Flucos bow out in semifinals

PALMYRA — Wednesday night’s Region II semifinal between Fluvanna County and Broad Run last night was a game between two teams looking for redemption.

The Flying Flucos (11-6) ran off 11 consecutive wins to capture the team’s first-ever regular-season Jefferson District title before losing their last four games. The Spartans (14-6) won the regular-season championship in the Dulles District before falling in the tournament semifinals.

The Spartans were the ones able to redeem themselves Wednesday night, handling Fluvanna 3-0 to earn a date with Potomac Falls or Brentsville District on Friday.

Fluvanna was the aggressor early, controlling more possessions and causing Broad Run to go on the defensive. The Flucos were not able to keep up the attack for long as Broad Run took control around the 10th minute.

“This is a team that we went and saw Monday night, and they held possession on the team that they played,” said Fluvanna coach Patrick Dieter. “They just passed circles around them. But the other team gave them a lot of time to do what they wanted. We came out with the high-pressure, get-all-over-them attitude of getting in their face and not letting them do what they want to do.”

The Spartans were able to record the ever-important first goal of the night during the 14th minute, when sophomore midfielder Kevin Reitzel assisted sophomore fullback Evan Thomas.

Fluvanna was fortunate to go into the half only down one goal as two Broad Run goals were waved off, the first on an offsides call and the second for a hand ball.

“We were causing some fits for their backs,” said Broad Run coach Jonathan Hicks, noting that although the goals didn’t count, “we knew if we kept plugging away — eventually — we’d get one.”

Early in the second half, Thomas nearly recorded his second goal on an empty net but a nice sliding kick save by sophomore Fluco defender Jake Turner saved the goal. Senior goalkeeper Casey Cagle had been pulled out of position by a shot only a couple seconds earlier from the other side of the field.

“[My players] played hard,” Dieter said. “These guys have played all year through losing some of their best players [to injuries]…I thought they represented the district very well for having the kind of end of the season that we had.”

Fluvanna, however, could not keep Thomas from recording his second goal. In the 65th minute, Thomas knocked the ball into the goal after a beautiful throw-in by Broad Run’s Paul Ellington placed the ball right in front of the net.

The Spartans tallied their final goal under the two-minute mark on a penalty kick by junior midfielder Danny Reategui.