River Bluff girls soccer inches closer to first state championship appearance

It’s been nearly a year, but the River Bluff girls’ soccer team has exorcised one demon that haunted them from last season.

Now they get another opportunity against a similar foe with a chance to play for the program’s first state championship game appearance on the line.

River Bluff knocked off rival Lexington for the third time this season with a 2-0 victory in the Class 5A third round soccer playoffs Friday night at The Swamp, surpassing the third-round loss to Wando last season.

But awaiting the Gators in the lower state championship on Monday will be the Wando Warriors, a perennial power that owns six state championships since 2007 but none since 2014.

“We’ve always talked about trying to get farther and setting now goals each year and setting new records for each year,” River Bluff coach KC Dunbaker said. “Honestly, we thought might see Wando in the postseason, but we knew regardless we would go one game at a time and do our best.”

River Bluff won the previous two meetings this season against Lexington, 2-0 on March 26 and 3-1 on April 11. But the stakes were much higher this time around. The Wildcats earned an at-large bid to the playoffs and recorded road victories over Carolina Forest and Fort Dorchester in the opening two rounds. The nationally-ranked Gators held serve at home, knocking off Socastee and James Island to set up the Friday evening showdown.

It didn’t take long for River Bluff (22-0-1) to strike. After Lexington was issued a yellow card, Megan Slattery took the free kick from the sideline about 30 yards out. The ball just cleared several defenders in the box and bounced around until Charlotte Sparkes got enough of it in the fourth minute.

“We got two goals on hard work – one on a free kick and one on a counter-attack,” Dunbaker said. “It’s always nice to get an early goal. That’s something we’ve been trying to push this year. Getting that early goal gets teams head down a little bit and allows us to get the fan base behind us even more.”

Even though the Gators dominated the action, it stayed that way until the 56th minute. Lexington (12-11) had one of its better scoring changes with a free kick from 28 yards out. It was lofted into the box, but the Gators Jordan Mishoe quickly took control. Mishoe outraced the Wildcats down the pitch and fired a shot from the left side. The shot was saved but unable to be controlled and Rylie Addis was there to score on the rebound.

“It’s always good to have a cushion but especially in that way,” Dunbaker said. “They were on the attack and we have two players that just busted it to get to the other end. Mishoe puts the service in and Addis follows up to put it in the back of the net.”

Mishoe, a senior forward, is proud of what this team has accomplished and looks forward to the opportunity that awaits on Monday. River Bluff, who is ranked No. 11 in the country by USA Today Super 25 rankings, defeated Wando in penalty kicks earlier this season during the Viking Cup but this rematch in the playoffs is something they thought could happen before the season even began.

“It’s a true honor. This group of girls has worked so hard this season and the fact as we’ve never gotten as far as we have this year is a huge accomplishment for us,” Mishoe said. “We’re ready to practice Sunday and work hard. We’re about to get some ice baths and make sure we’re rested up. We’ve played Wando this year and beaten them so that helps drive us. Hopefully we play a good game and come out on top.”

The Gators will be at home at 7 pm Monday.

“Wando the past two years has knocked us out in the third round at their place. This will be the first time we’ve ever hosted them at our field so it will be nice to see them year,” Dunbaker said.

This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 10:22 PM.