James Wood tops Millbrook in Conference 21 West girls' soccer

By JERRY HOLSWORTH | Special to The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — “Relentless” is the word that best describes James Wood forwards Kaylah Gankiewicz and Katie Padgett.

In a game that featured very little offense, the duo’s relentless pursuit of a goal made the difference as the fourth-seeded Colonels edged No. 5 Millbrook 2-1 at Jerry L. Kelican Stadium.

The triumph sets up today’s clash at No. 1 Woodgrove at 6 p.m.

“I thought we played good enough to win,” Colonels coach Jim Carden said. “We’ll have to play a lot better against Woodgrove.”

After a scoreless first half, it was Millbrook that nearly broke through early in the second half when Carrington Nordin launched a blistering free kick from 40 yards out that would have gone in except for a brilliant save by Colonels goalkeeper Claire Beccaccio.

Gankiewicz and Katie Padgett took over after that.

With the ball near the Millbrook penalty area, Padgett sent a perfect pass to Gankiewicz who sent the ball past Pioneer goalkeeper Indigo Kupka from 10 yards out with 34 minutes remaining.

“Katie just hit an amazing ball over their defender,” Gankiewicz said. “It left me wide open with just their goalie to beat.”

While the Colonels (8-7-1) attacked the Millbrook goal successfully, the Wood defense kept Millbrook’s forwards clear of Beccaccio. The Pioneers had just three shots in the half, two coming in the final minutes of play.

“I really can’t take credit for the way we played on defense,” Colonels sweeper Neary Casebolt said. “We got a great effort from everyone on the back line.”

Wood expanded its lead at the 19-minute mark on an amazing display of ball handling by Padgett.

Gathering the ball nearly 30 yards away from the Pioneers goal, the sophomore weaved between and around three Millbrook defenders then sent the ball into the Pioneers’ net to put Wood up 2-0.

“I saw a little space after I beat their first defender,” Padgett said. “It was really intense out there.”

“You could see how they covered Katie and she was able to weave through their defense like that,” Carden said. “That’s a big-time play.”

Millbrook (3-13) didn’t let its season run out without a fight.

With 3:45 left, Nordin sent in a free kick from 40 yards out into the Wood penalty box. Racing at top speed, Millbrook senior Kristen Hunt hammered a header into the net to bring her Pioneers within one.

“I knew I had to get my head on it to give it a chance to go in,” Hunt said. “It was a perfect pass from Carrington. That goal really gave us hope.”

For the next three and a half minutes. Millbrook attacked with desperation and nearly tied the game when Ashleigh Nail’s shot from 15 yards out missed by inches.

“This was very disappointing,” Millbrook coach Matt Cottino said. “We fought hard for 80 minutes and I’m very proud of them. I’m hurting right now for my girls but you have to take your hat off to James Wood. They were facing the same thing we were and they found a way to get the job done.”

While the Colonels celebrated, Pioneer senior midfielder Nicole Taylor, who has battled injuries all season, summarized the feelings of her team.

“It was really exciting, but it was also nerve-racking,” Taylor said. “I knew that there was a real possibility that this was going to be my last game as a Millbrook soccer player. I’m so glad though that my last game was with these girls, I wouldn’t want to have done it with anyone else.”

James Wood faces Woodgrove (11-3-4), which went 4-0 in Conference 21 West play. The two played once in late March.

“Woodgrove is certainly going to be a challenge, but we only lost to them by two (2-0) the last time we played them,” Casebolt said.