By Sheldon Shealer, editor

CHANTILLY, Va. -- When playing at home, Westfield's boys' soccer team is used to see high scores on the home side of the scoreboard.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were considered the visitor Saturday night on its home pitch, and it was Frank Cox that ran away with a 4-0 Group AAA state semifinal victory that leave both coaches shaking their heads at the result.

Cox advances to Sunday's state final against Mills Godwin, a 2-0 winner over Hickory in the other semifinal, marking the first time a Northern Virginia school has not been in the AAA final since 1997. That year also happens to be the last time Cox reached the boys state final.

In the girls' soccer semifinals, Chantilly hammered Kempsville 3-0 and Mills Godwin edged Cox 2-1.

All four matches were played Saturday at Westfield High School as part of the Virginia High School League's spring jubilee, where all spring finals are contested at one venue.

Cox's boys' soccer team entered the match ranked No. 11 in the ESPNRISE.com FAB 50 with Westfield right behind at No. 12.

Westfield, however, was playing without Virginia signee Sean Murnane, who sustained a torn lateral miniscus in the team's state quarterfinal win over Cosby on Tuesday. Tom Torres, Westfield's coach, said the injury will require surgery this week for the Washington Post's Player of the Year.

Without Murnane, who scored 22 goals this season, Westfield generated very little offense after the first 10 minutes of the match.

Cox's first goal came against the run of play when Hunter Byrnes buried a cross from Will Martin in the 14th minute. In the 38th minute, Bird played a long ball to the left wing where Will Martin's cross missed its first target, but ended up on the foot of Paul Braunstein, who finished the play for a 2-0 lead.

Cox continued to knock the ball around efficiently and kept making runs out of midfiel and through Westfield's defense to create even more chances in the second half.

Cox's work paid off as Martin added two more goals, the first in the 61st minute when he followed up a rebound of a Matt Zackary shot, and the second in the 77th minute.

"No way," Cox coach Scott Mead said his reaction to a 4-0 outcome between the two state title favorites. "I would have never predicted that."

Although the final was lopsided, Westfield had its chances. The Bulldogs forced Cox keeper Jonathan Harris into nine saves. Overall shots were close with Cox holding a 23-17 advantage.

Mead said Saturday's performance was the team's best match this season, and he had a feeling it could be a special night during the nearly four-hour drive from Virginia Beach.

"It was a silent bus ride up," he said. "The guys were focused on the task at hand. We got off the bus ready to play."

In the other boys semifinal, Mills Godwin used seconf-half goals by Brian Clark and Valeriy Sviderskiy to advance to the final for the first time since it was the 2003 FAB 50 spring national champion.

In girls soccer, Chantilly put 20 shots on goal to Kempsville's one in a 3-0 rout. Kaitlyn Manley (2nd), Cortlyn Bristol (11th) and Olivia Colella (15th) staked Chantilly to an early lead. No goals were scored after the 15th minute. 

Becca Haislip's goal in the 18th minute proved to be the difference as Mills Godwin upended favored Cox 2-1 in the other girls semifinal. Ellen Uptonscored in the ninth minute for the Central Region champs for a 1-0 lead. Jessie Klamut scored for Cox in the 79th minute to avert the shutout.

Chantilly aims to become the 25th Northern Virginia Group AAA state champion in the 26-year history of the event when it faces Mills Godwin on Sunday. Meanwhile, Mills Godwin is attempting to become the first Richmond'a area state champion ever in girls soccer. In fact, before this year, only one Richmond area team has ever reached the Group AAA state final.

By Sheldon Shealer, editor

The following are the Virginia state coaches association state rankings: 

1. Westfield H.S., Chantilly, VA 4-0-0 (Northern Region)
2. J.W. Robinson H.S., Fairfax, VA 3-0-1(Northern Region)
3. Kellam H.S., Virginia Beach, VA 5-0-0(Eastern Region)
4. Monacan H,S., Richmond, VA 5-0-0 (Central Region)
5. Stone Bridge H.S., Ashburn, VA 4-0-0 (Northern Region)
6. Frank W. Cox H.S., Virginia Beach, VA (Eastern Region)
7. Thomas Dale H.S., Chester, VA (Central Region)
8. Osbourn Park H.S., Manassas, VA (Northwest Region)
9. Cosby H.S., Midlothian, VA (Central Region)
10. Ocean Lakes H.S., Virginia Beach, VA (Eastern Region)