SOCCER
State Sectionals
Greeneville 2, Seymour 1
Greeneville controlled possession in the early minutes but struggled to capitalize. Matea Gray had a header miss wide in the opening seven minutes, and the Lady Devils’ offense couldn’t break through despite several promising attacks. Keeper Gracie Vorhees of Seymour proved tough to beat, turning away shots from Vivian Kammerdiener and Gray after some slick combination play between Gray, Angelyn Diaz, and Abby Adkins.
In the 13th minute, Diaz had a golden opportunity on a breakaway, but Vorhees made another strong save, keeping the game scoreless. Seymour got their first chance on a corner kick in the 16th minute, but Greeneville keeper Lily Evatt stood tall, deflecting Brooks Hamilton’s shot.
The breakthrough finally came in the 28th minute when Abby Adkins’ persistence paid off. After being taken down by two defenders, Adkins managed to regain her footing and poked the ball into an open net after Vorhees initially stopped Kammerdiener’s rebound attempt. That gave the Lady Devils a 1-0 lead.
Seymour had chances to equalize before halftime, but Evatt was up to the task, including a crucial one-on-one save against Caitlyn Ogle. Just before the break, Adkins added a second goal, converting a penalty kick after Kammerdiener was fouled in the box. Her strike to the lower left corner put Greeneville up 2-0 heading into halftime.
In the second half, Seymour upped the pressure and managed to pull a goal back in the 51st minute when Hamilton lofted a free kick over the defense and into the upper 90 at the far post. From there, the Lady Devils found themselves defending for much of the remaining time, with their back line of Emma Kate Weems, Elaina Philbeck, Daniela Gallegos, Marley VanBuskirk, and Lily Evatt holding strong. Senior midfielders Gabi Stayton and Emma Sauceman also provided critical support in helping Greeneville maintain their slim advantage.
Despite Seymour’s late push, Greeneville held on for the 2-1 victory, advancing to yet another state tournament. As they prepare for the competition in Chattanooga, the Lady Devils will look to clean up both their offensive finishing and defensive organization. Listen to State Tournament coverage from 95.5FM WSMG as Greeneville plays Franklin County from Chattanooga Christian School at 6:30pm.
Chattanooga School of Arts and Sciences 5, Chuckey-Doak 2
Chattanooga, Tn – The Chuckey-Doak Lady Black Knights fell just short of their Class A State Tournament dreams for the second consecutive year, losing 5-2 to Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences (CSAS) in the state sectional on Saturday afternoon. Despite a strong effort, the Lady Knights couldn’t overcome the firepower of the Lady Patriots, who doubled Chuckey-Doak in total shots, 26-13, and maintained control of the game from the start.
Coach Ricker acknowledged the talent of the Lady Patriots, and while the result was disappointing, it was a privilege for Chuckey-Doak to be in the game after battling through the season’s challenges, including the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The season, which many feared might be over due to the floods, ended with a commendable 14-5-1 record and a deep postseason run.
CSAS struck first, as Chloe Benson found the back of the net in just the 3rd minute, putting Chuckey-Doak in an early 1-0 hole. The Lady Knights had a chance to respond when Tavyn Southerland took a direct kick from 27 yards out in the 7th minute, but it sailed wide. However, Southerland’s persistence paid off minutes later. Her next direct kick was blocked by the keeper but rebounded perfectly for Aliah Campbell, who slotted it home in the 18th minute to tie the game 1-1.
The joy was short-lived, though, as just 23 seconds later, Ayanna Hamler scored her first of three goals to put CSAS back ahead 2-1. Hamler netted another just before halftime in the 37th minute, sending the Lady Patriots into the break with a 3-1 advantage.
After halftime, the Lady Knights looked to mount a comeback, but Hamler’s third goal in the 58th minute all but sealed the result, giving CSAS a 4-1 lead. Chuckey-Doak’s Layla Fox gave her team a glimmer of hope in the 60th minute, scoring from long range to cut the deficit to 4-2. However, nine minutes later, Ella Hurst added a fifth goal for CSAS from outside the box, effectively icing the game at 5-2.
The Lady Black Knights fought hard but ultimately couldn’t overcome the skill of the Lady Patriots, and their season came to an end with the 5-2 loss.
