PARKERSBURG — Riley Pigott had no idea the ramifications her 79th-minute game-winning goal against No. 5 Ripley Sept. 13 would have for then No. 2 Parkersburg South. Her rebound shot off an initial attempt blocked by a Ripley player crossed the field and in to the scoring box for the 2-1 final tally. She just wanted a victory. “I wanted to win really bad,” said Pigott. “I don’t know how everyone else felt about it. But I wanted to win so I just didn’t give up.” A team resiliency responsible for a pair of firsts in the Ron Bucholtz’ era: A No. 1 state ranking and an appearance in the USA Today Super 25 Region IV rankings (spanning Washington D.C., Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia). The Patriots checked in at No. 9. These are results Bucholtz thought this team was capable of at the beginning of the year. Photo by Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg South mid-defender Jordan Huffman keeps the ball away from Ripley’s Grace Walsh during a regular-season game. “In all honesty without being overly optimistic, yes,” said Bucholtz when asked if he saw this coming at the beginning of the year. “We started our six flex days in July and once we started practicing and seeing what the girls were doing in practice on the field showing they were working harder and in better shape, then after things went really well after the first couple of scrimmages and things started clicking and the team was playing so much better as a team it was exceptional from what we have seen in the past — not that it was horrible in the past. This year just has a different flavor because the girls are hungrier and more motivated. We saw the potential was really there because they were hungry and they wanted it. I certainly had the belief we could be doing this.” “This” includes a 10-0-2 start, with all three phases of the game melding together for a complete South unit, but not at first. Major questions in goal and on the offensive side of the ball needed answers. Multi-time all-state honorees in striker Aiyana Lauderman and goalkeeper Sophia “Turtle” Miller had to be replaced. The offense wasn’t the strongest link in the red, white and blue chain last season either. Creating scoring opportunities was a talent Lauderman had from her skill alone. But this didn’t always translate into goals. “We struggled on the offensive end the last few years,” said striker Charley Taylor. Scoring hasn’t been a problem this season. The girls have been held to one or no goals just twice. Last year’s state runner-up University played them to a scoreless tie Aug. 21, while Morgantown dropped a 1-0 battle Aug. 28. The tie against the Hawks was the first time Bucholtz saw the girls start to believe. University defeated this group of girls each time they played the past four years. A 0-0 result at halftime already better than previous attempts. The confidence level grew after a two-goal comeback against Wheeling Park Sept. 4. “We were really nervous but after we played them we thought we could have beat them,” said defender Katelyn Bowers. “I feel like we could have done better.” All the girls believe, too. Taylor, along with Samara Nunn, Pigott, Ellie Foggin, Jordan Huffman, Audrie and Callie Leasure, Hannah Habeb, Zakeya White, and Reganne Dailey have found the back of the net. Taylor, a likely first-team all-state selection, has six multi-goal games, Huffman has two, while Audrie Leasure, Pigott, and Dailey have one apiece. “This year we have all helped out more,” said Taylor when asked the cause for the turnaround. “I was excited to see how we played together this season and it is going pretty well so far.” “We have grown up together and played together for a long time,” added Bowers. “We have come to rely on each other.” “You have to have the comeraderie in girls sports,” said Bucholtz. “If they aren’t a cohesive happy team you can just fall apart.” A collective self-confidence likely responsible for South averaging at least two assists per game. Aiding in the comfort level, a defense directed by Bowers and Callie Leasure almost impossible to score against as evidenced by the five goals given up to this point. Three on corner kicks. A second ACL injury in as many years to veteran defender Lauren Gerrard, while stinging, downplayed by the continued improvement of the platoon of Sam Martin and Abby Homan. Sophomore Kendall Mader’s fast development in net the cherry on top. Filling the shows of multi-time All-State honoree Miller so far proving an unintimidating task for the young lady. “She has done such an amazing job,” said Audrie Leasure. “She’s very loud back there too which is great.” “I was scared when Soph graduated,” added Huffman. “But Kendall has been training really hard and we saw it in the first scrimmage she had gotten a lot better.” All that is left for the Patriots to do is actually get to Beckley for the state tournament. Reigning state champion Cabell Midland ended South’s season in the regional co-final the past two years in Class AAA Region IV. A remaining schedule filled with top-10 teams including a visit from Cabell Oct. 2 means thorough preparation for the postseason is a given. The girls aren’t putting any pressure on themselves either, even with the No. 1 ranking target on their back, for two simple reason. “We feel we should just play our game the rest of the way,” said Taylor. “The bar is up here (raises hand above head) and now we can’t drop it.” “We haven’t played a better team than us,” added Bowers.