NORTON, Va. - It was a season to remember for the Wise County Central girls soccer team.
Bella Newberry will certainly never forget her exit from the Class 2 state championship game 7-0 loss to Clarke County at Roanoke College last June.
"It was crazy because none of us expected it and we went all the way," said Newberry, whose Warriors defeated Honaker 1-0 on Thursday night at the Central Football Stadium. "It was crazy, I did break my arm last year during the state game so I had to leave, but from film, it looked good.
"I passed out, I was out of it," she added.
The path back won't be easy for the Warriors (3-0-1), who lost four seniors to graduation and talented sophomore Ameera Youmessi has been sidelined with a knee injury.
"It is just going to be hard to get there now that we have lost one our best players," Newberry said. "It is a big adjustment."
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Honaker (2-3) proved to be a worthy test for the Warriors, allowing just one goal by Alexander Onate off an assist by Newberry in the first half, while Wise Central goalkeeper Harley Jett was able to keep the ball from the back of her net.
"We did play well, we were down two players so we had some people out of position and having to play extra time, but I am extremely proud of how they played tonight," Honaker head coach Alicia Musick said. "We had a lot of shots on goal. They definitely kicked in. They saw it was a winnable game and they definitely played their hearts out."
Both teams dealt with a stiff wind that blew to the top of the hill where the school's football field is located. Bright sunshine did help in keeping warm.
"It is pretty difficult when it is windy and you never know what will come up the valley here, it could be a hailstorm or rain or wind," Wise Central 11th-year head coach Matthew Mullins said. "You just deal with the conditions and do the best we can."
"It is definitely hard because it is usually windy up there and I kick high balls and our team kicks high balls," added Newberry, a Dickenson County native, who has been playing soccer since she was 4. "We were definitely fighting the wind tonight."
Wise Central controlled the ball in the opening half, dominating the time of possession and getting the lone goal of the match with just under 20 minutes remaining when Newberry delivered a crossing pass to Onate, who was able to put the ball past all-state goalkeeper McKenzie Lowe into the back of the net.
"I just started playing left wing and tried to cross it," said Newberry, who normally plays on the right wing on defense. "I didn't think we would get it because they have big girls on defense, but we did good."
That would be enough for the Warriors.
"We just tried to put it in front of the frame and get something on it," Mullins said. "I think she almost hit it with the outside of her foot and had almost no angle, but she found a way to put it in and that made a difference today."
Honaker came out the second half and attacked the Wise Central net, putting pressure on defensive players like Emma Day and Brylan Adkins, along with Harper Miller, Sophia Stallard and others. Wise Central got no more shots past Lowe.
"The hardest difficulty shot we made and then when we had other opportunities we couldn't put it on the frame," Mullins said. "I think the second half we let up a little bit, the wind was against us and they had a ton of momentum.
"Honaker did a great job for 20 minutes and then we kind of settled back in, but when the defense packs in it, it is hard to create an opportunity."
Newberry admitted the Warriors weren't expecting Honaker to put up that kind of fight.
"No, we weren't," she said. "We watched film on them and we thought they would be a little bit competitive, but they showed up tonight. They did good."
Honaker had its own successful postseason last year, finishing 7-6-1 after losing to Auburn in the Class 1 quarterfinals on penalty kicks. Six players on that team earned all-state honors and five are back, led by speedy junior captain Julia Barton, who is one of the top scorers in the region, and was all over the pitch in this one.
"This game she had to move back and play some midfield, but that is the best game she has ever had," Musick said. "She showed up and really stepped up as a captain."
Now part of the Hogoheegee District, Honaker is the lone league school with girls soccer, forcing the Tigers to play higher-level competition. They have the talent to do it too, led by fellow captains Kiley Musick and Kedryn Hess, along with Kate Jessee and Lowe.
"We have been pretty successful over the years. It is hard to play 1A around here because there are not a lot of teams so we are forced to play these 2A and 3A schools," Musick said. "Our girls have proven time and time again that we can stick with them so I am proud of them."
Honaker already knows its competition at the region level won't be easy to tame.
"This year we are going to have to play in Region C so we are going to have to play with Auburn and Galax and those people," said Musick, who has a veteran squad with eight seniors and six juniors. "Definitely playing these 2A and 3A schools gets us prepared for that. Last year we lost to Auburn in the state quarterfinals on penalty kicks so these girls have proven themselves.
"We have a very old team. We don't have any sophomores or freshmen so it is definitely tough, but they have shown up and they have built on what they started last year."
Wise Central captured the Mountain 7 District regular season and tournament titles before finishing second in Region 2D and second in the state, defeating Appomattox and Bruton to get to the final game at Roanoke College.
"We joked last year about winning four trophies and they all looked at me like I had three eyes," Mullins said. "I was like, 'No, we can really do this if we put our minds to it.' We ended up with four so hopefully we will just start for one trophy and try to win our district."
Mullins is confident that his Warriors will continue to find ways to win in a different manner from last year's 17-4-1 campaign.
"We have got a really good group of girls that are coachable and working hard," said Mullins, who played football, wrestled and ran track at J.J. Kelly. "We have had some success this year. It hasn't looked the same, we have not put up big numbers, but the girls are engaged and they want it and we are working really hard."
Newberry could be forgiven for being a little careful on the pitch after suffering that broken left arm against Clarke County in the state finals, but she has tried not to let it bother her.
"They were super good, a lot of them were already signed to colleges and they shot 100 miles an hour at my arm and my arm was just bent at a weird angle," Newberry said. "It got hit tonight a couple of times so I have to try to protect it, but it feels good now."
Winning certainly helps that arm feel better for Newberry, a sophomore, who also plays volleyball for the Warriors.
"As long as we win," said Newberry, who certainly has an affinity for soccer. "I love the team, I love the school team, I love everything about it, the competitiveness, I love everything."