Stone Bridge: Not the Start or Finish Bulldogs Softball and Girls Soccer were Looking For

Ashburn (June 6, 2012) - On paper it should have been a brilliant evening for Stone Bridge High School's softball and girls soccer teams as the two Northern Region champions hosted Central Region runner-ups in VHSL state quarterfinals Tuesday.

Things, however, didn't go exactly as planned for the two programs which came into the big night with just four combined defeats in 46 total contests.

For starters, the girls soccer game actually kicked off a few minutes early and by the time some Bulldog fans made their way into the stadium it was already 1-0 Deep Run with a shocking goal just 86 seconds into the contest. Over at the softball field, things were delayed with a late arrival of the Patrick Henry-Ashland squad and after the first pitch, Stone Bridge squandered a first inning opportunity that set the tone for the game.

Less than two hours later, it was all over as Patrick Henry (22-2) closed out a 4-0 shutout over Stone Bridge (24-3) softball, and then down on the soccer field, Ashley Herndon's late goal with 20 seconds left only made the final score a little more palatable, as the Bulldogs (16-3-2) fell to the Wildcats (19-3), 3-2.


While both teams had plenty to cheer about for 2012 with Liberty District and Northern Region titles and both teams were stocked full of juniors and other younger players that gave hope to a run at 2013, there were still the emotion of a season ended, especially for the seniors.

"I'm proud of them, I love them," said Stone Bridge girls soccer coach Joan Windows with tears in her eyes after having addressed her solemn team. The Bulldogs will graduate just five seniors.

Stone Bridge softball coach Billy Rice was already looking forward to 2013 and sent his girls home with a challenge.

"I challenged them to take what this feeling is like and do something about it next year," said Rice who will return his entire starting hitting line-up.

While both opponents Tuesday were runner-ups in their region, they had the heart of champions and could just as easily been hosting as the Deep Run girls soccer team fell in penalty kicks to Cosby in the Central Region finals and the Patrick Henry softball team lost a 2-0 lead in the 6th inning to fall to Cosby in their regional final.

Windows had coached some of the Deep Run players when younger on the travel soccer level so she knew all about their talent level. Despite the quick goal, Stone Bridge settled into the game at the 10-minute mark and for the next 20 minutes peppered the Wildcat goal but just couldn't find the net.

"We had our opportunities," said Windows.

While Deep Run was content to pack it in and use its speed with senior Tori Fubara, who scored the early goal, shaking loose again in the final minute of the half to make it 2-0 Deep Run. That awoke something in the Bulldog attack and just 30 seconds later, freshman Lauren Brower ran onto a ball played by junior Ashley Herndon -- it appeared to be a pass meant for junior Murielle Tiernan -- and tapped it home to give Stone Bridge life at the half, down 2-1.

Deep Run, which had played a physical game over the weekend in the Central Region title match, kept Tiernan and Stone Bridge's offense at bay in the second half with some rough and tough play. The Wildcats racked up the fouls but the free kicks did not lead to any SB scores.

"We weren't able to move the ball around like we normally do as it was very physical," said Windows. "We had a lot of injuries this year and we lost our depth but that is not an excuse for losing tonight."

Fubara's third goal made it 3-1. All signs pointed to the stars not aligning for Stone Bridge as a Herndon would-be goal was called back with less than 10 minutes to play for a Bulldog foul. Herndon final tally was too late as the final whistle came moments later.

In softball, Stone Bridge and Patrick Henry were locked in a scoreless battle after the Bulldogs left runners on second and third with one out in the first inning. Patrick Henry finally broke through with an unearned run in the fifth inning on three Stone Bridge errors.

"We gave them too many outs," said Rice.

Stone Bridge's big bats hit the ball hard but Patrick Henry's defense made the plays behind Emma Mitchell, who mixed up her pitches and took advantage of a liberal strike zone to throw a 4-hitter.

Another Patrick Henry run in the sixth made it 2-0 but both teams knew that things weren't over as Stone Bridge had scored three times in the Northern Region title game to beat Oakton, 5-4, and Patrick Henry had given up that 2-0 lead in their regional title game.

Stone Bridge got two runners on in the sixth and brought up the go-ahead run to the plate but  Mitchell got a come-backer to end the threat and when Patrick Henry doubled their lead in the top of the seventh on Sam Moore's two-run hit it was time to start the Patriots bus.