Page boys soccer completes Class 2A sweep with 1-0 win over Valor Collegiate Academy

Joseph Spears
Nashville Tennessean

MURFREESBORO — When Nate Clapp led the Page girls soccer to the Class 2A championship last October, he escaped the day without getting a water bucket dumped on him.

He wasn't as lucky Friday afternoon coaching the boys. 

Clapp's players dumped a full bucket on him Friday afternoon as Page celebrated its 2-0 win over Valor Collegiate for the boys Class 2A championship.

The win completed the sweep for the school as both the boys and girls won the first soccer championships in program history this season.

"This means so much," Clapp said. "There are so many stories we could share. I started bringing kids to this state tournament and told them that this is where it's at. We started that building that culture to make it here and it started flooded into so many generations of players that have through.

"I was hired to coach boys and I was blessed enough to coach the girls. To be here with the boys that first got me out to Page and to do it at the same time with the girls, it's really a blessing."

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The championship was a major source of redemption for the Patriots.

Last year, Page (16-5-5) lost in the championship game to Sevier County, giving up the game-winning goal with 13 seconds remaining. 

"After last year, this just makes the win so much better," senior keeper John Gorman said. "There's guys out here who are crying who didn't play last year and are still crying because how last year ended. From the bench to each player on the field, everyone is feeling this the same way."

Gorman suffered a groin injury in the Patriots' semifinal win over Red Bank and for a time thought he wouldn't be able to play in the championship. He was able to give it a go and recorded his fifth shutout in six tournament games over the last two years.

He got more than enough help from his defense and midfield, which only allowed Valor (17-4-5) to get five shots off during the game. 

One of the smallest players on the field, senior midfielder Charlie Chism gave the Patriots the only goal they needed with 29 minutes remaining in the first half, knocking in a free kick that glanced off the back of his head.

Page controlled possession for the rest of the match before dousing Clapp with water to conclude the season. 

"We lived with the pain of defeat last year and now we know what it means to actual be champions," Chism said. "We're going to be etched in Page High School history forever because of this and that's really neat to think about. I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to do that with.

"This just proves that Coach Clapp is doing something right. He creates such a good environment and really brought us altogether. Those guys are my brother and this really has become my second family."

Reach Joe Spears at jspears2@gannett.com or 731-343-4923. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @joe_spears7.