SALEM, Va. – The Eastern Montgomery girls came into this year’s Class 1 soccer finals riding a 53-game win streak. The two-time defending state champions were facing rival Auburn for the 4th time this season. And in this case, familiarity created a tremendous matchup that took three overtimes to settle.
East Mont struck first when Aija McHone served up a cross for Lacy Davis, and she buried the ball in the back of the net for a 1-0 Mustangs halftime lead.
The game stayed 1-0 until late second half, when a handball call in the box gave Auburn a penalty shot. Katie Light converted and it was a 1-1 game after regulation.
The two teams played two scoreless overtimes before East Mont’s offense struck, with sophomore sensation Aija McHone finally shaking free on the run out...she cashed it in for the win, and the Mustangs 3rd consecutive state title.
“We all know each other so well. Both of our teams are so close and our county [schools] are so close and everything that we are really just friends and you know. A rivalry’s a rivalry, and that always pushes us to be the best that we can play,” McHone explained.
“Every single one of those girls have played us three times already this season, they knew what to expect. They kind of knew how to work around our strengths and they made it hard for us — and I’m actually proud of both teams for stepping up,” Head Coach Whittney Shaver said.
Meanwhile, the Glenvar boys would have to overcome a 24-0 Clarke County squad to win their first boy’s state title.
The game was scoreless until the final two minutes when Jake Williams rose up and converted a header for a 1-0 win.
The Highlanders conclude the season at 20-1-1 and the Class 2 boy’s state soccer champs. The game was a rematch of last year’s title game, won by Clarke County, 3-2.