Thursday evening didn’t end the way the Bridgeport High School soccer team would have liked it to, but Coach John Reese is not disappointed with his girls’ season.

 

In a game that – because of lingering thunderstorms - stretched over the course of four hours, the Lady Mountaineers came out on top 3-1, clinching the WVSSAC Region II Section I title with a shot at the state title pending a regional win.

 

“I think their girls were hungrier than ours. Their girls have never been to the state tournament and have never been sectional champs,” Reese said. “Our girls have been sectional champs many times and regional champs too, playing at states three years in a row - winning it in 2012. It’s been two years since we’ve been there and again, this wasn’t our year.”

 

Reese said he doesn’t think his girls expected the battle to be such a tough one. Played on a grass field, conditions weren’t ideal, but he said conditions didn’t hurt nearly as much as some regular-season losses.

“It would have been different if we had taken care of business,” he said. “If we would have had a win at Grafton or at Liberty, we would have had home field advantage. Liberty beat the other two teams and we tied them. Our kids have to understand that. Every game we play is a big game.”

 

Thursday night, the Lady Indians found themselves down early in the contest.

 

“Liberty was hot. They came out to play and Camryn Starkey is a predator,” Reese said. “She knows how to get it in.”

 

Thanks to Starkey, the Lady Mountaineers were up 2-0 before the Indians found the net.

 

“We had our chances, but the ball would just stop in front of the goal,” Reese said. “It bounced around, but we just could not get something going.”

 

In the second period, Bridgeport’s Anna Cava scored on a corner kick, cutting the deficit 2-1.

 

“I had told Reagen (Lesher) that we had to take chances. We were down and we needed another goal,” Reese said. “If this thing got stopped, I didn’t think we would get to play again.”

 

Reese knew bad weather was approaching and if the game got called in the second half, the score would stand and the game would be declared final.

 

“We had to at least tie it,” he said.

 

But upon gaining possession of the ball, Liberty’s Makatlyn Tucker answered quickly, putting the Mountaineers up 3-1.

 

“She got a breakaway,” Reese said. “Reagen tried. She was just a hair behind her.”

 

Shortly thereafter, the rain came, along with lightning, putting the game on hold. It was announced that play would not resume until 20 minutes after lightning was seen. But the flashes kept coming and coming.

 

The team spent two hours in the locker room, giving them some important time to not only strategize, but also do some bonding, Reese said.

 

Finally, the game got under way but the final minutes were scoreless. Reese said he’s glad they got to finish. He said Liberty has a good team and the Indians will support them at Tuesday night’s regional at Robert C. Byrd.

 

“I’m happy for them. Those kids worked hard too and they have a nice team,” he said. “They don’t have the depth we have, but they have some very good players. Hopefully they’ll win Tuesday and get to experience what the state tournament is like.”

 

Preceded by the boys’ regional at 5 p.m., Liberty will take on Elkins 7 p.m. Tues., Oct. 25 at RCB.

 

As for the Lady Indians, the majority of his starters will be back for the 2017 season and he expects them to be strong. And they certainly have nothing to be ashamed of for the 2016 season.

 

“We were conference champions and had a very good season,” Reese said.

 

Bridgeport’s boys, who started play at 6 p.m. Thursday, an hour after the girls, got in a partial game before the weather struck. As the game was scoreless in the first half when it was called, it is being played at 6 p.m. today at RCB. If the Indians win, they will play in Tuesday’s regional. 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top are Lesher, Cava and some Bridgeport fans at Thursday evening's game. Photos are by Ben Queen. See more images HERE.