By JESSE SMITHEY
Three area girls’ soccer teams battled Thursday for spots in the TSSAA State Soccer Championship matches on Saturday.
Here is how Alcoa (Class A), Greeneville (AA) and Bearden (Class AAA) fared in their state semifinals.
BEARDEN ENDS CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE DROUGHT
Bearden’s Becca Roth (19) pushes the ball forward against Collierville on Thursday during a 2021 TSSAA Class AAA state semifinal at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tenn. (Photo by Danny Parker)
The Bearden Lady Bulldogs have long been accepted as one of East Tennessee’s premier high school girls’ soccer programs. Nevertheless, the program entered this week having not reached a state final since 2007.
That drought will meet its end Saturday.
Bearden scored a 2-0, rain-soaked win over Collierville (15-2-1) in a Thursday night semifinal at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga to advance into the Class AAA championship.
“I was a high school senior (at Bearden) the last time the girls’ side was in the state championship. So it’s huge. It’s a new identity and legacy on the girls front,” said Bearden coach Ryan Radcliffe. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games tonight. It was just one of those: who’s going to gut it out and who’s going to battle through the downpour, slipping and sliding and mud? It was an ugly game, so to speak.
“But I think it shows the attitude and identity of this group — that they want it.”
Bearden will face Memphis Houston (15-4-2) at 4 p.m. Saturday in the title game at CHI Memorial Stadium in Chattanooga. Houston eliminated 2020 state champion Ravenwood, 2-0, in a semifinal Thursday.
Houston has eight titles all-time, the last of which came in 2018.
Bearden (22-0-1), the current No. 1 team in the country per the United Soccer Coaches poll, won its two state championships in 2006 and 2007.
The Lady Bulldogs finally broke free of Collierville in the second half Thursday night to earn another spot in a state finale. And both Bearden goals came within minutes of each other midway through the second half.
Jordy Hellman scored first, netting one in off a corner kick from Liv Stott.
Shortly thereafter, Bearden junior Brinley Murphy scored on a header off a Becca Roth corner kick.
Bearden out-shot Collierville, 12-7, but six of Collierville’s shots came in the second half. Bearden keeper Peyton Huber kept a clean sheet with three saves in her 80 minutes in goal.
Radcliffe also coaches the Bearden boys’ soccer program, which fell 2-1 to Houston in the 2021 Class AAA state championship in May.
“It’s two big programs coming together. The history and stories on both sides speak for themselves,” said Radcliffe. “We played Houston earlier this year in our tournament and beat them (2-1 on Sept. 2), but I think at this point everyone is a new team. And everyone is on the same path. If anything, Houston has been there. It’s a huge advantage for them.
“Let’s face it, this is the first time for these girls in 14 years in being there. So, that’s going to be a hurdle we’ll have to talk about tomorrow, in matching their mentality level. Houston’s a program that expects to be there. Now that we’ve made it there, hopefully after this year we can be that program that expects to be there, as well, every year. I think it’s going to be a dog fight. I don’t think it’s going to be a huge blowout either way. I think it’s going to come down to the second half. We’ll see if we can recover (Friday) and have the fresher legs at the end.”
ALCOA MAKES FINAL FOR THIRD TIME IN FIVE YEARS
Alcoa players celebrate their 2021 TSSAA Class A state semifinal win Thursday, Oct. 28, at Chattanooga Baylor School. (Photo by Danny Parker)
The trophy case at Alcoa High School may be loaded with football trophies, but the girls’ soccer program may need its own section soon.
The Lady Tornadoes got an early goal Thursday in its Class A state semifinal against Chattanooga School for Arts & Sciences, and that score held up for a 1-0 win.
The victory sent Alcoa (14-6-1) into the state championship match for a third time in the last five years. The Lady Tornadoes won it all in 2017 and were runners-up in 2019.
They’ll play 2020 state runner-up Merrol Hyde (17-2-1) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Chattanooga’s CHI Memorial Stadium. Merrol Hyde, based in Hendersonville, was also runner-up in 2018 but has never won a state championship.
“We’ve got a strong group, and it’s a very good team this year. They work well together,” said Alcoa coach Shane Corley, who celebrated his 100th career win earlier this season. “They’ve said from Day One that they wanted to get back (to state) and get one.
“These seniors want a ring real bad. So they’ve put in the work for it, and they’ve put themselves in a position and got themselves an opportunity. We’ll see how that turns out.”
Alcoa made its way into the finale with defense. After Wendy Beristain’s goal in the seventh minute Thursday, the Alcoa defense took over from there, limiting CSAS to three total shots. Alcoa keeper Ella Murr made a save in each half.
Meanwhile, the Alcoa offense got plenty of looks that could have broken the game wide open but just couldn’t sneak any more shots in for scores. The Lady Tornadoes finished with 11 shots.
“We though it would be a tough contest for both teams,” said Corley. “But I think we definitely felt like there would be some goals scored (Thursday). I didn’t think it would be as defensive of a battle as it ended up being.
“We felt like we should have had two or three in the first half. Our defense did a great job, though, of shutting down a dangerous striker that (CSAS) had, that we kind of kept an eye on.”
Alcoa sophomore Charlotte Tymon, who has scored 32 goals this season, was in obvious pain following the game Thursday. But Corley expects her to be ready to play Saturday.
GREENEVILLE TITLE DEFENSE ENDS
Delana Debusk (22) and the Greeneville Lady Greene Devils fell 1-0 to Page in a 2021 TSSAA Class AA state semifinal played Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at Chattanooga Christian School. (Photo by Danny Parker)
A new champion will be crowned in Class AA state soccer on Saturday.
Two-time defending champion Greeneville fell to Page High (Franklin, Tenn.) by a 1-0 count Thursday in the state semifinals played at Chattanooga Christian School.
Greeneville (15-9) got 12 shots to Page’s 10 and had seven in the second half, but Page keeper Gabrielle Rainey kept a clean sheet with four saves.
Abigail Thornton scored for Page (19-3-1) on an unassisted goal early in the 65th minute. Page will play Murfreesboro Central Magnet for the Class AA title at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
5STAR PHOTOS: Greeneville, Alcoa, Bearden – 2021 TSSAA State Soccer Semifinals