Four Midlands teams shooting for state soccer championships
A look at the four Midlands teams in Saturday’s SCHSL Soccer Championships, which will be played at Irmo High School. Admission is $10.
CHAPIN GIRLS
CLASS 3A: CHAPIN (19-2-1) VS. HILTON HEAD (19-4-1), Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
For the second time, the Chapin girls and boys have made the championship games in the same season. They played for state Class 2A titles in 2000. The Chapin girls, the top-ranked team in the state, have recorded shutouts in eight of their last nine matches and outscored their playoff opponents 13-1.
Coach: Robert Taylor
Players to Watch: Jordan Dawsey (14 goals, 3 assists); Mackenzie Hooker (12 goals, 3 assists); Salley Slice (13 goals, 6 assists); GK Amanda Esposito (0.64 goals against average)
Hilton Head (19-4-1)
Coach: Ernie Souzi
Players to Watch: GK Sydney Segars; Kyra Anderson; Maekenzie Poplin; Carly Willey; Nicole Moosebruger
CHAPIN BOYS
CLASS 3A: CHAPIN (20-3) VS. MYRTLE BEACH (23-2-1), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
The Chapin boys are making their ninth championship appearance, winning 2A titles in 2002 and 2003, The lone 3A appearance came in 2007. Two of the Eagles’ three losses this season came against 4A finalist River Bluff. The Eagles have scored three or more goals in eight of their last 10 matches.
Coach: Ben Bosco
Players to Watch: Smith Dawsey (25 goals 12 assists); Caleb White (9 goals, 2 assists); Turner Bonham (6 goals, 1 assist); GK Sailor Chason (0.73 goals against average)
Myrtle Beach (23-2-1)
Coach: Jason Himmelsbach
Players to Watch: Adolpfo Aguilar (24 goals, 12 assists); Elijah Rice (26 goals, 8 assists); Foster Russell (12 goals, 9 assists); David Caraker (0.93 goals against average)
LEXINGTON GIRLS
CLASS 4A: LEXINGTON (24-0-2) VS. J.L. MANN (25-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
The Lexington girls enter the weekend as the state’s lone unbeaten team and looking for their first state title. The Wildcats’s other title game was in 2007. The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A and 18th nationally, have allowed two or fewer goals in every match and have recorded 15 shutouts.
Coach: Chris Fryland
Players to Watch: Megan Classer (34 goals, 12 assists); Brooke Power (14 goals, 15 assists) Mary Katherine Waters (19 goals, 17 assists); GK Maggie Carpenter (0.42 goals against average)
J.L. Mann (25-2)
Coach: Steve Georgeopoulos
Players to Watch: Carli Conti; Emily Malone; Claudia Murphy; Marian Wolski
RIVER BLUFF BOYS
CLASS 4A: RIVER BLUFF (23-1) VS. CLOVER (19-6-1), Saturday, 6 p.m.
The River Bluff boys go for their first title in the three-year history of the school. The Gators have been ranked as high as No. 5 in the USA Today/NSCAA poll and entered playoffs at No. 8. River Bluff avenged their only loss of the season against Wando in the 4A lower state semifinals.
Coach: Phil Savitz
Players to Watch: Connor Deany (23 goals, 5 assists), Marcelo Malpartida (1 goal, 17 assists), Hampton Scott (11 goals, 6 assists), Sean O’Hara (7 goals, 11 assists), Ben Freiburger (5 goals, 5 assists), Justin Salters (6 goals, 2 assists), GK Evan Dowdy
Clover (19-6-1)
Coach: Graham Stafford
Players to Watch: Dylan Jones, Steven Alvarez, Adam Watkins, GK Austin Gunnels
LOU BEZJAK
This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 3:17 PM.