Knights Capture CWVAC Soccer Championship

By Shirley Shuman
A successful season for the BCMS Knights’ soccer team culminated in a 4-1 win over Summersville last Saturday for the conference championship. Obviously happy with her team’s win, Coach Lindsay Casto said, “I was very proud of the team’s focus, discipline, and mental toughness. We had a few take it on their shoulders with massive efforts on both sides of the ball. They were not going to be denied.”
In goal for the Knights, Blaine Hines “fought hard to keep the Bears’ shots away from Braxton’s net. He secured the goal and saved a total of 11 shots from entering.” As the score shows, Hines allowed only one goal to enter the Knights’ net. Scoring for Braxton came from Josh Anderson, Holden Lloyd, Mackenna Robinson, and Joal Ransbottom.
Coach Casto spoke of the “steely nerves” of her players as well as the “enthusiastic fans for both sides.” At the end of the first half, the score was tied 1-1, but the Knights’ coach said her players “came together and knew what they had to do to dominate the field for the remainder of the game, and they did exactly that.” She added, “Summersville came to play, and I’m proud of all the players on both teams. It was a great match and everyone showed sportsmanship.
To get to the final game, the Knights played George Washington Middle School two days before. In that semi-final game, the Braxton coach noted, “Braxton’s get-it-done work ethic outlasted George Washington’s attack.” The result was a 3-1 win for the Knights and a trip to the championship game.
After describing the tension her team showed—the eighth-graders aware that if they didn’t win, this would be their last game as Knights and the lower classmen realizing it could be the last game they played as a team with the eighth-graders, the coach gave a rundown of the game.
After the first half, the Knights were up 2-0 with both goals coming from Zack McQuain. Because of George Washington’s strength on both side of the ball, “the Knights had to be prepped and ready for every play and shot they had.” Coach Casto noted that the Back D made up of Kaylee Jo Casto, Tanner Rader, and Sparrow Potasnik-Reiter “built a wall and tried to keep the ball from going back towards their goal.” Sweepers Maddison Singleton and Josh Anderson backed them up “as the last defense to kick it back up the field.” McQuain scored another goal in the second half to secure the win.
Mid D Makenna Robinson, Cade Squires, and Mallory Daniels “played strong and block the ball to create plays for the offense—Zack, Joal, and Holden.” Hines, Braxton’s goalie allowed only one George Washington shot into the Knights’ net.
Looking at the season and the team’s hard work, Coach Casto remarked, “I’m honored to be a part of the Knights’ development and so excited about the future of BCMS soccer. It has been a great season and one that I will never forget.”