Clear Fork, Lexington use nonleague soccer game to reinvent themselves

LEXINGTON — Despite being just six games into the 2026 girls soccer season, the Clear Fork Colts and Lexington Lady Lex already have to do some different strategizing than they thought they would.

>After both teams suffered some key injuries to major contributors, Clear Fork losing Asia Bechtel for the season with an ACL injury and Quinn Stover to a severe high ankle sprain and Lexington losing Carliann Hughes for the season with an ACL, they now head back to the drawing board to see who can play where and when and for how long.

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>So, when they met up on Sept. 2 in a hot and humid nonconference regular-season game, the Colts and Lady Lex figured it was as good of a time as any to test some things out against quality opponents. While it ended in a 2-2 tie, both teams achieved what they set out to do.

>“We lost both center backs (Stover to her injury and Sylvia Secrist to cramps late in the game) and we literally didn’t have an answer for that piece,” Clear Fork coach Brittany Bechtel said. “I had Mya Perry (normally a forward) back as a center defender because my only thought was that I needed someone fast and who is going to lay it all on the line. We have to go back to building depth in different areas moving forward.”

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>So does Lexington. Hughes was one of the best defenders in Richland County and was a huge piece of what Lexington wanted to do this season. Lexington coach Buck Morton challenged his players to be multidimensional and he saw some positive things.

>“I told the girls that we are going to go through some growing pains,” Morton said. “You don’t take out a senior leader, captain, starter, 80-minute player and just be fine. It’s weird without her, but we tried to figure things out.

>“Eve (Woodruff) is a freshman and played up top and got a goal then shifted her to midfield because she is effective there, too. We don’t want any of our players to be confined to just one place on the field. Alexa Whitaker came in and had a great second half and Annie Hamilton stepped up as a freshman playing defense despite being a midfielder by nature.”

>Clear Fork sophomore Katie Beck got the scoring started with a long-distance floater with 36:36 remaining in the first half before Lexington tied it up when Eve Woodruff took advantage of a misplayed ball to even the score at 1-1 with 24:44 remaining. Lily Swendal gave the Colts the lead right before halftime with a penalty kick goal. Then, Lexington turned up the pressure and finally finished off a shot off of a corner kick when Gabby Lay scored her first goal of the season with 4:15 left to send the game to a draw.

>“I am known for not taking a touch so it was just take the shot without overthinking,” Lay said. “It was nice to get a goal and it turned out to be a really good night.”

>Lay was proud of the way her team stepped up in Hughes’ absence.

>“We miss Carliann so much and are so much better with her, but I think we proved to ourselves that we are still a strong team and we can work through things,” Lay said. “We definitely have a lot to work on, but we will get there.

>“It was a challenge,” Lay added. “Annie (Hamilton) is new out there and Alexa (Whitaker) usually doesn’t start so she is now on and it was so good for them to grow while playing a great opponent. They exceled and rose up to the challenge.”

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>Bechtel noticed a competitive edge missing from her team that will need to be developed as they figure out new positions for some players.

>“We got ahead right out of the gate and played it too safe and at some points, played scared,” Bechtel said. “When you don’t play to win and sit back in, you get hammered like we did late in the second half. It will be a great film to watch. We know we are better than that, but props to Lexington. They played a very good game.”

>Morton was displeased with his team’s effort in the first half, but saw his players rise up to the challenge in the final 40 minutes to preserve a tie.

>“I hate doing this so early in the year, but I put Tessa Them and Jersie Palmer right in the middle of the field and they are just so good,” Morton said. “You won’t see it in the stats, but they controlled everything in the second half and let Morgan Harrod put a ton of pressure and show why she is one of the best players in this area. They make things happen.”

>In the end, it was just a great opportunity for both teams to figure out things that will only help them as they chase league and district championships over the next month and a half.

>“These are great games because it gives us an understanding of who we are while having the opportunity to do things against a quality opponent,” Morton said. “We could go play a game where we know we are going to win by a bunch and put people in different spots, but it’s not going to be as effective as doing it against a program like Clear Fork.”

>This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Clear Fork, Lexington use nonleague soccer game to reinvent themselves