T-D chooses Patton as girls soccer player of the year

At the start of the season, it looked like Becky Patton might be poised for a breakout year at Collegiate.

A school-record 35 goals later, it's no speculation. Patton dominated against all competition, public and private, and is the Times-Dispatch girls soccer player of the year.

The Cougars advanced to the VISAA championship game after winning their 13th consecutive VIS title, in large part because of Patton's strikes on well-timed assists from teammate Emily Tatum.

"This year it just really clicked between us," Patton said. "We both had a good attacking mentality, and she can send it in from 35 yards out."

Tatum will leave to play at Clemson next season, but Patton, a rising senior, and will have one more season to strike fear into opponents.

Public schools couldn't escape the whirlwind, either. Patton had the lone goal in a 1-0 victory against Central Region champ Mills Godwin, and notched a hat trick as the Cougars downed Deep Run 3-2 in overtime.

Defenders find her hard to contain because they have to deal with so many possibilities.

"She's really become more of a complete attacker," Cougars coach Bill Rider said. "She strikes with either foot, as well as her head."

Patton had, by her estimation, seven or eight goals on headers this season. That's remarkable because after breaking her nose while attempting a header three years ago, she didn't plan on trying again.

"I never thought I would score so many header goals," she said. "I don't even think about it anymore."

Collegiate's offense is designed to run through Patton. She is the Cougars' only forward, helped out by five supporting midfielders. After scoring three goals in the state semifinals, she passed Brittany Hallberg's 2007 goal total and became the school's single-season record holder.

Hallberg's mark of 104 career goals might be tougher to reach, considering that Patton has only been playing with Collegiate since her sophomore year. She lives in Prince George, and while she'd always wanted to go to Collegiate, she waited until high school to make the move, calling it "a better fit" for her.

While at Prince George, she also dabbled in tennis, something she said helps her out on the soccer field.

"My footwork was definitely helped," she said. "I didn't have the strength to compete with the older girls, so I had to learn to win with my footwork."

Those days are behind her, though, as she turns her attention to soccer. Last winter she played on the Collegiate indoor boys team.

Rider said Patton's biggest contribution to the team is her ability to see the field, adding that on his favorite play this year, she didn't even score.

"Against Deep Run, their keeper was way off the line, so she shot it about 40 yards," he said. "It hooked and missed, but she recognized the opportunity that, 'Hey, this keeper is off the line.'"

Collegiate will need those smarts next year, as Patton tries to figure out just what she can do for an encore.

"Try to match this year," she said. "Everybody really came together and worked three times as hard to make it a success."

Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or .