BIG AIR

McCusker’s aerial pass helps Falcons move closer to field hockey state tournament

By Fred Hodge, Special to the Times

If you can’t go through a defense, then go over it.

Fauquier sophomore Abby McCusker delivered a risky surprise airborne pass to help the Falcons deliver a game-ending blow in a 1-0 overtime win over Loudoun County in the regional field hockey quarterfinals on Oct. 24.

Lucy Arnold converted the winning goal with 8 minutes, 17 seconds left in the 15-minute OT session to send the No. 4-seeded Falcons (10-5) on to face No. 1 Riverside (16-1) for a berth in the Class 4 state tournament.

McCusker said passes in the air are dangerous, but noted, “I’m good at judging how far they’ll go, so I just sent it to Lucy. Lucy was wide open in the middle of the circle.”

Before the goal, the Raiders established a defensive line with their sticks poised to stop a low pass in a free hit situation.

But McCusker jumped the defense. “They had a ring, and they thought I was going to drive so all their sticks were down,” McCusker said.

Arnold said she was a little above the stroke line. “I knocked it down and cranked a shot into the bottom right corner,” the euphoric junior said. “It was such a good feeling to be able to help the team out again.”

“It was a really smart play. A very mature play that was very well thought out,” said coach Brooke Settle. “She used it at the right time and executed it.”

Arnold was the hero three days earlier when her overtime goal gave the Falcons a 1-0 win over Culpeper for the Northwestern District tournament crown.

Fauquier faced No. 1 seed Riverside (16-1) on Tuesday with the winner making the Class 4 state tournament.

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

Despite the outcome, Settle was not pleased to see the underdog No. 5 Raiders (5-11) operate as the clear aggressors for most of the first half at Falcon Field.

“I think we overlooked this team a bit. They came out [aggressive], and we didn’t,” Arnold lamented. “We honestly were being lazy and tired.”

Next up Riverside

The Falcons and Riverside (16-1) were scheduled to play Tuesday in the region semis with the winner making states.

In 2017, the No. 5-seeded Rams beat the No. 4 Falcons 4-3 in the region quarterfinals.

This season’s challenge is more imposing because the Rams are ranked as the No. 3 team in the most recent Washington Post Top 10.

No. 7 Liberty and No. 6 Kettle Run both had their seasons end in the quarterfinal round. The Eagles fell, 6-0, at Heritage after crushing No. 10 Park View, 15-0, in the opening round. Kettle Run was a 5-1 victim of Woodgrove.

REGION 4D PAIRINGS

FIRST ROUND: No. 7 Liberty d. No. 10 Park View 15- 0; No. 9 Loudoun Valley d. No. 8 Dominion 2-1.

QUARTERFINALS: No. 4 Fauquier d. No. 5 Loudoun County 1-0 OT; No. 1 Riverside d. No. 9 Loudoun Valley 6-0; No. 2 Heritage d. No. 7 Liberty 6-0; No. 3 Woodgrove d. No. 6 Kettle Run 5-1.

TUESDAY’S SEMIFINALS: No. 4 Fauquier at No. 1 Riverside; No. 3 Woodgrove at No. 2 Heritage.

NOV. 1 FINAL: at higher seed.