Boys' Soccer: Mount Vernon 3, Hayfield 1

Story By Jeffery Gibert
West
Potomac Senior, DigitalSports Intern

Photos and Videos By Sam Briggs
West Potomac Sophomore, DigitalSports Intern

** Click the links to the left to access photos and video highlights from Thursday’s game!

The Majors had the Wright stuff in their intra-district match-up with the Hawks.

Senior John Wright scored his 13th, 14th, and 15th goals of the season to cap off a special Senior Night for Mount Vernon who beat Hayfield, 3-1, on Thursday.

“It feels amazing to go out like that, with a bang,” Wright said of his hat-trick. “It was a good game by both teams. Just, we played stronger.”

A member of last year’s Washington Post All-Met second team, Wright has made a push to make the first-team squad this year. He netted his first goal of the game in the 10th minute to give the Majors an early 1-0 lead.

The Hawks kept their composure, though, and retaliated quickly. Junior Ariel Reyes-Funes equalized in the 14th minute.

Wright, being the leader that he is, took things into his own hands and put Mount Vernon back up by one goal before the first half ended.

Although, Wright netted a hat trick, he was marked by a top-flight player in the Hawk back four. He was going constantly going at Hayfield captain, and one of the region’s premier defenders, senior Lolo Newsome.

The 6-feet, 6-inch, three-sport stud will be playing soccer for George Mason next year.

“I came out scared,” Wright said. “I’ll admit that.”

Overcoming his fears, Wright forced Newsome into two yellow cards — a soft red card, which requires an ejection, but not the one-suspension that comes from a straight-red — and withstood a blow Newsome put on him when scoring his third goal.

“My coaches say keep fighting,” Wright said. “Don’t go up without giving them a fight. Just go up strong.”

Wright was not a one-man show, though. His whole squad did their share of work.

“All of them did well, all of my teammates,” Wright said. “I give a shout-out to all of them. They played hard.”

Mount Vernon finishes its season with two road games against Marshall and Washington-Lee.

“We want to win out,” Wright said.