Brinley Murphy (7) of the Bearden Bulldogs. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
Six went down to Chattanooga this week with championship hopes.
Only three of those high school girls soccer teams remain.
Here’s what happened Wednesday in the TSSAA State Quarterfinals for teams from the 5Star Preps coverage area
No. 1 Bearden cruises to Class AAA semifinals; West falls to Houston
Bearden 4, Collierville 0: The nation’s No. 1 team, Bearden (22-0), is two steps away from a second consecutive undefeated season and second consecutive Class AAA championship. And Collierville (10-6-1) found out just how good Bearden is on Wednesday.
The Lady Bulldogs led by three goals at the half, had four different players score, had 25 shots and allowed just two shots by Collierville.
Bre Mendoza (13th minute), Morgan Hellman (15th minute), Maci Ritzman (40th minute) and Katie Browning (75th minute) each netted a goal for Bearden, which will play Station Camp (16-2-3) in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on campus at Baylor School.
Houston 4, West 0: Unbeaten Houston (16-0-1) spoiled the first-ever appearance by West High School in the state quarterfinals. Houston will play Siegel (17-4-2) in Thursday’s semifinals. Houston has won nine state titles (the last in 2018) and was runner-up to Bearden last season.
Greeneville rolls past Dyersburg into Class AA semifinals; Seymour falls to Murfreesboro Central
Greeneville 4, Dyersburg 1: Don’t always predict based on the records alone. Greeneville (14-10) led by two goals at the break against Dyersburg (19-3) and ended up winning 4-1. Annemarie Konieczny scored two goals in the first 20 minutes to help set the tone. Abby Adkins and Kendyl Foshie added goals, as the Lady Greene Devils held that 4-1 lead the final 25 minutes.
Greeneville, now 10-0 in program history in state quarterfinal games, advances to the semifinals to face Page (21-0-2) at 4 p.m. Thursday on campus at Girls Preparatory School.
Greeneville is chasing its fifth all-time girls soccer championship and first since repeating in 2020. Page eliminated Greeneville in the semifinals last season, 1-0.
Murfreesboro Central 4, Seymour 1: Ray Ray Ellis scored for Seymour in the final minute of the first half to knot the score at 1-all, but Murfreesboro Central (17-6) stayed on the offensive in the second half to eliminate the Lady Eagles (14-4-3).
MC outshot Seymour, 15-6, and scored goals in the 54th and 60th minute to surge past Seymour and pull away.
Cumberland Gap wins first-ever state Class A game; Alcoa ousted by Merrol Hyde
Cumberland Gap 3, Madison Magnet 1: Madison Magnet knew the scout. But it still didn’t matter. Aly Ramsey scored three goals for Cumberland Gap — giving her 173 in her career — and the Lady Panthers won their first-ever state tournament game in their second appearance (2020, 2022).
Ramsey’s goal in the 13th minute produced the game’s first goal. She scored in the 64th minute to push Cumberland Gap (18-1-2) ahead 2-0.
Madison (16-4) scored right at the 70th minute, but that didn’t rattle Cumberland Gap.
Ramsey completed her hat trick 4:40 later.
Cumberland Gap will face Chattanooga School for Arts & Sciences (13-6-2) in Thursday’s semifinal, slated for a 6:30 p.m. start on the campus of Chattanooga Christian School. CSAS played in the semifinals last season but was eliminated by Alcoa, 1-0.
Merrol Hyde 1, Alcoa 0: In a rematch of last year’s championship match, Merrol Hyde got the better of Alcoa again.
Sydney Arreza scored for Merrol Hyde (18-2-1) in the 37th minute and that goal held up against the Lady Ts (14-5-1).