Clarksville High girls soccer has grueling sectional Saturday with Collierville

Clarksville High's shift from Region 5-AAA soccer to Region 7-AAA this fall meant it would be matched up with west Tennessee if the Lady Wildcats could advance to another sectional.

A sectional game seemed almost certain, even before the season began, as the Class AAA defending state champs are looking to make the state tournament for the fifth time in the past six years.

An 8-1 thumping of Arlington Thursday night in the Region 7-AAA title game made sure that the Lady Wildcats would get another shot.

Destiny Hill had a hat trick for Clarksville (16-6), scoring the game's first two goals and adding CHS' eighth goal with 17 minutes left in the game. Teammate JaNiya Stevens also had a hat trick with three goals and Madison Allen scored twice.

"We were sharp," Clarksville coach Jeff Jordan said. "I thought we had our best defensive performance of the season and the girls played fast and were communicating and just played outstanding."

Arlington's scoring opportunities were few. It managed to loft a high goal into the net late in the first half, but that was the extent of its success. Clarksville's goalie, Heidi Irvin, needed only four saves as her teammates in the back kept her upright most of the night.

Now the Lady Wildcats shift their attention as they face Collierville (15-4-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday. The good news for Clarksville is that it avoids having to travel for its sectional after Thursday's region championship — the program's sixth straight.

"That's about a four-hour drive by bus," Jordan said. "And our field is in the best shape it's been in in years. But we know we'll have our hands full."

With its move to Region 7-AAA, Clarksville is matched up with Region 8-AAA that includes teams like Collierville and Houston. Both West Tennessee schools are almost annual participants at state. And Clarksville is familiar with both.

Houston (21-0) has won three state titles and played in another championship game since 2010. CHS and Houston played in the 2014 and '15 state finals with each winning one. And Clarksville has faced Collierville in three straight state semifinals, winning all three.

The Lady Wildcats have played both this season, losing to Collierville 2-0, Sept. 10, and losing to Houston six days later, 4-1.

"West Tennessee and Middle Tennessee have been the strength of soccer for a lot of years now," Jordan said. 

Each of the past six state champions have come from the Midstate or West Tennessee. And only Farragut (runner-up in 2011) has made a state title game appearance from Knoxville.

Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.