Ashburn, Va. — As Briar Woods High School junior defender Katie Bjornsen lined up twelve yards from the goal for a second half penalty kick, the captain had one thought on her mind: trust her gut.
That’s exactly what she did, finding the bottom of the left corner of the net. The 53’ goal gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead from which they’d never look back en route to a win over Potomac Falls High School in the Potomac District championship game on May 25 in Ashburn.
[adrotate banner=”19″]“I picked my spot and trusted my gut,” Bjornsen said. “I decided to go left and just hoped it would work out. And it worked out.”
But the game wasn’t out of reach yet. While the Falcons dominated field position in the second half, the pesky Panthers made a few runs that the Briar Woods defense quickly stopped.
“We just tried to keep playing our game. It was a total team effort,” Bjornsen said. “Everyone gave everything they had for the last 30 minutes and really the whole game.”
Up until this win, Briar Woods had failed to take down Potomac Falls this season. The two teams tied in their first matchup of the season on April 12, before the No. 2 Panthers defeated the No. 1 Falcons 1-0 on May 7.
“You want to get the result in the big game, when it’s the championship,” Briar Woods head coach Kimmy Moss said. “We have a lot of respect for Potomac Falls. They gave us the biggest challenge throughout the season. I’m really proud of our girls for rising to the challenge”
For Briar Woods, the win was more than a win; it was a testament to the adjustments they’ve been making over the past few weeks.
“They’re definitely the best team we’ve played. They’re consistently good,” Briar Woods senior captain Abby Maltese said. “It’s good to see that we’re not plateauing. It shows that we’re getting better. Not all teams can say that.”
Briar Woods is going to need to continue its ascent as the Falcons – and the Panthers – move into the VHSL Region 5C playoffs starting the week of May 28.
“At this point, it’s more about staying healthy and keeping the team unified. Keeping the vibes right,” Moss said. “It’s a matter of survival at this point. And a little bit of luck.”