FROSTBURG — In a defensive struggle between the area’s two best, scoring opportunities were severely limited.
Mountain Ridge and Southern combined for just three shots on goal, and Charlie Simpson put one of them in the back of the net to lift the Miners to a championship.
Behind Simpson’s goal in the 45th minute and a brick wall of a backline, No. 1 Mountain Ridge outlasted No. 2 Southern, 1-0, in the Class 1A West Region I finals on Tuesday.
The region title is the Miners’ first since 2019.
“What a game, the fans got their price of admission tonight,” Mountain Ridge head coach Tim Nightengale said. “Heck of a ballgame. The two top teams in our area. It’s unfortunate one of them had to lose.
“Our kids just battled through. We were piecing some players in tonight with our injury and sickness. Our kids found a way to make it open.”
Mountain Ridge (16-0) advances to the state quarterfinals where it will be the No. 1 seed with a home state quarterfinal game on either Friday or Saturday against College Park Academy, a 2-1 winner over International High School at Langley Park on Tuesday.
After neither team managed a shot on goal in the first half, a through ball from the Mountain Ridge midfield connected with Simpson down the left side of the box.
The senior slotted a low shot inside the right post for the game’s lone goal with 35:14 to play.
“They came ready to play. They were physical. They played well,” Simpson said of Southern. “We met their match. We were also physical. I think we just wanted it a little bit more.”
Simpson’s backline up through the center midfield was the star of the show again, a recurring theme for a Mountain Ridge squad that has surrendered just four goals in 16 games with 13 shutouts.
Senior center backs Tyler Cook and Aiden Pirolozzi were impenetrable again, and so were the Miners’ center midfielders Gavin Clayton and Trent Diamond. Sophomore John Delaney performed well at left back.
“Our two center backs are unbelievable. Tyler Cook and Aiden Pirolozzi have anchored that backline the whole year,” Nightengale said. “Four goals in a season (allowed). That’s incredible. It’s a school record right now for the games we’ve played.”
Mountain Ridge’s depth is perhaps the most important part of its backline success, however, as the Miners have been able to overcome an ACL injury to Jake Geary and an ankle sprain by Landon Shaw thanks to the play of AJ Lauder, playing on a sprain of his own, who looked like a regular started Tuesday.
“The chemistry between me and Aiden is unmatched, and our outsides as well,” Cook said. “It’s huge having a deep bench, so whenever Jake went down, we can have people step in and help out.”
Southern’s only shot on goal was came under 13 minutes to go. A Ben Lohr shot dipped low, but Ashton Reuschel made the stop on a ball that may have drifted wide.
Mountain Ridge had a golden opportunity at an insurance goal with 20:38 remaining. A Southern foul in the box afforded Simpson a penalty kick.
However, Rams keeper Jared Haskiell made a diving stop to his left.
Southern couldn’t turn the momentum into offense on the other end, and Mountain Ridge held on to drop the Rams to 12-3 — all three losses coming to the Miners.
Southern’s 12 wins are a school record, four more than the previous high mark.
“I’ll have to watch the film to see why we can win the midfield and can’t get through the final third,” Southern head coach Jon Price said. “Let’s face it, Tyler Cook and Aiden Pirolozzi are good. Let’s not sugarcoat it. You watched the four best center backs in the area, no question tonight.”
Mountain Ridge finished with a 10-5 edge in shots and 2-1 margin in shots on goal. Haskiell and Reuschel both made one save, and the Miners had a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Southern had a pair of Tommy Scott free kicks in the final 20 minutes. Scott hit the top post with 17 minutes to play, and he hit the wall on a chance from 27 yards out in the final three minutes.
Mountain Ridge had the first half’s best opportunity in the 15th minute. Elijah Cooper’s pace caught Haskiell out of position, but Cooper was pushed too far wide and his cross to Simpson met a Southern defender.
Mountain Ridge now advances to the state quarterfinals.
The last time the Miners made it out of the region, they brought the 2019 Class 1A title back to Frostburg — the school’s third in school history.
Mountain Ridge is trying for an area first. No local team in the modern era has finished off an unbeaten and untied season with a state title.
“These kids have been through a lot,” Nightengale said. “They set a goal for themselves to win a region championship. They just accomplished that tonight. … Being an undefeated season on top of a region championship, now we get a home game on Friday or Saturday night. A state quarterfinal game.
“That’s huge for our team, for this soccer program to rise back back to the top and get to the pinnacle of area soccer.”