Saturday, May 29, 2004
Patriots not put out by Kansas concert
Even without a home-field advantage, Patrick Henry captures the Western Valley District title.
robert.anderson@roanoke.com 981-3123
Kristen McCoy is no fan of geezer rock band Kansas.
Not only did the Patrick Henry junior see the aging long-hairs push the Patriots' Western Valley District girls' soccer championship game out of Victory Stadium on Friday, McCoy has other musical tastes.
"I like country," McCoy said. "I like Tim McGraw."
McCoy and Patrick Henry will be on the Victory Stadium marquee Monday for a Northwest Region first-round game against Osbourn by virtue of their 2-1 victory over Franklin County in the WVD final at Cave Spring Middle School.
McCoy paved the way with a booming first-half goal as PH (15-2) built a 2-0 lead and held off a furious Franklin County charge.
It was the third win this year for the Patriots over the Eagles, who ended PH's season last year with a shutout in the WVD semifinals.
"They gave us all we wanted," McCoy said.
Franklin County (10-6-1) has eight sophomores and four freshmen on a 17-man roster and all would like to possess the scoring power of McCoy.
The junior midfielder blasted a laser shot from 25 yards out into the upper corner of the goal to open the scoring with a bang.
"You don't hit that shot every day," McCoy admitted. "I don't even practice those shots. I just practice the close ones."
Franklin County goalkeeper Jackie Bowman denied McCoy a goal with a diving save in the second half before Jordan Zardell put PH up 2-0 with 17 minutes to play.
However, the Eagles answered with a one-hopper by sophomore Lindsay Graewin that bounded over PH keeper Emily Peters into the back of the net with 14:54 left. Peters secured a soft lob by Graewin with 2:12 remaining as the Patriots' physical defense stifled the Eagles.
Franklin County coach Paula Duke was very pleased with her team's effort, which resulted in a first-round Northwest Region game Monday at Stonewall Jackson.
"This was still good," said Duke, a former Virginia Tech women's assistant. "Winning is important, but I'm more of a coach who looks at how we play. In my eyes, we outplayed them. They have one girl who can score, and we have a tough time time beating a stone wall of eight, nine, 10 defenders."
