The soccer ball arced through the air, sank just below the crossbar, and was sucked into the top corner of the net.
The Brentsville girls soccer team clearly scored a goal in its season opener on March 12 against visiting Forest Park. But questions still arise on the other side of the field.
“Was it Peyton?” someone asked Suzanne Barrickman.
“Definitely Peyton,” Barrickman, the wife of former Brentsville girls soccer coach Sonny Barrickman, replied emphatically as she stood along the fence with an unobstructed view of the perfect 29-yard direct kick. .
distance. power. accuracy. It all pointed to Peyton McGovern, who will get even more attention this season.
A year after winning the Class 3 state championship with a high-powered offense and stifling defense, Brentsville faces a new challenge. While the starting backline returns intact, the Tigers took some hits up front.
Four of Brentsville's top six scorers from last season have already left the team. Two transferred schools (Valentina Nardone to Virginia Academy and Chloe Lane to Patriot). Another (Peyton Brown) chose to focus on basketball. And Maddie Howells is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his torn ACL in December.
Even if all four played this season, McGovern would have remained the primary threat after totaling 31 goals and 16 assists and winning the Class 3 state player of the year award in 2023. .
But questions remain.
How long will it take for McGovern and the new offensive starters to hit it off? Will she try to do too much to compensate for her teammates' inexperience? All fair points.
But better questions supersede everything else. Who else but McGovern could make this all work?
The Tigers are just two games into the regular season and face a tough schedule in the first week after spring break. But early indications are that Brentsville will find a way to fill the scoring hole created by his departure.
McGovern's opening salvo in the eventual 5-0 win over Forest Park showed why. In addition to scoring on a free kick, McGovern also had a goal and an assist.
Yeah, definitely Peyton.
Peyton McGovern scored 59 goals in his first three seasons.
always learn
Sonny Barrickman entered his office and found McGovern sitting in a chair, intently looking at his laptop.
School was over the day before that night's game against Forest Park, and McGovern watched video of himself from the previous weekend's travel league game. She takes notes in her mind and scans her screen looking for ways to improve her game.
Barrickman wasn't surprised at the moment. That fits McGovern's desire to grow as a player. But it touches him.
She wants to know as much as possible. And if she's not studying the game, she's discussing it with Barrickman. The two would go over strategies in his office, usually with McGovern teaching and Barrickman learning.
“I've been coaching for 42 years, and she's been coaching me,” said Barrickman, who coached McGovern for her first two years at Brentsville before retiring. He is currently a security specialist at Nokesville Schools. “You don't see that in a 17-year-old.”
Barrickman remembers seeing McGovern, a junior high school student, running around the field at halftime when his older sister, Taylor, played soccer at Brentsville. At the time, Barrickman didn't think much of it.
But things changed the summer before ninth grade when Taylor encouraged Barrickman to watch her sister play in a travel game.
Knowing McGovern would be coming to Brentsville as a freshman, Taylor wanted Barrickman to see firsthand how good McGovern was. Eleanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly was worth the trip.
During the match, McGovern received the ball with his shin, controlled it, switched the ball from his left foot to his right foot, and took a 20-yard bending shot over the goalkeeper's head.
“Oh my god,” Barrickman remembers thinking.
Peyton McGovern has four goals and five assists in Brentsville's first two games this season.
quick start
McGovern, who lives in Bristow and attends one of Brentsville's specialized programs, came to the Nokesville school as key to not only get a start, but make an immediate impact. She did not disappoint.
During the pandemic-shortened spring 2021 season, McGovern had nine goals and 14 assists, earning first-team all-district and all-region honors. Brentsville lost 3-2 in overtime to Independence in the regional final, finishing with 9 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. (There were no state quarterfinals this year, so only regional winners advanced.)
In 2022, McGovern had 19 goals and 19 assists, again earning all-district and all-region honors and being named first team all-state. But Brentsville's quest for its first state title in 2003 ended with a 1-0 overtime loss to Hidden Valley in the semifinals.
