MADISON — Playing in the state championship game against Central Hinds Academy, the Washington School girls soccer team gave it everything it had on a sun-soaked Monday afternoon on the campus of Madison-Ridgeland Academy.
The MAIS Division III Girls’ Soccer State Championship was scoreless for the first 83 minutes Monday, and, by everyone’s measure, could have gone either way. The two teams were equally matched, with neither team dominating possession.
But, with seven minutes to go, Central Hinds’ Ginnie Mae kicked in the game’s only goal after a corner kick bounced off a few players and to her feat in front of the goal.
From there, the Lady Gens fought valiantly to tie it back up and had one great chance in stoppage time, but the ball, like it had all day, long just couldn’t find the back of the net.
Minutes after the final whistle, Washington School coach Jeff Giachelli said he could not be more proud of his team which finished the season with a 16-5-2 record.
“This is what a state championship games are supposed to be like,” Coach Giachelli said. “Hats off to Central Hinds. They played hard. We had our chances, but they capitalized when they had theirs.
Coach Giachelli added that Washington School goalie Avery Doolittle played a great championship game.
“This loss is going to take a while for both my girls and myself to sink in, but you can’t take away the season we had. It is tough coming out this way. "
Central Hinds head coach Jody Bell, whose team finished with a 16-0-1 record, called the Lady Generals the toughest team his Cougars have played all season.
Washington School was by far the best team we play all year. They were great playing as a team. You could tell they were well coached by the way they moved the ball, and the way the way they created space.”
With their season now in the books, the Lady Generals’ future is bright since Mary Glenn Hooker is the only Washington School player on this year’s team.
“Mary Glenn is going to be hard to replace. She is going to be missed,” said Coach Giachelli.
