Since 2010, the world has been introduced to Instagram, TikTok, the iPad, NIL deals, and five different presidents, but one thing has remained constant, Greeneville winning district championships in soccer. Thursday night at Burley Stadium, the Greene Devils once again added to their legacy, using a patient and methodical offensive attack to capture their 16th consecutive district tournament title with a 6-0 victory over Volunteer.
“We don’t take these for granted,” stressed head coach Jerry Graham. “Our kids handle the pressure well and wear it as a badge of honor when they step on the field. They carry on that sense of pride as a Greene Devil and continue winning district championships.”
Volunteer made things difficult early by packing defenders into the final third and trapping their cuts, forcing Greeneville to stay patient and move the ball around in search of quality scoring opportunities.
The Greene Devils finally broke through in the 11th minute when Sam Gourley blasted a 15-yard strike past the Cherokee keeper for a 1-0 lead.
Coach Graham emphasized the importance of scoring early. “It’s always good to get that first goal early, especially against a team like that,” Graham said. “The longer they stay with you, the more hope it builds for them, and it becomes harder to break down that back line.”
Greeneville doubled its advantage just two minutes later when Emmerson Hensley dribbled past several defenders and found Aidan Inscore inside the box for an easy finish and a 2-0 lead.
The Greene Devils continued to control possession and outshot Cherokee 8-2 over the remainder of the half, including a 4-1 edge in shots on goal. However, Volunteer senior goalkeeper Ossie Franklin kept Greeneville from extending the lead further and helped keep the score at 2-0 heading into halftime.
At the break, Greeneville’s coaching staff encouraged the team to remain patient, avoid frustration, continue making runs, and find ways to break through Cherokee’s defensive traps.
That approach paid off quickly in the second half.
In the 46th minute, Hensley collected his second assist of the night when he found Maddox Tucker streaking down the sideline. Tucker finished the one-on-one opportunity to extend the lead to 3-0.
Greeneville added another goal in the 57th minute when Remi Elize-Vital fired a shot off the post, but Inscore was there to tap home the rebound for his second goal of the night and a 4-0 advantage.
The score stayed there until the 70th minute when William Woolsey delivered a throw-in that Justin Binegas redirected into the net with a header to make it 5-0.
With the outcome well in hand, Greeneville added one final goal in the closing minutes. Dash Lawson delivered a pass to Caden Jordan, who tapped it in during the 80th minute to complete the 6-0 victory.
With the win, Greeneville (12-5-2) now turns its attention to the opening round of the Region 1-2A Tournament, where the Greene Devils will host either Sullivan East or Elizabethton next Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“Now we shift our focus toward the region semifinals and championship,” Graham said. “We’re not worried about the state tournament right now. Everything goes through the region championship, and we’ll handle those things as we move forward.”
