Heading into the Virginia High School League’s new postseason alignment, Bruton field hockey coach Joe Dougherty worried most about his unfamiliarity with his team’s opponents this time of year.
“They’re 10-7,” Dougherty said prior to his team’s Conference 24 championship against Northampton on Thursday. “That’s all I really know.”
Perhaps playing on your home field helps — a benefit Bruton earned by finishing the regular season 15-1 —but it didn’t take long for Dougherty’s group to solve the visiting Yellow Jackets.
Bruton dominated pretty much from start to finish, jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first half and cruised to a 4-1 victory in the inaugural Conference 24 championship game.
The Panthers, who were led by Shaylea Burket’s two goals and Carley Shannon’s three assists, were awarded a season-high 31 corners and earned a 17-2 advantage in shots.
“We played very well,” Dougherty said after the game. “They packed 10 girls in the circle and made us connect on our corners.”
Bruton (17-1) answered that call as all four of the Panthers’ goals came off set pieces.
Burkett opened the scoring 10 minutes in after deflecting Shannon’s laser shot into the back of the cage. Jessica Holmes was also credited with an assist on the play.
Kayla Copeman, Dasha Hill and Shannon continued to attack deep inside the circle for Bruton before Summer Zacharias scored on a well-executed corner set up by Taylor Everett to give the Panthers a 2-0 cushion they would hold until halftime.
The Panthers wasted no time padding their lead out of the break. Five minutes into the second half, Burket found the back of the cage for the second time on an assist from Shannon and Hill.
“We’re really unselfish near the goal,” Burket said.
Despite putting just two shots on goal all game, Northampton made the best of one them after Adrianna Simpson scored on an assist from Madi Lewis with six minutes left in regulation.
Bruton would get it back, though, with just over a minute to play after Hill scored on an assist from Shannon — her third helper of the game and 100th career assist — and Kassie Abbinanti.
With the win, Bruton will host its Region 4A tournament opener against Charlottesville on Monday at 7 p.m.
Coach Dougherty and Burket talk about the victory and moving forward into regionals in the video above.
Bruton 4 Northampton 1
Goals: Bruton- Burket (2), Zacharias, Hill; Northampton- Simpson
Assists: Bruton- Shannon (3), Holmes, Taylor Everett, Abbinanti
