On Wednesday, March 28, 2018, both Midlothian High School Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer participated in the first double-header of the season against the Monacan Chiefs.  Each team looked to work together harmoniously, aiming to score and win. The Midlothian boys last faced the Chiefs in the 2017 Conference 20 Championships at F.W. Poates, coming  away with a victory. The Lady Trojans fell to the Chiefs in the Conference 20 semi-finals, but with the addition of key freshmen, the Trojans felt positive heading into their match.

At the start of the whistle, the Lady Trojans started with high intensity and strong defense against the attacking Chiefs.  The Trojans looked to connect through midfielders Kristina Fawcett and Addie White, who would play a ball onto running forwards. Senior captain Erin Fogle maintained the backline as a strong unit against a Monacan offense that proved dangerous.  At halftime, the Trojans trailed 1-0 to the Chiefs and made a game plan to come back stronger. Starting the second half, the Lady Trojans were keen to move the ball forward and test the Chiefs’ backline. Shortly after the second half began, the Trojans earned a corner kick and capitalized with the goal, and the game was tied 1-1, with plenty of time left.  Throughout the majority of the half, the ball transitioned between Trojan and Chief possession. However, on a Monacan drive down the field, the Chiefs earned a penalty kick and led the Trojans with a score of 2-1. The last minutes of the game were pure intensity by the Trojans, as they worked hard to bring the game back to a tie. In the end, the Lady Trojans fell to the Chiefs 2-1, but are now determined to win in their next face-off.

The Midlothian-Monacan boys soccer rivalry is a long-established and competitive rivalry that always makes an even game. From the beginning of the game, the Trojans moved the ball through the backline and through the midfield, attacking the Monacan backline.  Trojan outside backs Justin Varela and Tristin Phillips drove down the sideline looking to connect through the middle or to serve a ball in. The offensive line put a great deal of pressure on the Chief backline, causing them to break down.

With a 0-0 draw at halftime, the Trojans thought of new ways to create a score against Monacan. At the beginning of the second half, the Chiefs scored off of a penalty kick, giving them a 1-0 lead over the Trojans. Throughout the rest of the second half, the ball was divided between Trojan and Chief possession, and the attacks were at a standstill. However, during the last ten minutes of the game, the Trojan offense heavily attacked Monacan and earned several chances to score a goal. On a key breakaway, Anxo Ramos drove through the Monacan defense and shot at the keeper; the shot was deflected, but senior Finlay Raphael kicked into the back of the net, tying the game 1-1.  At the end of regulation, the game was still tied 1-1, and the game went into two, five-minute overtime periods. Throughout the overtimes, both teams attacked each other’s defense and tested the backlines. By the end of the ten minute overtime, the game finished in a 1-1 draw, and each team came off the field with their heads held high, knowing they had played a great game of soccer.