Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WHEELERSBURG — In the third Rocky movie, the announcer asks challenger Clubber Lang for a fight prediction and he responds, “Pain.”

The St. Joseph Female Flyers prediction before Saturday’s Division III sectional soccer tournament final was “Payne.”

Led by senior Sidney Payne, the Female Flyers blanked the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates 4-0.

“Sidney Payne showed why she’s an all-state play by controlling possession, beating players on the dribble, making incisive passing, and tracking back to defend the midfield,” said St. Joseph coach Kyle Weatherholt.

“It was one of the best all-around performances I’ve seen from a high school player.

Emma Saxby started the scoring for St. Joseph with a nice pass from Payne. The Female Flyers scored 14 minutes later on a pass from Saxby to Kaylee Sheridan who buried a shot into the upper corner from 18 yards out.

Leading 2-0 to start the second half, Lynsey Booker darted to a misplaced clearance and rifled a shot past the goalkeeper to make it 3-0.

In the 75th minute, Payne took the ball once again on a run and — with an assist from Megan Riley — took care of business with a low driving kick into the left corner of the net and it was 4-0.

“I need to give a lot of credit to the work put in by Ariel Porter. She ran twice as much as anyone else on the field. As a defensive midfielder, she shut everything down and got the ball moving the other way all night long,” said Weatherholt.

“Without the excellent play of their goalkeeper and central defender, the score could’ve been much higher.”

St. Joseph (13-2) will host Eastern Brown at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the sectional title game.

Tickets are $5 each and only OHSAA passes will be honored.

The winner advances to the district Saturday at Athens High School.

Wheelersburg 0 0 = 0

St. Joseph 2 2 = 4

First Half

SJ — Emma Saxby (assist Sidney Payne) 30:48

SJ — Kaylee Sheridan (assist Emma Saxby) 16:04

Second Half

SJ — Lynsey Booker (unassisted) 32:14

SJ — Sidney Payne (assist Megan Riley) 2:06