In a remarkable occurrence, the Cavaliers of The Heights School in Potomac defeated Fairfax’s Paul VI Panters by a score of 3-0 for their first ever boys’ WCAC soccer title.
The Nov. 4 girls-boys doubleheader at The Catholic University of America marked the Cavaliers entrance into “rare air” – after many years as an independent.
The squad from Potomac led 1-0 at halftime – courtesy of a nice goal from Gonzalo Percovich in the 32nd minute. After 40 minutes – intermission – that is where the contest stood.
In the second 40 minutes, Heights goalkeeper Rye McMillen kept the Panthers from with a couple of very nice saves. The Cavaliers increased their lead to 2-0 when Daniel Diaz-Bonilla found the back of the goal.
The final margin of 3-0 occurred when a Paul VI defender inadvertently accounted for an “own” goal – late in the contest.
The Heights, which defeated Gonzaga in the semi-finals on penalty kicks, finished the 2018 campaign 15-0-2 and earned head coach Colin Gleason and the entire Cavalier squad a “gold” medal in their first season in the soccer-heavy WCAC.
In the regular season, The Heights thumped the Paul VI Panthers 8-1.
In the girls’ soccer final, a battle of the Titans took place just prior to the boys’ game – with the Falcons of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School defeating the Cadets of St. John’s College High School by a score of 3-2.
The Cadets, the 2017 WCAC Champions, scored first and last – but Good Counsel tallied three “intermediary” goals to give them the necessary cushion to prevail.
The game was deadlocked 1-1 at halftime after St. Johns Gabriella Natasi scored first and Good Counsel’s Trinity Dorsey scored second.
In the decisive final 40 minutes, Good Counsel’s Mia Bookhard tallied two consecutive goals for the Falcons – and Good Counsel took a commanding 3-1 lead.
Bookhard made it 2-1 via a “through ball” in which she beat the St. Johns defender and goalkeeper; Bookhard made it 3-1 via a nice line drive shot into the back of the net from beyond the “18”.
The Cadets’ Meghan O’Donovan tallied the game’s final goal – but it was too little too late for St. Johns’.
The Falcons, coached by Jim Bruno who has 12 overall Titles at Good Counsel, concluded the 2018 campaign with a record of 17-1-3.
St. John’s concluded the current campaign with an overall record of 9-4-1.
“I will definitely remember the character and leadership of this team, Bruno said “This was a real team effort tonight.”
