Postseason soccer gets going Monday for girls’ teams in the area as Mason County will play Saint Patrick in the opening round of the 38th District Tournament for the second straight year.
Fleming County follows on Tuesday as they’ll take on Bath County.
Here’s a brief glance at the tournaments around the area:
38th District Tournament at Harrison County
Harrison County has won the last four 38th District titles, beating Mason County in the championship all four years. The way the draw is set up, things could be headed that way again if the Fillies get past Pendleton County and the Lady Royals can beat Saint Patrick.
Saint Patrick (2-9-1) vs Mason County (5-12), Monday, 6 p.m.
These two have met once this season, a 6-3 St. Patrick victory way back on August 13. They were scheduled to play again later in the season, but the Lady Saints had to cancel due to lack of players available. As injuries have piled up, that’s been the issue for both teams throughout the year. It’s really worn on the Lady Saints lately, having lost seven of their last eight games leading into the tournament. If they want a repeat performance of early on in the season, they’ll need Allison Hughes and Chloe Little at their best, the two have 20 of the 23 Lady Saints goals this year, including four of the six in the win over the Lady Royals.
Mason County has been able to turn things around a bit after a 2-8 start to the season, going 3-4 in their last seven games. Rachel Payne leads the team with 12 goals, Emylee Brophy behind her with eight.
Goals should come often in this one, the two teams having allowed a combined 146 goals in 29 combined games this season.
Winner heads to the championship on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., at Harrison County.
Harrison County (6-9-2) vs Pendleton County (3-15-1), Monday, 8 p.m.
The Fillies enter the tournament as the heavy favorite, having won the last four 38th District titles. With no seeding, the Fillies have played just one district game, a 10-0 victory over Pendleton County on September 25 and the two will face off again about two weeks later. Harrison County’s record is tops in the district. The Fillies are led by Kylie Hudgins with 14 goals on the season.
Pendleton County enters on a slide, having lost their last eight games coming into the tournament by a combined score of 41-3.
Winner heads to the championship on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., at Harrison County.
61st District Tournament at Rowan County
Fleming County (10-6-3) vs Bath County (3-11-1), Monday, 8 p.m.
Fleming County is hopeful to make its first trip to the 16th Region tournament since 2014 with a win over Bath County. Based off the regular season matchup, odds are in the Lady Panthers favor, having knocked off the Lady Cats 10-0 on September 5.
The 90 goals scored on the season are the second most in the 16th Region for Fleming County, trailing just undefeated Ashland Blazer. Haylee Applegate and MaKayla Lewis-Burnett have been the main keys to that, Applegate with 40 goals, Lewis-Burnett with 21. In their 10-0 win over Bath County during the regular season however, the Lady Panthers got goals from five different players, Applegate and Alexa Dials both netting hat tricks. After an 0-7-1 start to the season, Bath County has regrouped a little and finished 3-4 to close out the regular season. The Lady Cats have eliminated the Lady Panthers the last three first rounds of the district tournament.
The winner advances to Thursday’s championship at Rowan County at 8 p.m.
Rowan County (15-2-2) vs Menifee County (2-13-3), Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Rowan County aims for their eighth straight 61st District Championship, no other team able to claim the title since the district was formed in the 2012 season.
The Lady Vikings enter as favorites once again, having outscored district opponents 25-5 in three games this season, all comfortable victories. Promise Cross leads Rowan’s attack, having scored 27 goals this season, three short of 100 for her career. Cross scored three goals in Rowan’s 8-0 victory over Menifee on September 28. The lone loss for Rowan County this season in region play has come at the hands of Ashland, one of only two undefeated teams left in the state. Since the district was formed in 2012, Menifee County has failed to get out of the first round.
The winner advances to Thursday’s championship at Rowan County at 8 p.m.
Winner’s of Monday and Tuesday’s first round matchups will advance to the following week’s regional tournaments.
