Oak Hill girls soccer head coach Gerald Wilburn took over the program heading into the 2021 season. Wilburn inherited a team hit hard by graduation and appeared to be in full rebuilding mode.
However, battling a rash of injuries that depleted the roster, Wilburn still guided the Red Devils to the sectional championship game in year one.
Wilburn’s teams have mimicked that feat each of the last two years, but unfortunately for Oak Hill, the sectional title game has been the stopping point each season.
Now the Red Devils are back with another team that is considered to be a sectional title contender.
“I have had really good groups of kids and this team is the same way,” Wilburn said. “Overall I think our team speed is a little better though. I have seen glimpses of pretty good soccer, but sometimes we are still kicking the ball all around everywhere and not playing very good soccer.”
The biggest concern heading into the 2024 season had to do with graduation losses along the back line.
“We lost our whole back line except for Ryleigh Lucas who is the center-back this year. She took Sam Dean’s spot. Now we have Kerrisyn Feazell, Brooke Hurley and Kearsten Settle, as well as Keilee Barb, Hallie Allen and Ava Emery.”
The good news for Oak Hill is what was thought to be a possible weakness has not materialized through the early part of the season.
“We have a good group in the rotation back there. We have already pitched four shutouts,” Wilburn said. “They have been pretty strong in the back. Taylor Suttle has played well as the keeper. She can really get up the air. The (back line) has really not been an issue this year.”
Feazell has also provided solid leadership in her final season in a Red Devil uniform according to her coach.
“Kerrisyn is our rover, playing up and back, but she has played lights out for us,” Wilburn said. “She is a senior and she gives us energy. She has really carried the team this year.”
Over the last three years, the Oak Hill defense has been solid, but the scoring has been a tough go. So far this year, the Red Devils have had better fortunes finding the back of the net, scoring nearly 40 goals in ten matches.
A big factor in the accelerated scoring has been the play of a trio of freshman, Serenity Bourgord, Bella Holly and Rachel Wells. Holly has been the biggest contributor scoring 10 goals through to go along with four assists.
“The freshmen have been key contributors. We scored 27 goals in the first three matches and a lot of them were just because of Bella’s play down the right wing and crossing the soccer ball,” Wilburn said. “She is just an unselfish kid. That is what I like about her. Serenity is like a bulldozer and can play about anywhere. They are all good energy. It is good to have young legs and kids that have played soccer.”
Junior Jada Wilburn adds more firepower in the scoring third. The reigning Lootpress Female Soccer Player of the Year has scored eight goals in her seven games played and she also has four assists.
Senior Madison Friebel is third on the team with six goals and four assists followed by Bourgord with four winners. Tayler Sizemore and Gracie Bennett, who is coming off of a knee injury, give Oak Hill a threat from the left wing. Emma Curtis has also played well this year according to Wilburn.
“I knew they were talented. It was just going to be about how they would fit in,” Wilburn said about his freshman group. “We have a good group of kids as far as attitude and selfishness. They have fit right in. We are just trying to move some stuff around to kind of figure it all out.”
The three losses so far this season have come against stiff competition including George Washington, Nitro and Herbert Hoover, all ranked in the overall top-20 in the Mountain State.
The Patriots have been the regional measuring stick for several years now and Oak Hill made a strong showing in a 3-2 setback.
“We scored two against GW and they got a penalty kick on us as well. That was without Jada playing,” Wilburn said. “It really showed our girls that we can play with them. It’s kind of our time to return the favor on some of these teams we have taken it from the last couple of years.”
The Red Devils have also earned a draw with sectional rival Greenbrier East this year and has a 4-3 win over Woodrow Wilson to its credit.
All three years of Wilburn’s tenure has involved a postseason showdown with the Spartans and the Flying Eagles. That could once again be on the docket for the end of October.
Oak Hill won the semifinal battle in 2021 and 2022 before the Spartans earned a 1-nil decision last year to win the sectional championship.
If that match materializes with East, Wilburn is convinced it will once again be an intense battle.
“Ryan White and Caroline Dotson are still there. I don’t think they are ever going to leave. All four years I have coached they have been here,” Wilburn said, playfully. “(Greenbrier East head coach) Mike (Dotson) does a fantastic job with those kids. He probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He makes them competitive. We know each other well. It was a good game, back and forth earlier this year.”
The intense scheduling gauntlet continued for Oak Hill Thursday when it traveled to Winfield and earned a 0-0 draw. The Red Devils will battle Cabell Midland Saturday in their “Kolton Strong” game to honor classmate Kolton Hess who is fighting leukemia. All proceeds from the day will go to the family.
The Red Devils and the Spartans will clash again in Oak Hill next Tuesday.
“We fought back against East and it was the same against GW. It is easy to fold the deck, but these kids played hard and they get after it,” Wilburn said. “We have kind of built the program for this. I have had these seniors for all four years. We have developed it into what it is right now.”
