NEVILLE: Some teams set for region's semifinals

Well, the first round of the Northwest Region playoffs was good for a number of Stafford county teams.

Colonial Forge High School's baseball, girls’ and boys’ soccer teams all advanced to the semi-finals. The North Stafford High School softball team also moved into the semi-finals.

We’ll start with the Colonial Forge boys’ soccer team. The team fell to Albemarle High School in the championship game of the Commonwealth District tournament and had to regroup for the opening round of the Northwest Region playoffs.

Last Monday senior Daniel Bradley scored early against E.C. Glass High School and then added the game winner in the second overtime as the Eagles posted a 2-1 win to advance to the semi-finals.

A win in the semi-final would guarantee an automatic berth to the Group AAA state tournament. The girls’ team got a pair of goals from sophomore Torri Allen as they blanked Forest Park High School 2-0 to move into the semi-finals of the Northwest Region tournament. Like the boys’ team, a win in the semi-finals and the girls’ team will qualify for the Group AAA state tournament.

The Colonial Forge baseball team jumped to a 7-1 lead over Franklin County High School after two innings that sweated out a seventh inning in which Franklin County scored three times to pull within 7-4 before the Eagles and more specifically Garrett Marin shut the door, allowing the Eagles to advance to the Northwest Region semi-finals.

Marin came on in relief of starter Colin McManus and got the final three outs. Levi Hyams collected two hits, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice for Colonial Forge. Senior Shane Paskanik drilled a two-run homer for the Eagles. Nick Lanciault and Matt Edwards had two hits each and Jason Kittell scored twice for the Eagles.

North Stafford’s softball team gave Coach Pam Kantor her first regional playoff win last Monday.

It wasn’t easy though. The senior rich Wolverines rallied from a 2-0 first inning deficit and topped Franklin County High School 6-2.

Senior Nikki Black came on in relief in the first inning and recorded 13 strikeouts to pick up the win. North Stafford moves into the semi-finals of the Northwest Region tournament.

Mike Neville is sports director at the local Comcast cable channel. Contact him at info@stafford countysun.com.