Even though the spring sports season is still months away from starting, soccer player Allison Bunner is already making waves.

The junior became one of the first -- if not the first -- at Patriot High School to make a verbal commitment to attend college on an athletic scholarship since entering the new Nokesville school.

Bunner said on October 8 that she will attend James Madison University after she graduates from Patriot in 2013. According to Bunner, the Division I-AA school in Harisonburg offered her a 75 percent scholarship.

Formerly a stand-out attacker at Brentsville District and travel star with McLean MPS Power, Bunner explained that she visited about 10 different schools and narrowed her choices between JMU and the University of Miami (Florida).

When asked why she opted for the smaller, Appalachian school over the prestige of a major university like Miami, Bunner said she "didn't want to be that far from home or anything."

She mentioned that she had a "really strong connection with the coaches" at JMU. The program there was not "24/7, down-my-throat soccer."

Instead, it turned out to be fun and it "fit" just right.

At the same time, JMU began courting Bunner since her freshman year at Brentsville and "didn't lose interest."

"That was a good thing because they were my Number 1 the whole time," she said.

Before she made her pick for college, Bunner first made another major decision in choosing to transfer from Brentsville to Patriot. In doing so, Bunner was not just leaving behind a ho-hum squad where she over-performed; the Tigers won the Evergreen District title, she earned Player-of-the-Year honors and even qualified for the all-state team.

In short, she excelled.

Wildly.

"She performs extremely well under pressure," said Brentsville coach Sean Weddel. He called Bunner a "clutch player" and compared her to basketball legend Michael Jordan in the way that, while she has natural talent, she works hard to procure it.

Bunner and fellow Brentsville teammates Cassidy Rowell, Gretchen Wisbey and Tori Burress all opted to attend Patriot. As a Group AAA school, Patriot is larger than Group AA Brentsville.

At the same time, the Cedar Run District features perennial state contender Battlefield as well as former Group AA state champion Broad Run.

That means the level of competition will be, at least on paper, more intense than it would be within the Evergreen District.

"I thought it would be good to challenge myself," said Bunner.

The 16-year-old from Bristow honed her soccer skills away from Brentsville by playing on travel teams such as the national No. 1 VSA Heat 15U squad and later with the McLean Power.

Weddel mentioned that one of the keys to Bunner's success is that she practices the way that she plays. She also is "never scared to expand her game, to try to be coached," he reckoned.

He cited as an example the time when Bunner first began weight-training with Brentsville. She previously had no experience doing so, he said, but quickly grew to start asking him when the next session would be.

"(She) loved it," Weddel said.

The coach recalled a scrimmage against Battlefield prior to the start of the 2010 season when Bunner took charge once the team fell behind 1-0.

Even though Brentsville lost, Weddel spotted a budding leader not afraid to scrap hard even at something with little meaning like a scrimmage. From that game, he said he knew she was a "true athlete and competitor."

"All I said was, no matter who's doing what wrong, we're not going to lose if we do this together," Bunner recalled of the game.

Her motto from there: Do it positively or "if that doesn't work, just do it yourself."

When it comes to making things happen herself, Bunner can combine grace with just pure luck. She once made a goal from midfield during a game last season against Kettle Run when the ball kept sailing and went in right under the top crossbar.

"Yeah, I did not expect it," she said.

Calling Bunner a "new genre of player," Weddel said her exposure to top talent as a travel player boosted her abilities in high school, something she expects will help Patriot in its inaugural season this spring in its quest for a state playoff bid.

"I kind of just want everyone to play as a family instead of just looking (toward) winning," said Bunner.

She later added, "We're going to have to unite first before we can get anywhere."