On Tuesday, Feb. 23, boys and girls soccer faced off against East Ridge High School where they came out victorious, becoming regional champions and advancing further into the post season.  

“I went into the game with a positive mindset,” senior Quinn Ryan said. “I knew that if we played our game, we would come out with a win. I was of course nervous but also very excited to go out and just do what we do and get one step closer to the state title.” 

The girls team beat East Ridge by a wide margin, winning with a score of 8-1. Although the team had high hopes for a win, the result still came as a surprise.  

“It was a very interesting and unusual game for a regional final,” junior Kallie McKinney said. “We watched the film of the other team the night before and we didn’t expect them to be great, but the game still went more in our favor than we anticipated.”  

State semifinals will take place this Friday. The boys team will face off against Lake Mary High School, determining if they advance to the state championship. 

“The journey to states has been great,” junior Otis Wildman said. “We had some shaky moments, but it’s been amazing to see the team come together and really hit our stride. Now we’re just focused on the next few games… we hope to get a few wins and close out the season on a high note.” 

The girls team will also be playing in the state semifinals this Friday, against Bartram Trail High School. The team lost to Bartram Trail last season in state semifinals, ending their season right before the state championship.  

“The chances of playing them again in the same round is insane, but we can win,” junior Olivia Zavala said. “All we need to do is play our game and play together. 

For senior Davis O’Malley, he’s acknowledged the importance of this season for himself and the team. 

“Going into the season, I knew we would get far,” O’Malley said. “This season means a lot more to me than past ones because this is my last year to win something.”