It was high drama at Fox Field on Saturday afternoon as the Greeneville soccer team fought to keep its season going in the Class AA State Sectionals against Gibbs.
Every step, every touch, every change of direction mattered on Saturday as the two teams battled to a scoreless deadlock for 73 minutes, but everything flipped over the final seven minutes and the Lady Devils left celebrating a 3-0 victory.
“I’m super proud of these girls. They set this goal at the beginning of the year, and I’m super excited that they have been able to reach that goal,” Greeneville coach Jerry Graham said. “These girls persevered through some things. They played our game. They never panicked, and they got three goals late in the second half.”
The win sends the Lady Greene Devils to the Class AA State Tournament for the 12th year in a row. Being able to maintain that standard of excellence year after year is something the program has grown to take pride in.
“It feels amazing to be going back to state, to be going all four years is amazing,” Greeneville senior Vivian Kammerdiener said. “That has been our main goal all year, for me and (Angelyn Diaz) as the seniors, to make sure that we get to go back.”
Greeneville will open state tournament play on Tuesday at Baylor School in Chattanooga at 11 AM against South Gibson.
“To be going back to Chattanooga and contending for a state championship is an honor,” Graham said. “These girls have bought in to the program. They understand what kind of schedule we build to get to this point. Now for them to see that buy in and that effort payoff is really rewarding as a coach.”
The Lady Devils now need to win three more times to bring home the program’s fifth state championship.
Everything about Saturday’s contest changed in the 73rd minute. Greeneville broke the ice, and with it came a flood of goals in the closing minutes.
The breakthrough play started with Kinsley Spradlen taking possession along the right boundary. She paused to let her teammates catch up and sent the ball inside to Vivian Kammerdiener who worked forward as Spradlen cut into the box.
Kammerdiener sent the perfect ball ahead to the sophomore wing. As keeper Jayd Powell came out the frame Spradlen fired a low screamer past the Lady Eagle and inside the left post.
“The defense was really spread out so I made run in and Vivian gave me a great ball,” Spradlen said. “I knew we needed to score right there. It felt great to see the ball go in and I think that got the other goals started too.”
As the net stretched a combination of relief and elation reverberated among the Lady Devils and their faithful following at Fox Field as it seemed clear the season would continue for at least a few more days.
“Kinsley’s level of play over the last three weeks has just exploded. The triggers that she sees on the outside have been great. She had a brace in the last game, she scored the breakthrough goal tonight. Coach Gallegos said told her before the game that she was going to be big. That goal was just tremendous. The ball in to her was a thing of genius. Kinsley showed great composure to put that in. One on one you have so many things going through your head, but she picked the right spot. It was real nice.”
There was good reason to be confident that one goal would be enough to get the job done with just seven minutes left to play. To that point Greeneville’s defense was nothing short of dominant on Saturday.
In the center of the back like Elaina Philbeck and Julieann Raby were stone walls who continually dispossessed the Lady Eagles. On the outside Maggie Moore and Julia Woolsey never let the Gibbs challenge from the wing, and in the first half they added to Greeneville’s offensive pressure. In goal Cailee Broyles was not called on often, but when she was, she made sure Gibbs only had one chance. Then from midfield Harper Neas added a pivotal sixth piece to that defensive pressure the Lady Devils applied.
“Our defense has given up 11 goals all year. They have been lights out all year,” Graham said. “We got unbalanced a couple of times, but they had each other’s backs. When one faltered another came through. I’m super proud of the clean sheet.”
While one goal would have been enough Greeneville was not done scoring. In the 78th minute Elise Rogers put pressure on the Lady Eagles’ box, but they were able to turn away her attack. When the ball found the feet of Peyton Vaught though, there was nothing Gibbs could do as she punched it home from eight yards.
Prior to the game Kammerdiener told Graham that she predicted a 3-0 victory, and she took it upon herself to see that through. The senior playing in her last game at Fox Field ran through the Lady Eagles back line, bouncing off defenders while keeping the ball on her toes before slipping a shot past Powell.
“I told coach Graham before the game that we were going to win 3-0, so I felt like I had to get that done. It felt really good to just seal the win right there, and finish with a goal.” Kammerdiener said.
Greeneville could have gained control earlier as it spent almost the entire first half on its half of the field, but the Lady Devils could not get a shot around the keeper. Spradlen, Vaught, Rogers, Kammerdiener and Angelyn Diaz all put the pressure on the Lady Eagles, but the crowded box was too much to get through.
On the other end of the field Gibbs had almost no attack through 40 minutes, with a few long prayers fired but no shots on frame.
In the early portion of the second half Gibbs changed its approach and began to try to score. In the first 10 minutes after intermission the Lady Eagles got off two shots that Broyles saved while the keeper broke up two more dangerous crosses.
After the 50th minute Greeneville began to turn the attack to the other end of the field. In the 54th minute Greeneville looked to have a sure goal when Diaz broke free for a one-on-one chance. As Diaz approached the edge of the box a Gibbs defender took her feet out from under her from behind while never touching the ball. The referees chose to abandon enforcement of the rules. No foul was called, nor a card given while possession went to Gibbs and the scoring chance ended.
Nevertheless, Greeneville’s defense held strong and the opportunity taken away did not alter the outcome.
