PVI Special Olympics Soccer Nets a State Championship Win

They came, they saw, they conquered. ’s Special Olympics soccer team took Virginia Beach by storm the weekend of November 4, returning home with gold medals from the State tournament. 

A strong showing in the Saturday scrimmages placed the Panthers in a high division for Sunday's tournament. The team was undeterred and came away with hard-fought 3-1 and 4-1 victories to win their division's championship.

In a well-matched semi-final game against the Warriors, the first half was a defensive struggle. The lone goal was scored by PVI's diminutive but dangerous Taylor Clouse, who continued his season-long scoring spree. PVI's defense was led by Brandi Lovett, Joseph Gittinger, and Travis Smith. The goalie tandem of Gittinger and Sonie McKenna proved to be stronger than Fort Knox, quickly snuffing out all of the Warrior's advances on offense.

The second half proved to be more of the same until Rebecca McKenna got past the Warrior's defense to put PVI up 2-0. The Warriors came back within a minute to make it a one-goal game as the PVI defense finally cracked. It looked like the game would be tied moments later when one of the Warriors' forwards broke away for a one-on-one against PVI's goalie, until Rebecca sprinted out of nowhere to knock the ball away. Sister Sonie McKenna ended the scoring to put PVI up 3-1 with a goal from a tough angle. 

In the finale against Henrico's Bulldogs, the twin power combination of both McKennas at forward got PVI out to an early lead, as Rebecca raced to a 50-50 ball with the Bulldogs'  keeper to keep the play alive and set up Sonie for the score. Later in the half, Smith showed his versatility with two great plays, first thwarting one of the Bulldog's best offensive opportunities of the day and scoring moments later on a beautiful assist by Morgan Howard.

The 2-0 halftime lead didn't last long though, as the Bulldogs scored from about 15 yards out. However, that was all that PVI would give up the rest of the afternoon, as Gittinger was a stalwart at sweeper, and the combination of Tasha Adkins-Blanch, Meredith Cripe, and Jeanette Simon controlled the mid-field.

Clouse scored an impressive goal to give PVI a two-goal cushion, as he lofted one above the Bulldogs' defense and moments later, after Taylor was thwarted by the Bulldog's keeper on another shot, Morgan Howard showed great hustle to get into position to follow up Clouse's shot with one of her own that found the back of the net and gave PVI a 4-1 victory.

"The state tournament was a great experience for our players and their parents,"said Paul VI Special Olympics coach Gary Underhill. "It's not about the wins and losses; it's about the experience these young adults will have the rest of their lives.”