PA extends run, tops Valley View

CLASS 4A GIRLS PULASKI ACADEMY 2, VALLEY VIEW 0

BENTON — It’s been 804 days since Chris Owen’s Pulaski Academy girls soccer team was last beaten.

Seven of Owen’s 11 starters came into Friday’s Class 4A state championship game having never lost a high school game — and they still haven’t, defeating Valley View 2-0 at the Benton Athletic Complex for their second straight state title.

The Bruins (21-0-1), who have not lost in 43 consecutive games dating to last season, got their first win of the day before the match had even kicked off, winning the coin flip to decide which direction they would be playing.

Typically this wouldn’t be too consequential, but with wind gusts approaching 20 mph it had the potential to change the game.

The first half ended 0-0, although it was anything but even. Pulaski Academy had nine shots — compared to one by Valley View — and held nearly 90% of the possession with the wind at its back. It took nearly 20 minutes for Valley View to have its first touch in Pulaski Academy’s half of the field, despite receiving the opening kickoff.

In the second half, with the wind still raging, Owen was able to change tactics in search of the first goal.

“We’ve struggled with it a little bit [this season],” Owen said. “The ball runs away from us, and the kids try to overplay it or hit it too long. We just wanted to play short and pass the ball [in the first half]. And then in the second half, we wanted to be a little more direct and get in behind them.”

Goalkeeper Molly Findley was strong throughout the game for Valley View (51-11), finishing with 13 saves.

“Molly’s been an awesome asset to us,” Valley View Coach Ron Teat said. “[Usually] she doesn’t get a lot of work, and then every so often we have to ask her to step up big. She made some huge saves early on that kept us in the game.”

But in the 48th minute, she was beaten by a Megan Johnston shot across goal to open the scoring.

Pulaski Academy’s possession of the ball wouldn’t wane much in the second half, with its goalkeeper Blakely James not being forced into a save until the 52nd minute.

The Bruins managed 16 shots on target to the Blazers’ 2, but it was an own goal off a cross from Jasmine Burns that would seal it in the 62nd minute.

“We played quite well, actually, we just couldn’t finish off in the first half,” Owen said. “We just had to be patient. Once the first one went in, everybody settled down a bit.”