Brian Woodson Bristol Herald Courier
NORTON, Va. – The Wise County Central girls soccer team has advanced to the Class 2 state finals in 2023.
Ryan Boling is hopeful the men's team can reach new heights this season.
“I don't think a Central boys team has ever made it past the first round of districts,” said Bowling, the Wise Central boys coach.
Senior Davis Miller and junior Isaac Wallin each scored two goals to lead the Wise Central boys team to a 4-0 win over Honaker on a chilly, breezy Thursday night at Central Football Stadium.
“Especially in this area, that's the name of the game. I think here and in Ridgeview we're going to have to fight the wind and cold no matter what,” Bowling said. “Sometimes that can be an advantage for us. A lot of teams aren't as ready as the guys who are here waiting for games, but we're in the locker room, so that helps.”
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Bowling has nine seniors on the roster, which could bode well for the Warriors, who lost to Abingdon and Gate City in early season games, but his team will likely struggle to compete with either as the season progresses. I feel that I will.
“I hope this is our year,” Bowling said. “If we don’t, we’ll rebuild, but we actually have quite a few eighth graders who are going to be coming in next year and are pretty good on the JV team, so it could work out.”
Honaker (1-2) held a 1-0 lead until the halftime break, when senior goaltender Austin Clayburn was unable to put another Wise Central shot on target.
“We played so well in the first half that we lost any momentum,” Honaker head coach Wilburn Johnson said. “In the second half, we came out and for some reason didn't look like the same group. We'll get there.”
It was getting cold and windy as the sun set over the surrounding mountains, but Johnson didn't look for excuses.
“They've worked hard. We're still young. We still have a lot of work to do to grow,” Johnson said. “Because of the weather and the cold, Central also had to play in it. That's actually unthinkable because I think every game we played was in the cold.”
Wise Central (2-2) received support from a senior class that included Gabe Ringley and Wes Cantrell, as well as Leighton Perry and Ben Vicars.
“They all put in shifts and we appreciate that and we're glad they're here,” Bowling said. “We don’t get a lot of opportunities to play soccer in Southwest Virginia, so it’s nice to have the opportunity to play soccer.”
Wise Central girls coach Matthew Mullins said Wallin is a player to watch and the junior has the potential to be the best athlete in the school.
“That core group has been together for five or six years, so I'm hoping they can come together,” Bowling said. “They’re probably the most talented Central team we’ve had in a while.”
Wise Central was able to pull away after halftime, but perhaps the most memorable of the three goals was Wallin's rifle shot that missed Clayburn's goal from about 30 yards out.
”[Austin] Last year was a really good year. Central made some shots, but he didn’t make many shots,” Johnson said. He was hit by a rocket. ”
Wise Central junior Noah Trent was able to pitch a shutout without putting the Tigers on the scoreboard.
“It was a little disappointing because we were 4-0,” Johnson said. “We have to figure out a way to create offense.”
Wise Central won its second straight game and falls to 2-2 with Le High visiting Norton tonight.
“We ended up making some changes to the schedule. In the end, the games against Abingdon and Gate City were decided from the beginning,” Boling said. “We took those two out. It wasn't good, but it was very early in the season. How we play at the end of the season is important.”
So is Honaker, and the Tigers join Patrick Henry, Halston and Rural Retreat in the Hogoheegee district, which has only four boys teams competing. Russell County rival Lebanon moved back to the Southwest Division as Honaker transferred this year.
“I played all of last year,” Johnson said. “Last year we were lucky to perform well against them, except for Lebanon. Lebanon were very talented last year and they will be this year as well…
“It's still early in the year. We've played Ridgeview, Lebanon and Central, but that's going to make us better at playing good players.”
This season, Coach Honaker has returned All-American Malachi Rowe, as well as seniors Travis Veers and Jaylon Hurt, junior Thomas Ball, and a sophomore who has moved from midfield to the wing position. Jackson Dye will be at the helm.
“I think [Dye] I'm just going to get into the role and get more comfortable with it,” Johnson said.[Viers] Just a big kid who works really hard.looking for [forwards Hart and Ball] To start improving and stepping up. ”
Johnson expects the Tigers to get better as the season progresses, with the goal of playing their best football when it matters most.
“We'll get there. We just have to work for it,” Johnson said. Johnson's son, Zane, was a key contributor last season and is currently a student at the University of Virginia. “Last year we lost four key players, our wingers and midfielders are young and we are trying to find our identity now.
“We still have some growing to do and I hope we can get there before the district games start…We need to grow.”
