The Ashe County High School soccer team concluded it’s regular season this past week with a road game at Forbush on Monday evening. The match up between Ashe and Forbush has always been a heated battle in the history of Husky athletics, and this year was no different. The game had huge connotations on both ends, a victory by Forbush, they were named conference champions, a victory by Ashe, the Huskies would outright own the fourth seed of the MVAC.

The outcome of the game, a 3-1 loss for the Huskies, put the Huskies tied for fourth place in the conference, with Surry Central. The Forbush Falcons earned the Conference Championship, and will receive a bye in the first round of the NCHSAA Playoffs.

The Huskies came out strong and struck fast against the Falcons. In the opening minute of the game, a free kick was awarded to the Huskies on the outskirts of the 18-yard box. Richie Absher took the kick for the Huskies and scored the first goal of the game to give Ashe a 1-0 lead.

Forbush quickly came on the offensive, and struck many shots at the Huskies’ goal. Due to good play by Ethan Young, and the fortunes of lady luck, the Falcons’ shots were said to have dinged off all parts of the goal, and could not find their way into the net. The goose egg was busted for Forbush when a long throw in by Austin Barker was sent towards Salvador Velasquez, and then relayed onto Christian Lovas. Lovas poked the ball into the back of the Huskies’ net to tie the score at 1-1, which the score stood till the second half.

In the second half, Ashe held the Falcons scoreless for the first fifteen minutes of the game, but a goal by Javier Guadarrama in the 55th minute of the game gave Forbush the 2-1 lead. A few minutes following Guadarrama’s goal, the Falcons struck again with a goal by Austin Barker off of a long 25-yard shot that rocketed into the top corner of the net, off of an assist by Guadarrama.

Forbush’s head coach, Seth Davis commented highly of the Huskies. “You have to give credit to Ashe County,” commented Davis. “They came in with a plan, and their intensity level was impressive. They fought hard until the final whistle.”

The victory for Forbush moved their conference record to 7-1, which secures first place in the conference. Ashe finished 1-7 in conference, but split games with Surry Central, resulting in a tie for fourth place in the conference.

Forbush will receive an automatic bid into the NCHSAA Playoffs with a first round bye, and the Huskies will be hoping for a wildcard berth.

Ashe’s odds of getting a wildcard are good with a 9-8-1 overall record, despite being 1-7 in conference.

If the Huskies do receive a wildcard, they will face a number two seed from the Central Carolina Conference, Roaring River Conference, Western Athletic Conference. There is a possibility of the Huskies being paired with the number two seed from the Mountain Valley Conference, but the NCHSAA generally tries to pair teams in Playoffs against other conferences.

The tournament brackets are expected to be released this weekend.