McGovern took the Tigers' only loss of the season harshly. Her sister, who was a senior at the time, was battling an injury to her knee, and she was injured again and had to withdraw from her match. Two of McGovern's shots hit the post. Another one barely went over the crossbar and he missed a quad just before halftime and had to leave the game.
For the rest of the game, McGovern watched helplessly from the sideline in tears. In her desire to make a difference, she offered to take a penalty kick if the game went to penalties.
Undaunted in 2023, McGovern took his game to a new level and led the Tigers to a state championship. McGovern played in her usual position, central midfield, and showed why she is so effective in that position.
Allowed to create and move around while supporting at both ends of the field, McGovern was always one step ahead of his opponents in the air, winning his fair share of headers despite being only 5ft 2in tall. .
But she was most dangerous with the ball at her feet. No game demonstrated that skill more than the 2023 state finals. Lafayette did a good job of marking McGovern for most of the game.
But with less than 20 minutes left in regulation time, McGovern broke the scoreless tie with a goal that still leaves viewers in awe. McGovern collected the ball in midfield, sliced through seven defenders and fired home the winning shot from 10 yards out.
McGovern's teammate and close friend, Nicole Goodwin, watched the play unfold from the sideline. At first, she thought McGovern would pass the ball. However, when McGovern outmaneuvered the last defender, Goodwin realized McGovern was planning on scoring.
“I just don't understand how she's doing it,” Goodwin said. “She acts as if nothing happened.”
She watched the play online many times. So do many others, including Brentsville sophomore girls soccer director Scott Kearns.
Kearns said the joke is that 98% of the online clicks Goal receives are from him. Kearns, who is in his 18th year as a head coach and has four different programs, has never seen anything like it before.
“This is the highlight of my coaching career,” said Kearns, who took over the program from Barrickman for the 2023 season.
This goal showed McGovern in his element. Decided. Decisive. fluid.
That's a big reason why she signed with defending national champion Florida State. McGovern originally committed to Arkansas, but she announced her transfer to the Seminoles on Aug. 4.
McGovern said Florida State's style of play suits him.
“Payton is very intelligent,” Seminoles head coach Brian Penske said. “She can break through off the dribble. She passes the ball well. And she can score. She thinks she can play in multiple positions in the middle of midfield.”
McGovern could have sat out his senior season and focused on preparing for Florida State. She will report to the school in Tallahassee, Florida on July 22nd.
However, she decided to stay here for several reasons. Another shot at a state title. A chance to become the program's all-time leading scorer (she ties Kayleigh Cassady with 23 goals). And a chance to finish what she started.
“It’s my fourth year, so I want to finish it all,” McGovern said.
think about others
McGovern is the first to admit that he's not a big people person. That's one reason she chose to become a veterinarian (McGovern, who has a 4.0 grade point average, plans to major in biology at Florida State University). But she also chose it because she enjoys helping people in need.
All of her family members are healthcare workers. Her father, Todd, is director of market development for Vitas Healthcare. Her mother Crystal is a nurse. Taylor is currently studying to become a nurse at James Madison University.
She doesn't always say much, but she is attuned to her surroundings. Taylor, who is two years her senior, described McGovern as kind and thoughtful. For Taylor's birthday in July, McGovern created a poster board with photos of the two of them, along with other photos.
After travel club teammate Callie Houts suffered her third ACL tear, McGovern gave her a stuffed animal and a box of candy.
“She's a wonderful person,” Goodwin said. “She's quiet, but she'll do anything for you.”
She also understands her role has grown this season.
“There's not much I can teach her,” Kearns said. “But one thing I've asked her to do is to have more of her say in leading her team. Every word she says means something to her young teammates.” is.”
Brentsville (2-0) will host defending Class 5 state champion Independence on April 5 and play Western Albemarle, the 2023 Class 4 state runner-up, four days later.
Rest assured, McGovern will find a way to cheer the Tigers up.
Watch it happen as she watches video and goes over game plans in Barrickman's office.
Watch as she scores a goal with a long-range but accurate direct kick.
And watch it happen when she thinks of others by making them better.
That's her. Try to stop her girlfriend.