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Riverbend's Meredyth Frye (front) and Courtland's Wanda Noblin battle for the ball during yesterday's Group AA championship match. Riverbend beat Courtland, 2-0, to earn the school's first team state championship.
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MORE PHOTOS:View bonus images from the game.
RADFORD--Dennis Berry will remember something particular about each of his three senior captains.
The Courtland High School girls soccer head coach said defender Stacy Fletcher was a "phenomenally skilled" player who always ran nonstop.
Fellow defender Kayla Patterson was the "inspirational" leader of the team and midfielder Wanda Noblin was a "smooth and effortless" player who was a joy to watch.
Berry's admiration didn't waver after the Cougars' 2-0 loss to Spotsylvania County and Battlefield District rival Riverbend in yesterday's Group AA state championship game at Radford University.
"They've just been fantastic," he said of all seven of his seniors. "They've made this program what it is."
Courtland's group of seniors also includes goalkeeper Krystal Garrison, midfielder Brianna Stout, forward Ana Hernandez and defender Jennifer Hudson, who scored the game-winning penalty kick in the Cougars' 2005 state quarterfinal-game victory over Potomac Falls.
Most of the group have played more than 90 games in their careers at Courtland, including two state title game appearances.
"We've been here twice and we loss both times," Noblin said. "But it's still been the best experience of my life."
The Cougars (19-5-1) were visibly dejected after their fifth setback to the Bears this season, but could still positively reflect on their three-year run of excellence.
Berry said this year's march was just as much fun as the one in 2005 that ended with a loss to Stone Bridge.
But it was also mentally draining.
The Cougars were involved in three penalty-kick shootouts that could have ended their season.
They pulled through each time, including a 5-4 (4-1 in penalty kicks) victory over Hidden Valley in the state semifinals on Friday in Radford.
"It's fun, but it's also emotionally taxing," Berry said. "The kids were always on the edge of their seat."
After yesterday's loss, Cougars freshman Tempestt Roper tried to lift the spirits of her senior teammates.
Roper hugged Fletcher shortly before the co-captain went to accept the tournament's runners-up trophy.
Roper said the seniors have been positive role models who helped increase her level of play during the drive to the championship game.
"I was a little sad for them," Roper said. "So I was telling them, 'You guys had a great year, and hopefully when you go off to college, you'll do even better.'"
Fletcher is headed to the University of Mary Washington. Noblin will play for Radford. Patterson will attend Christopher Newport with hopes of joining its soccer program.
All three said they expected the Cougars to get as far as they did.
"There's so much talent on this team you can't help but expect to be here," Patterson said. "That's what our coaches expected. Every single one of us sat down at the beginning of the season and set goals. Our team goal was to win states."
That didn't happen in Patterson's career, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort.
In 2005, the Cougars ran into a Stone Bridge team that was headed to Group AAA the following year. All five of the Cougars' losses this season came to Riverbend, which is headed to the Group AAA Commonwealth District next season. That should leave the Cougars to rule the Battlefield once again.
"We're looking fine," Berry said. "We've got a lot of talent on this team and we've got a lot of talent on the [junior varsity] team. We should be pushing again next year."
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