Monticello girls soccer’ Hannah Anderson had been squeezing in a little too much on her runs for the Mustangs. But she didn’t this time, staying wide and unleashing a terrific cross inside.
“I’ve just been harping on her about staying wide and not tracking in,” Monticello coach Thomas Warren.
Kayla Burton sensed that she was going to have to move fast to make Anderson’s cross count.
“Kayla knew there was going to be pressure right away, so she just swung her leg,” Warren said. “I don’t know if it was the prettiest strike.”
It may not have been pretty but it was certainly consequential — one of the most consequential goals in program history. Burton found the back of the net, putting the Mustangs up a goal and that score held up as the gamewinner as Monticello beat Western Albemarle 1-0 to win the Region 3C championship. That’s the first region title in program history and earns the Mustangs their first home state playoff game next week.
The Mustangs will host Lord Botetourt or Hidden Valley Tuesday in the state quarterfinals.
“Last year was the first time we’ve been to states and they’re thrilled,” Warren said. “They’re really excited to have a home game.”
Western came close to the equalizer a few times and generated 11 shots, including a diving header that went wide but couldn’t break through as Monticello’s defense held its ground in front of keeper Erin Mathews. It was Mathews’ 11th shutout of the season.
Over the last three years, Monticello has lost seven times to Western including a Region 3C semifinal game a year ago and a pair of regular season meetings this year. A lot of teams have lost a lot of games during that stretch to the two-time defending state champion Warriors though, so that’s not a huge surprise. But the Mustangs have been working to get over that hump for a long, long time.
“This season has been about the psychological battles, it’s a matter of belief,” Warren said. “Mentally everyone was just in it, they were 100 percent committed to the win.”
The Mustangs were able to overcome being the region’s No. 7 seed to run their way to the region title, beating the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds before battling past the Warriors.
One key ingredient was the return of Abby Drumheller, a second team All-JD pick as a midfielder a year ago. Drumheller tore her ACL back in October and a speedy recovery opened the door for her to take the field after being cleared just before the final regular season game. Against the Warriors, she played 60 minutes as a center midfielder and made a big difference as the Mustangs managed to hold Western scoreless, a feat few teams have been able to pull off in the last few years.
“It was huge to have her back — we’ve been missing her all season,” Warren said.
Now Drumheller and the Mustangs get a shot at a state title, starting with that home game Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
