The Chapel Hill field hockey team will play for the state championship on Saturday after ending the dynasty of their crosstown rivals.
The Chapel Hill Tigers defeated the East Chapel Hill Wildcats 2-0 on Wednesday night at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, ending the Wildcats’ run of eight consecutive state championships.
Chapel Hill’s Julia Grant scored the game-winning goal with 14:57 remaining, after she launched a rocket into the box off an assist from Ines Yofree.
“I knew I had to shoot it really fast,” said Grant. “It was really hype.”
Chapel Hill got an insurance goal from Bryn Davis, who scored from the middle of the box, whistling the ball past the outstretched pads of East Chapel Hill goalie Lydia Treml.
East Chapel Hill dominated the first half, outshooting the Tigers 7-0. Chapel Hill Coach Ana Long says her team calmed down in the 2nd half.
“We were doing a little too much dribbling in the first half,” said Long. “We had some good, two-touch passing, some give-and-gos in the second half. We were able to connect and play more at our pace and just settle down a little bit.”
This year will be the first time in her nine years at East Chapel Hill that Coach Susan Taylor won’t win a state championship.
“I think we got tired and deflated,” said Taylor. “We just couldn’t get it in the cage and we got frustrated.”
In the second semifinal, Charlotte Myers Park defeated Carrboro 5-0. Jaguars coach Morgan Cloutier says she’s proud of her team.
“We were ranked #13 coming into the state tournament,” said Cloutier. “No one expected us to go as far as we did. The way that these girls played these past few games, I couldn’t be more proud.”
Chapel Hill will face Myers Park for the state championship on Saturday morning at 11o’clock at Forsyth Country Day.
The coaches for the Carrboro Jags are Neela Mahanty and Yaphet Melendez. The Jags were ranked #14 going into the state tournament.