MC soccer girls in tough district

For the second straight year, Orange and Madison were set to make their season debuts against each other only to have their match postponed due to rain.

The season opener, which was slated for March 12, was postponed to March 16 and then postponed a second time to March 27.

While dark clouds loomed over the start of the season, Madison Head Coach Danny Crigler forecasts sunnier skies for the rest of it.

He and Assistant Coach Bruce Parker were eager to get things going.

“We were loaded with sophomores a year ago,” said Crigler. “Now, those sophomores are juniors and we’re looking to make a run at winning the Bull Run District.”

Madison finished the 2008 campaign with an overall record of 9-7-1 and ended the season losing in the Bull Run District Tournament semifinal match to Clarke County, 4-0.

George Mason went on to win the district title plus Region B and the Group A crowns as well.

“There have been ten Group A state champions,” said Crigler, “Between George Mason and Clarke County nine of those championships have been won by our district teams. The Bull Run District is the toughest district in Group A for girls’ soccer.”

Crigler is optimistic that this year’s Madison team can eclipse last year’s output.

“If we can get out of our district and into the region there are some teams that we can beat,” he said.

Of the 20 players on this year’s varsity roster, 11 are juniors and five are seniors. There are two sophomores and two freshmen. One of those sophomores, Samantha Cubbage, led the team last year in goals scored with 16.

Ashley Sealander, now a junior, was second on the team in scoring and another junior, Tori Puryear, is expected to go the distance in goals this year after sharing those duties with a senior last year.

“We have a strong team,” said Crigler. “A lot of our players have played together a long time.”

Opening the season against Greene County’s William Monroe on March 17 kicked off the first of five matches that Madison was scheduled to play in a 10-day period. After the decisive win over William Monroe, 5-1, the team traveled to Orange on March 20 and registered an unprecedented win over the Hornet girls, 5-2.

The Mountaineer girls were scheduled to play at home vs. William Monroe this past Tuesday and then at George Mason on March 26 and to end the busy week with the makeup match against Orange on March 27.

2009 MADISON COUNTY GIRLS SOCCER SCHEDULE

• March 26 – Visit George Mason, 7 p.m.

• March 27 – Host Orange County, 5:30 p.m.

• March 31 – Visit Wilson Memorial, 6:30 p.m.

• April 7 – Host Wilson Memorial, 5:30 p.m.

• April 9 – Host Rappahannock County, 5:30 p.m.

• April 17 – Visit Strasburg, 7 p.m.

• April 20 – Visit Clarke County, 7 p.m.

• April 21 – Host Manassas Park, 5:30 p.m.

• April 28 – Visit Rappahannock County, 7 p.m.

• April 30 – Host Clarke County, 5:30 p.m.

• May 5 – Host Strasburg, 5:30 p.m.

• May 8 – Visit Manassas Park, 7 p.m.

• May 12 – Host George Mason, 5:30 p.m.

• May 15 – Participates in Bull Run District quarter-finals top seeds, location, opponents and time TBA.

• May 19 – Participates in Bull Run District semi-finals top seeds, location, opponents and time TBA.

• May 22 – Participates in Bull Run District finals top seeds, location, opponents and time TBA.