AC Flora, Chapin making return trip to SC girls soccer championships
Liza Stavrou saw the confusion in front of her and was ready to capitalize.
The AC Flora senior took advantage of a defensive breakdown to score the game’s only goal late in the second half of Friday’s 1-0 win over rival Dreher in the Class 4A Upper State girls soccer championship.
With the win, the Falcons advance to their second straight championship and face Bishop England, 2-1 winners over Gray Collegiate, at 4 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium. AC Flora defeated Bishop England last year to win its first state championship.
“It really means a lot. This is my last year playing soccer,” Stavrou said. “That really was my main goal to get to state. It really means a lot, and I am just excited.”
It was the third win of the season over Dreher, with the others coming on March 12 and April 17.
This was another close one, with neither team being able to convert on its chances for much of the game.
That changed in the 74th minute when a long pass was headed and landed near the 15-yard line. Stavrou slid past the Dreher defender, controlled the ball, made a move to the right of the Blue Devil goalkeeper, who came away from the net, and drilled the shot into an empty net.
It was Stavrou’s team-leading 21st goal of the season.
“I saw there was a lot of confusion on who was getting the ball, so I tried to go in before anyone could figure it out and tap it in around the goalie,” Stavrou said.
AC Flora coach Eric Navarro credited Stavrou with having the presence to make a split-second decision.
“Sometimes forwards try to plow it in the goal, but she was smart, took a little touch to the side, opened that passing lane and just passed it into the goal,” Navarro said. “As coaches say, just pass it in the goal and there you go.”
It was another strong defensive performance for the Falcons, who have allowed only 20 goals in 29 games this season. AC Flora has allowed just one goal in its last 16 games.
Kennedy Bagley had four saves for AC Flora and Dreher did a good job of putting pressure on the Falcons’ defense for a large portion of the game.
Dreher finished the season 15-9.
Girls Soccer
Chapin 2, Lucy Beckham 1: The Eagles earned a spot in their third straight championship with a win over Lucy Beckham.
Lila Bowers had two goals and Cora Harp and Sydney Stoner each had assists in the win for Chapin. Freshman Morgan Voelker stopped four shots in goal for Chapin.
Chapin will face Eastside on at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Class 5A Division II championship. It is a rematch of last year’s championship.
Chapin will enter the championship on a 13-game winning streak.
Bishop England 2, Gray Collegiate 1 (OT): Sophia D’Marco scored in the first overtime period to hand the War Eagles a loss in the Class 4A Lower State championship.
Wando 2, Lexington 0: The Wildcats lost in the Class 5A Division I Lower State championship, coach Chris Fryland’s final match before retiring. Fryland retires as the winningest girls soccer coach in South Carolina history.
JL Mann 2, Blythewood 0: The Bengals’ season came to an end in the Class 5A Division I Upper State championship.
Baseball
Chapin 5, North Myrtle Beach 3: Weston Plotner hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the fourth as the Eagles won the Class 5A Division II District 4 Championship.
Chapin will face West Florence in the best-of-three Lower State championship series beginning Tuesday at home.
Griff Harper picked up the win. Brewer Haggard got the save.
Airport 5, North Augusta 2: The Eagles scored four runs in the fifth to sweep the best-of-three Class 4A Lower State semifinal series.
Airport will face the winner of May River/Hartsville in the Lower State championship series Tuesday. The Eagles will be on the road for the opener and home for Game 2.
Justin Sightler had two RBIs and Landon Jeffcoat added three hits for Airport. Cash Epps picked up the win.
AC Flora 10, Camden 2: Roper Wentzky had four hits while Tyler Hernandez and Joe Ray each had two RBIs as the Falcons swept the best-of-3 Class 4A Upper State playoff series.
AC Flora will play Fountain Inn or Wren in the 4A Upper State championship series beginning Tuesday.
River Bluff 10, Sumter 0: Raymond Kastner pitched a 2-hit complete-game and struck out 11 as the Gators forced a deciding game in the Class 5A Division I Lower State District 4 championship.
River Bluff will host Sumter at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the winner moving on to the Lower State championship series against James Island. Dominick Norton homered and drove in three runs and Mason Iser added two RBIs.
Spartanburg 10, Blythewood 4: Spartanburg scored seven runs in the first two innings as the Bengals’ season ended in the Class 5A Division I District 2 championship.
Softball
Saluda 6, Ninety-Six 0: Miller Martin struck out 12 and allowed just one hit as the Tigers moved into the winner’s bracket of the Class 2A Upper State playoffs.
Saluda hosts Chesnee in a winner’s bracket game on Monday.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 11:39 PM.
