BECKLEY – Two quick goals in the opening ten minutes of the second half doubled the lead to 4-0 for Woodrow Wilson as Morgantown fell to the top-seed in the boys soccer state semifinals on Thursday morning in Beckley.
The Flying Eagles, the defending state champions, scored a pair of goals in the second half after a competitive 40 minutes, but came out in the second half on the front foot and scored two goals in succession to take the air out from under the Mohigans.
Woodrow got on the board first after a foul inside the 18-yard box earned a penalty kick 15 minutes in.
MHS goalkeeper William Chang saved the initial attempt by Woodrow’s Johnathan Scott, but the rebound fell right back to Scott’s feet, and he calmly tucked the opening goal into the net.
Ten minutes later, the lead doubled as 2024 player of the year Coby Dillon saw an effort from 20 yards deflected away from Chang and into the net for the second goal of the game.
In the closing moments of the first half, MHS forward Anthony Vessecchia drew a foul inside the box, earning a penalty kick. He stepped up to take the spot kick, but clanged his effort off the crossbar, and the ball was cleared safely.
The Flying Eagles pounced in the opening moments of the second half, scoring less than 60 seconds in, and twice before ten minutes had ticked off the clock to lead 4-0.
MHS did find a breakthrough from senior Ray Hannif, who scored a beautiful effort from outside of the 18-yard box to the far corner of the net midway through the second half.
MHS ends its 2025 season 13-3-5. Head coach Sam Snyder will also be stepping down as head coach after two state titles as head coach and one as an assistant.
