Handley girls deal Wood first loss of year, win district title

WINCHESTER — No matter the outcome on Friday, both the Handley and James Wood girls' soccer teams knew there was no changing the fact that the Colonels would be the top-seeded North team for the Region 4D tournament.

Games between the Judges and Colonels always mean something, though. The smiles on the faces of the Handley players — and the hugs they shared with each other — after the latest battle was over spoke volumes about how special it is to beat a rival.

Handley captured its first Class 4 Northwestern District regular-season title since 2019 and won the season series with the Colonels with a 1-0 victory on Friday at James R. Wilkins Jr. Stadium.

The Judges (12-2-2, 7-0-1 district) — who will be the No. 2 North team for the Region 4D quarterfinals that take place on Wednesday — are the only team this year to beat the Colonels, who fell to 12-1-3 (6-1-1). Handley also tied them 1-1 at Kelican Stadium on April 30.

After they shook hands with James Wood, the Judges returned to the sideline and had something else to celebrate, screaming as they held up the BRYSA Cup. The Blue Ridge Youth Soccer Association trophy is awarded to the team that fares best in games involving the four Winchester-Frederick County teams.

Handley senior midfielder Bella Balio — whose 21st minute goal was the difference on Friday — summed up the biggest reason why the Judges wanted a win on Friday.

"It matters for our pride," she said.

Both teams put that feeling on display, as well as their grit while competing without key players.

James Wood, for example, has been playing without midfielder Jasmine Hackman for two games. And on Friday, the Colonels were without All-State midfielder McKenna Newcome due to health complications, according to James Wood head coach Donavan Russell. Newcome — who was on James Wood's sideline — was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease in February. The Colonels also lost outside back Nayah Edwards, who excelled when she moved up in the formation on Friday, to an injury halfway through the second half.

Handley was without the area's leading scorer in Emeryce Worrell for the last 47 minutes, also as a result of an injury. Worrell was taken to the team locker room after leaving the game. She tried to go back in to start the second half, but Judges coach Nicole Hobson said she was brought back to the sideline as a precaution. The team did not want Worrell getting hurt again.

"I thought it was a good fight by both teams," Hobson said. "People had to step into different spots on both sides."

The Judges are very much accustomed to playing without key players due to injury this year. They simply have faith that whoever steps into the game is going to get the job done.

"Because we've done it before, I think we're mentally prepared for those times when injuries pop up," Hobson said.

Before Worrell left the game, she did help create the lone goal. Hobson's senior daughter Madison played the ball 10 yards away from the end line toward Worrell. The junior one-touched the ball toward the middle, and Balio knocked the ball in with her first touch from the top of the goal box.

Nicole Hobson said they worked on that type of corner kick in practice on Thursday.

"We have not been executing on our corners this year," Nicole Hobson said. "We've had so many corners that have not translated, so that one felt good."

Alli Roberts made all five of her saves after that goal to make that lead stand up, including one on a blast by Jolie Jenkins from about 12 yards away.

Handley's defense did well to keep Roberts from being tested too much, though. The Judges have had four games where they've given up three goals or more, but overall, they've been stout on defense. Center backs Corin Edsell, a senior, and freshman Reese Craig, and outside backs Mia Kern, a junior, and sophomore Audrey DeArment helped Handley post its eighth shutout and become just the second team to hold the Colonels scoreless this year.

Rarely does a team start two varsity newcomers in the middle of their defense, but the Judges have two center backs who are extremely comfortable with each other despite being three years apart. Edsell, a transfer from Spring Mills in West Virginia, and Craig were teammates on the Judges' wildly successful basketball team in the winter, and their relationship has helped on the soccer field.

"It definitely helps, because we talk to each other on the court all the time," Edsell said. "And now it's us in the back, and we know how to communicate with each other. We know what we're going to do and think."

Edsell and Craig have been key for a Handley defense hit hard by graduation. Nicole Hobson, an assistant coach for the basketball team who has gotten to know the duo quite well this year, has liked how the defense as a whole has developed over the course of the season.

"They're understanding who's stepping [to the ball], who's not, who's more appropriate to be stepping, who's more appropriate to be cleaning up," she said. "And they're doing a great job keeping people to the outside and protecting the middle."

James Wood outshot the Judges 6-1 over the first 25 minutes of the second half, and had three straight corner kicks with about 16 minutes left. But the Judges didn't allow the Colonels to take a shot in the last 15 minutes, and they played more cohesively on offense and had quality opportunities to add to their lead.

The Colonels experienced the feeling of a loss for the first time all year on Friday, but Russell felt the team is doing well making adjustments.

"We're working hard to fill spots, and the girls are stepping up great to do it," Russell said. "We moved things around, we changed formations late in the game, and everybody just kind of worked their tails off against a tough opponent.

"I thought we were a little sluggish for the first 15 minutes, but it was a great soccer game. It's kind of what we're going to see [going forward with the quality of opponents], and it was a great primer for us as far as having players in different roles. It was a shame Nayah got hurt, because she played a great game going from the back to the middle. She really brought a lot of energy for us."

If Handley and James Wood meet again this season, it will be in next Friday's Region 4D semifinals with a state berth on the line. Both figure to get good tests from Jefferson District opponents in Wednesday's quarterfinals. The Judges will host No. 3 North seed Orange County (11-4) at 6 p.m. and the Colonels will take on No. 4 North seed Charlottesville (8-7-1) at 7 p.m. at Kelican Stadium.

"I think we're really strong right now," Balio said. "I think we're really excited to move forward [into the playoffs]."

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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