Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by Holzer Health System.
HILLSBORO — Every high school athlete dreams of being the first to ever do something.
It’s something you never forget, it makes you a legend in the process, and it’s something that forever immortalizes you no matter how much time passes.
For Fayetteville, that moment came on Thursday.
Behind two goals from Aubrey Barber and a physical defense that rarely bent, the Rockets (12-4-2) knocked off Minford by a 3-1 final in a Division V district final.
It marks the Rockets’ first district title in program history.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
“These girls have worked so hard, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Fayetteville coach Jenny Rosselot said. “We didn’t play a great first half and we were kicking the ball around too much, but that second half was incredible. Our passing was on point, our defense was playing so solid and it was an all-around great game. This team is so special, they mesh so well and they play the game with such heart. It’s a special group.”
Out of the gates, Minford (13-4-1) wasn’t worried about figuring out how the Rockets planned to attack. Instead, the Falcons went on the attack themselves.
They brought physicality out of the gates, but Fayetteville had no qualms about matching that level of aggression.
Physicality was only going to go so far before someone had to connect, and that’s when Barber made her presence felt.
Finding herself in the right place at the right time, the senior forward was the recipient of a ricocheted ball and she did what she does best to put her team ahead 1-0.
“We started the game off super-strong, and just continued to uplift one another,” Barber said. “Ella Wolfer crossed me the ball, and when the defender missed the ball, I knew I had to get it and put the ball in.”
However, Minford didn’t wait too long to provide an answer.
With 14:45 left in the first half, the Falcons were awarded a corner and Sadie Tieman found MaKenna Enz off the chance to score the equalizer.
But just three minutes later, Barber was at it again.
She received a pass and took on two defenders before firing a shot into the top left of the goal for her second score of the night, making it 2-1 at halftime.
“I always get yelled at to take the ball all the way and go to the middle, so I tried my best,” Barber said. “Fourtanely, it worked out and we scored. We got cut short of our goal to win a district title last year, so we really put everything we had into this game.”
The Rockets’ defense was in full sync throughout the second half.
Whether it was clearing balls, gaining possession deep in their own territory or making a hard challenge, they were beginning to taste the district title.
Despite a couple of challenges from Minford late, they kept their keeper at ease and prevented the Falcons from entering the final third of the field for scoring opportunities.
“We worked really hard in practice about staying with the player and not letting them get in front of us,” Fayetteville’s Autumn Waddel said. “If someone else cut over, we filled in the spot to close any opening. Our communication and chemistry has been really high this year, so it’s been easy to just work together to accomplish the same goal.”
The game felt well in hand with less than 10 minutes left, but Fayetteville wanted one more for good measure.
Kenna Stratton provided that comfort as she scored the game-sealing goal with 8:42 left in the game to cap off a historic victory.
“Hearing that final buzzer sound and realizing we won was so incredible,” Fayetteville’s Cara Rummel said. “We’ve put in so much work to be here, and it’s amazing to know we have at least one more game together. We’ve been playing together since we were kids, so it’s definitely sweet to share this forever.”
As Minford’s season comes to a close, Fayetteville advances to a Division V regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Tuesday against SHAC foe Fairfield.
That game will be played at Chillicothe’s Herrnstein Field.
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