The Oak Hill girls soccer team has advanced to the sectional championship game each of the last two seasons only to be denied by longtime rival Beckley.
Now the Red Devils are looking to exchange frustration for glory in regards to the postseason.
“This is my third year and this group has come a long way,” head coach Gerald Wilburn said. “The team overall is much deeper than it has been and I expect to have a good season out of this bunch.”
There are good reasons for Oak Hill fans to be excited.
Led by four seniors, the Red Devils have experience all along the pitch and quality players eager to contribute coming off of the bench.
“We return everybody in the back where we have senior Sam Dean who is our team leader,” Wilburn said. “She is aggressive and one of the better defenders, I feel like, in the state of West Virginia. She is tough and she is motivated. She will come knock on your door if you aren’t showing up for the morning run. That is the type of player she is for us.”
Dean will be joined by returning seniors Peyton Light and Ava Curtis who played left and right back for the Red Devils last season.
In the scoring third, Oak Hill has four strikers that will create havoc for opposing defenders.
“We have my daughter, (sophomore) Jada (Wilburn), (junior) Emmy Harlan, along with (senior) Jade Babkirk on a wing and (junior) Tayler Sizemore on a wing,” Wilburn said. “I have a freshman, Gracie Bennett, that has come in and she is going to play a little bit of everywhere, up front and on the wings. She is dynamite. She had two goals against Bluefield that came just off of hustle. She was in the right place at the right time, cleaning up in front of the goals.”
Juniors Kerrisyn Feazell and Madi Friebel, along with sophomore Ryleigh Lucas control the midfield for the Red Devils and can also move forward to punch one in the back of the net.
“We will bounce around to different formations all year. I am trying to find the best fit for what we have. I want them to get big on the field and move the ball. I have tried to teach that since I have started,” Wilburn said. “People fuss at you because you are playing the ball backwards, but that is how soccer is played. You can’t just kick through balls and long balls and outrun everybody when you aren’t faster. You also run your team to death trying to do that. You have to build up and move together.”
Junior Keilee Barb and sophomores Brooke Hurley and Evie Sparks are expected to be solid contributors, as well as freshman Emma Curtis.
“Emma is a talented freshman that will really help us down the line. She is also a really good runner and runs cross-country,” Wilburn said. “Kiersten Settle is back from a knee injury last year. She will play some. She has been running and she has been at every practice. She is motivated to get back at it. We are just taking it slow, but she has done well.”
Junior Taylor Suttle returns in goal and had a good summer season according to her coach.
Wilburn has made it clear that the goal this year is to take the next step and win the sectional title this year.
“Our goal is to win the sectional title and we have talked a little bit about it. The sectional games are always tough, but we have goals,” Wilburn said. “My kids are motivated to win a triple-A sectional title because we haven’t done that while I have been here.”
In a section that includes Princeton, Beckley and Greenbrier East, home field advantage has been huge in the postseason.
“We have done a lot of work on our field and it is looking better than it ever has since I have been here. Home field advantage is big for us, especially against a teams like Beckley and East,” Wilburn said. “East plays very good soccer. They spread it out well, move the ball well and they are well coached. The field they have really benefits them more than us. Beckley plays on the turf which helps their speed.”
The first step in the battle for home field advantage happens Tuesday at Paul Cline Stadium when Oak Hill visits Beckley for a rematch of the last two sectional championship games.
“I don’t have to motivate them for tomorrow. They are self motivated and have some revenge in their eyes,” Wilburn said. “I expect a good game. It is always close at Beckley and they have some really good players.”
The Red Devils and Flying Eagles kick at 6 p.m. Tuesday and will meet again Sept. 21 in Oak Hill.
