White House High players and coaches celebrate after the Lady Devils’ 3-1 victory over Page in Saturday’s Class A-AA sectional match.
WHITE HOUSE There was no case of déjà vu for the White House High girls soccer team on Saturday.
Although the Lady Devils held a 3-1 lead against visiting Page in the second half of their Class A-AA sectional match – just as they did in last season’s match before losing in penalty kicks – no such comeback came this time.
White House’s defense clamped down to shut down Page for a 3-1 victory to send the Lady Devils to the state tournament for the first time since 2012 – when it was contested in Chattanooga.
“It means a lot, because a lot of these girls were on this team last year,” White House head coach Mike Felzien said. “To settle it on the field this time was what we wanted.”
Page led 1-0 in the 15th minute on Kendall Webb’s goal, but junior forward Madisson Davis netted the equalizer with 9:44 left in the first half and gave the Lady Devils the lead just 5:59 into the second half. That lead stood up for the final 34 minutes as Madeline Hargrove chipped in the final goal with 18:50 to play.
“It feels amazing,” Davis said. “We’ve worked so hard for this and to be going to state with my best friends is so amazing. It feels awesome.”
This time, they won’t have to drive as far, as they’ll play in Murfreesboro against an opponent to be named after Sunday’s tournament draw.
White House High junior Hannah Cook plays the ball away from Page freshman Gracelyn King (5) during Saturday’s Class A-AA sectional match.
“Chattanooga’s always a good venue to have it,” Felzien said. “But to be (in Murfreesboro) and not have to have a hotel, it’s a lot easier on the girls and the coaching staff. We look forward to staying home and hopefully a lot more of our students can get there.”
The Lady Devils will enter the state tournament having won their last seven matches and 16 of their last 18 after a 2-3 start in which all of the losses came to Class AAA teams. White House’s lone loss to an A-AA squad was a 5-4 setback at Merrol Hyde Magnet on Oct. 4.
The schedule gave the Lady Devils plenty of work against experienced squads, which served them well against Page.
“Coming into to this, we were like the underdogs,” Davis said. “We’ve come so far and it was such a hard game.”
>> Hendersonville saw its season end with a 3-1 loss at Franklin in one of eight Class AAA sectional matches.
Jessica Bissinger and Sara Casey scored for Franklin, and the Lady Rebels (15-1-2) also benefitted from an own goal to reach the Class AAA state tournament.
Cameron Giles scored the lone goal for Hendersonville (16-4-2), which loses nine seniors to graduation – Claire Almaraz, Arden Butler, Jada Campbell, Alyssa Capes, Sydney Cason, Makensie Cotter, Lydia Hampton, Erica Hudson, Whitney Phillips and Ashton West.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @CB_SumnerSports, and on Snapchat @cbrooksgne.
[presto-gallery id=”92631964″ title=”Page soccer at White House: Class A-AA sectionals” type=”presto”]
