Point Pleasant junior Jaden Reed (10) chases down a loose ball during the first half of Wednesday night’s Class AA-A Region IV, Section 1 semifinal match against Ravenswood at OVB Field in Point Pleasant, W.Va.
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
Point Pleasant senior Braxton Watkins-Lovejoy (00) gains control of a loose ball during the first half of Wednesday night's Class AA-A Region IV, Section 1 semifinal match against Ravenswood at OVB Field in Point Pleasant, W.Va. (Bryan Walters|OVP Sports)
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
Point Pleasant sophomore Colton Young (19) heads a ball into the air during the first half of Wednesday night's Class AA-A Region IV, Section 1 semifinal match against Ravenswood at OVB Field in Point Pleasant, W.Va. (Bryan Walters|OVP Sports)
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Two down, one to go.
The Point Pleasant boys soccer team notched its second straight postseason win and advanced to the Class AA-A Region IV, Section 1 championship with a 5-0 victory over visiting Ravenswood on Wednesday night at Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field.
The top-seeded Black Knights (12-4-4) dominated the game in every sense, producing a 31-1 advantage in shot attempts. Yet, despite a 23-1 advantage in the first half, PPHS led only 2-0 at the intermission.
Colton Young gave the Red and Black a 1-0 edge in the 17th minute after chasing down a Cael McCutcheon pass and going top shelf from 13 yards away.
Jalen Reed doubled the first half lead in the 25th minute after executing a give-and-go with McCutcheon. Reed received the pass from 10 yards away and finished it off for a 2-0 intermission cushion.
The Red Devils didn’t manage a single shot in the second half as Point Pleasant — which had two shots carom of the post before halftime — continued adding to its lead.
Braxton Watkins-Lovejoy recorded a second half hat trick, which started in the 44th minute.
Kanaan Abbas flicked a pass out to Watkins-Lovejoy, who fired away from the left side before chasing down the deflected rebound and put it on the second attempt for a 3-0 edge.
Watkins-Lovejoy was fouled in the box and scored on a penalty kick in the 65th minute, then completed things in the 70th minute with another rebound score that wrapped up the 5-0 outcome.
Luke Pinkerton made a single save for PPHS, which attempted all 11 corner kicks in the contest. The hosts were also whistled for 16 of the 23 fouls and managed 20 shots on goal.
The Black Knights — who recorded their eighth shutout of the season — hosts Sissonville on Saturday in the Class AA-A Region IV, Section 1 championship match. The sectional final kicks off at 3 p.m.
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Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101.
