Sherwood Christian girls win state soccer title again

HAMPTON — They say that the third time is a charm, like three-peating as champions.

As five Sherwood Christian Academy seniors, Kate Johnson, Bri Pafford, Riley Nobles, Aubri Hughes and Ashley Hughes, went to receive the championship trophy from Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association President Todd Hannon, they and the rest of the team realized the joy of the “three-peat” after they defeated Creekside Christian 1-0 in a hard-fought match Saturday at Twelve Oaks Stadium.

The title was Sherwood’s second straight GICAA crown, having defeated Creekside for the second year in a row. However, it’s the program’s third straight state championship after they won a title in the Georgia Independent Schools Association two years ago in the school’s final year in the association.

The Lady Eagles got on the board early in the first half when Pafford took a long pass from Molly Kate McClearn, timed her run perfectly and slotted the ball past Creekside keeper Audry Butts to give Sherwood a 1-0 lead. That goal proved to be all the Lady Eagles needed for the victory.

“It was huge,” Sherwood girls coach Jayson Davidson said. “I asked them to put the ball down, spread it wide, find the diagonal balls and finish. That’s exactly what they did.”

For Pafford, it was an extremely special way to end her Sherwood soccer career.

“The build up was all from my team, especially Molly Kate,” Pafford said. “It was a great way to end my last game.”

The Lady Cougars had their chances to score in the first half. Forward Kacie Coggeshall sent a long ball toward goal, but Sherwood keeper Hannah Crooke was able to knock it away.

Then with 21 minutes left in the first half, Abbie Crane drove the ball through the Lady Eagles’ defense but her low-line shot was right to Crooke for an easy save.

Creekside continued to pressure Sherwood’s defense through much of the first half, including another shot on goal by Coggeshall which Crooke briefly mishandled but corralled. Both teams battled hard throughout the half, but the Lady Eagles maintained a 1-0 halftime lead.

Creekside continued to put pressure on Sherwood’s back line early in the second half, but the Lady Eagles’ defense was up to the challenge. Sherwood had a chance to double their lead 10 minutes into the second half, but Riley Nobles’ attempt was saved by Butts. The Lady Cougars continued to try to penetrate the Lady Eagles’ defense through out the remainder of the match, but Sherwood shut the door to preserve the victory.

“They {Creekside} brought everything at us near the end of the match. The defense held up, played safe, cleared the ball and won the match,” Davidson said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the girls….three-time state champions.”

McClearn said she just wants to bask in the joy of this year’s state title.

“It’s unbelievable,” she said. “It’s like, the greatest thing in the world.”