SCHSL decides state titles in girls soccer
Columbia – State championships in girls soccer were decided at Memorial Stadium in a three-day event that featured 11 state title games.
Here is a recap of the championships. (will be updated)
Oceanside Collegiate won a fifth consecutive state championship in girls soccer, claiming the Class AAA title with a 3-0 win over Christ Church on Friday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
For the third straight season, Oceanside Collegiate faced Christ Church in the championship and for the third straight year the Landsharks won by 3-0 scores.
“All three years the matches went pretty much the same,” said coach Mark Meyer. “It was 0-0 all three years at half. We were able to get control early in the second half and it just carried over. Once we got that first goal, we settled down and pretty much played our game.”
Neither team scored in the first half but a more settled OCA dominated the final 40 minutes, doing their damage over an 11-minute span.
OCA took a 1-0 lead on sophomore Hailey Piesner’s goal midway through the second half. Junior Ella Petry added a goal six minutes later and junior Hayden Wamboldt scored five minutes after Petry for the commanding 3-0 lead.
“We lost 11 players, nine that went to play in college, so I don’t think anyone expected us to be here,” Meyer said. “We’re a young team but we are talented. With our youth we feel like we can be back next year.”
Academic Magnet’s girls team capped off an impressive playoff run with a 5-0 win over Dixie High School in the Class AA championship. The Raptors out-scored their playoff opponents 32-1 during their run to a seventh state title in school history. It was their first since the 2018 season.
“We had 13 seniors who had not experienced this so I am really happy for them,” said coach Alister DeLong, who won his third title. “Some of them have been four-year varsity players and they’ve worked so hard to reach this point. We had a great day, a great playoff run.”
Academic Magnet dominated early play, getting off numerous shots on goal with any success. However, Bridget Lee scored in the 15th minute of play and the rout was on. Hanna Ismail scored off a rebound five minutes later for a 2-0 lead.
The Raptors looked to have scored on a corner kick later in the first half but the goal was nullified by the officials.
Sophia Benich found the back of the net two minutes into the second half for a 3-0 lead. Just minutes later, Madeline Moye made it 4-0 and Mattie Vermette closed out the scoring in the 63rd minute of play. DeLong began to empty the bench for the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Eastside won a third straight championship, and seventh overall, with a 3-2 overtime win over Chapin in the AAAAA Division II title game.
All-stater Payton Nutzman scored two goals, including the game winner in the first of two overtime periods. Camille Carter also scored for the Eagles.
When asked what makes his team so solid in key moments, coach David Craig had an answer.
“These girls are so religiously grounded in all aspects of their life, the only secret sauce needed is Jesus,” Craig said. “On and off the field, these girls demonstrate what it really means to give 100% of themselves selflessly, and whatever the situation they will give it all for each other as a representation of complete servitude that Jesus put on display.
“At the beginning of the season, we had four freshmen make the team and they all got a lot of playing time at the Viking Cup and subsequent games. I even had one of my senior captains ask me why they were getting so many minutes, to which I replied, ‘something tells me we are going to need them down the stretch.’ My daughter and senior four-year starter, Kennedy tore her ACL in the fall, made it back for three games before re-injuring the same knee (surgery coming up Friday). Four-year senior starter, Maryn Holmes tore her ACL before spring break, and 3-year starter Haley Knarr tore her ACL in the last regular season game. And just like that, 3 of the 4 four freshmen found themselves in the starting line-up. The dedication to each other through thick and thin was on full display Saturday when we entered OT, yet again. Each girl sacrificed every bit of energy they had for each other.”
Craig says the comeback and performance in overtime is something he has come to expect from a team with great heart and determination.
“Chapin is a phenomenal team and extremely dangerous in the attack. We knew that if we could contain their attack or at least slow them down, and work forward from there, we would be okay. Going down 1-0 in the first half and coming back to take the lead 2-1 showed the same resilience I have seen from the girls in this program for 10 years now. We never give up and believe that we are in it. When they tied it up, I figured we would be going to OT. It's what we do and we do not lose in OT, so once we got there, I felt very good about where we were, even with only playing 12 players during the game.
“My heart is so happy for them, especially for my eight seniors. I have known most of them for the 10 years I have been back at Eastside with the girls’ program and even some of them since they were born. They knew when they started as Freshmen that these four years were going to be special and they delivered. four straight state championship appearances and winning the last three. The first team in program history to win back-to-back and then to up the ante and conquer the three-peat. While players graduate each year, the foundation is set in stone, and everyone comes in knowing who we are and what we are about.”
Chapin got a goal from Mayson Donahue to grab a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute of action. Chapin’s other goal, from Cat Hagler, came in the 71st minute to tie the game 2-2.
Chapin did not allow a playoff goal until the finals but coach Chad Bridges knew his team would be challenged.
“We knew Eastside was a good team,” the coach said. “We had a lead at halftime and they came out and answered. I hate it for girls but we had a great season. We got it to overtime and felt we had a pretty good chance but they answered pretty quick. We just came up a little short.”
The class AAAA championship between A.C. Flora and Bishop England proved one thing. It’s not how many shots you take that matters. It’s how many go into the net.
A.C. Flora managed just two shots on goal and only one made it into the net, but that one goal was enough for the Falcons to win the first state title in school history with a 1-0 victory.
Eric Navarro took over the Flora program last year, moving up from his position as the junior varsity coach, and knew he had a program with potential.
“I knew there was something special about this group,” he said. “As we progressed through the season we had some bumps, some hiccups. Every single time we faced a challenge, they stepped up. They got closer and stronger This was the best defensive performance we’ve had all season.”
Flora’s only score came from Samantha Lawther, who successfully played a corner kick into paydirt with 22 minutes left in the game. Flora keeper Kennedy Bagley held up her end with a clean sheet despite Bishop England getting 13 shots on goal. Bagley is in her second year as a soccer player.
“With every save I got more and more confident. I just didn’t want to lose because this team worked so hard for this,” Bagley said.
Bishop England dominated play in the first half, dictating pace of play but failing to score on seven shot attempts. A.C. Flora was the more aggressive team in the second half, limiting the Bishops to just one shot on goal in the first 14 minutes.
J.L. Mann and Wando met for the girls title in AAAAA Division I. It was the ninth time the two powerhouses had clashed in the state finals, each team having four wins.
J.L. Mann took the series advantage, posting a 3-1 win to claim their fifth title in school history and their first since 2019.
“We started out a little shaky to the season but when it really mattered they went out and won games,” said Mann coach Anastasios Georgopoulos. “It’s an amazing feeling. We finished the season with a great moment.”
Mann scored all three goals in the first 21 minutes of the contest, the first coming on an own goal when an Ashley Gonzales corner kick bounced off a Wando player’s leg and into the net.
Minutes later, freshman Caroline Ray tallied her 14th goal of the season for a 2-0 lead. Laney Keith’s header, her 15th goal of the season, made it 3-0.
Wando avoided the shutout late with a goal from sophomore Mikayla Humplik.
Wando finished 21-6 on the season with only one senior. The roster included 11 sophomores and four freshmen.
“We weren’t expected to be here,” said Wando coach Shannon Champ. “We lost eight seniors, six of them went on to play collegiately. To me this was a rebuilding year, just bring them along and maybe get here in a year or two, but here we are playing for the AAAAA Division I state championship. I couldn’t be prouder of the work they put in.”
