Broad Run Girls Lose Heartbreaker in Soccer Final

It's rare when a four-time defending state champion's run to another state title game can be considered a dream season. But such was the case for the 's girl's varsity soccer team, who on Saturday lost an agonizingly tough state championship game in penalty kicks to Cosby.

After Broad Run's athletic teams made the jump in competition from AA to AAA this season, the Lady Spartans faced long odds to make a fifth straight appearance in the state finals. But despite an up and down early season, the Spartans (15-5-5) got hot when it mattered most: playoff time. Led by All-Northwest Region performers Erin Brady and Caroline Kerns, the Spartans knocked off a slew of the best teams in the state—and even the country—to reach the finals. The playoff run began when the Spartans beat the Washington metro area's top ranked team—then undefeated Forest Park—in the regional round, and then shocked Kellam in the state quarterfinals, a team that was ranked No. 10 in the country by ESPN.

Broad Run then relied on an early penalty kick from Darbie Kelley and tough defense to hold on for an exciting 1-0 state semifinal win over Deep Run, sending the Spartans to their fifth straight state title game appearance. That tough defense carried over into Saturday's final against Cosby, where the Spartans and Titans were knotted at 0-0 after regulation and overtime. Forced into a shootout to decide the game, the Spartans eventually succumbed 3-1, ending a remarkable season and unparalleled string of success for the team.

Congratulations to the Spartans on yet another great season, and enjoy Chuck Moore's photos from both the semifinal and final game.