke. Taylor Jones had a three-goal “hat trick” for the Cavaliers and Addison Purser and Emery Collins had one goal each.
A night later in Daleville the girls took a 4-0 win over E.C. Glass in a game called at halftime due to lightning. Jones, Kendall Nixon, Reagan Helms and Maggie Hoover all scored for LB.
The regular season wrapped up on Friday with the second shutout win over the week, 5-0 at Northside. Ella Fetcher had two goals and Helms, Nixon and Summer Sharp all hit the net for LB.
The boys closed out the regular season with two impressive wins, highlighted by a statement 3-1 win over previously undefeated William Fleming in Daleville. The Cavaliers delivered one of their most complete performances of the season against the visiting Colonels by capitalizing on key moments throughout the match. Jackson Taylor and Isaac Alderman each had standout performances, both scoring a goal while also recording an assist. Cooper Pastrikos added another goal after finding the back of the net on a loose ball following a corner kick.
The Cavaliers carried that momentum into the regular season finale at home against Northside Friday, grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Luke Peery scored the game’s lone goal off a corner kick as the Botetourt defense secured the shutout to close the regular season on a high note.
The Cavaliers also appear set to enter the regional tournament as the number four seed, most likely hosting Pulaski County in the opening round.
