FLOWOOD — There was less than a half an hour left in the MAIS Division III State Championship on Monday and the score was still 0-0 between Washington School and Central Hinds. But the Lady Generals were not panicking. They had controlled the soccer field most of the game. They had given themselves plenty of chances. They knew there moment would come.
And, it finally did when Mallie Bruton kicked in the game’s first goal with 28 minutes remaining. Mallie’s teammate, Aubrey Jones, had set up the score when she laced a free kick off the side of goalpost and the ball ricocheted near Mallie in front of the net.
“I was excited. All I was thinking was just make it,” Mallie said.
Two minutes later Aubrey Jones would kick in Washington School’s second goal with a free kick after a Central Hinds hand ball. “I just had to take a deep breath and zone everyone out and pray that I could finish,” Aubrey said of her score which It would be the final of the game. in Washington School’s 2-0 victory in the championship game was played on a sun-splashed afternoon at Hartfield Academy in Flowood.
For Washington School head coach Jeff Giachelli, the state championship victory was especially sweet. For more than a decade, Coach Giachelli and his assistant coaches have been donating their time to help lead the Lady Generals. Through those years, so many young Washington School athletes had worked hard for the program for this day to happen, Coach Giachelli said.
“We do it because we love the game. We have been doing this a while and to finally pull one out has been what we all worked for all.”
A year ago, the Lady Generals lost in the state championship game to the same Central Hinds team it beat on Monday, losing by the same 2-0 score. But in 2024 these Lady Gens were a year older and more experienced.
The team was led by seven seniors Maddie Potter, Kendall Durastani, Maggie Wade, Caroline Horn, Lawton Poole, Avery Doolittle and Hannah Kate Hooker.
Avery Doolittle played goalie for Washington School this year and helped set the tone by making a great save in the game’s first minute when she reached up and tipped a strong shot by Central Hinds over the goal with her fingertips.
“It feels great to win the state title, but even better since we lost last year so this was our comeback season,” senior Avery Doolittle said. “We all worked together and we are friends both on and off the field. I think we knew what had to be done and we knew what was on the line, especially with our seven seniors this year.”
For senior Caroline Horn the victory was year’s in the making and for all the Lady Generals who have worked so hard throughout the years. “We finally did it, and we did it together.”
