The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS — The girls from Bath County are one win from the state tournament.
They’ll have two chances at that one victory.
Monday on Carl F. Williams Field, Stephanie Gardener scored two first-half goals and Kassedi Estes stopped 15 shots as the Chargers posted a 2-0 shutout of Galax in the quarterfinals of the Class 1, Region C girls soccer tournament.
Bath County (6-5-1) will travel to Auburn (15-0) for a semifinal match on Wednesday.
Win or lose, the Chargers will either be in a consolation match or the championship finals on Thursday back at Auburn.
Parry McCluer, who beat George Wythe 7-4 on Monday, will face Eastern Montgomery in the other semifinal Wednesday in Elliston.
Three teams — the two finalists and the consolation winner — will represent Region C in the state tournament, which begins next Tuesday.
Next week will be the first exclusive Class 1 state tournament. In previous years, Class 1 and Class 2 have played in the same event.
“We’re just excited,” said Charger coach Adam Frye. “To host a regional playoff game and then win it, and to win it so convincingly, I couldn’t be more pleased. Especially considering my lack of numbers. I’ve had kids fallin’ away with injuries and what not. They (Galax) outnumbered us and we still took it.”
Gardener gave the Chargers the lead on a penalty kick in the 8th minute after the Maroon Tide (3-15) was whistled for a hand ball in the box.
The junior’s PK found the left corner of the net.
“That was fantastic,” said Frye. “Especially because I think that was our first penalty (kick) of the year.”
Gardener then scored her team high 16th goal of the year off a scramble in front of the goal during first-half stoppage time.
“Fenia (Skovira) and Stephanie were just relentless,” Frye said. “Everything that we did offensively, especially when we got the goals, came from Stephanie and Fenia making something out of nothing. Stephanie was everywhere.”
Led by the work of Estes in goal, the Chargers earned their fifth shutout of the season.
Frye credited the work of Jillian Brown, Faith Nichols, Emily Douglas and Ella DeBoe on defense along with Estes’ job in the net, as well as the midfield of Camden Smith, Natalia Matos and Alicia Schwallenberg.
The Chargers now turn their attention to Wednesday and a match-up with the unbeaten Mountain Empire District regular season and tournament champion Eagles on their home turf in Riner.
“I know we’ve got a tough test on Wednesday with Auburn,” said Frye. “I may have only 11 players. But we’re going to make the most of it. Who knows?
“If we get to that consolation game, (we’ll) see who we’ve got,” he added. “In a week and half we would be playing in a state quarterfinal. That’s been the goal all year. The fact that we’re now within reach, it’s very much of a possibility. We have a legitimate shot.”
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Alicia Schwallenberg (22) advances the ball up the field in Bath County’s 2-0 Region C girls soccer win over Galax Monday on Carl F. Williams Field. The Chargers play at Auburn on Wednesday. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
