Warriors cap near-perfect season with Class AAAA title

COLUMBIA -- The Wando girls soccer team concluded one of the greatest seasons in state soccer history -- on paper and on the pitch -- by claiming the Class AAAA state championship Friday night in an unforgettable battle against Mauldin.

The teams played to a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes of play, and Wando prevailed, outscoring the Mavericks, 8-7, in penalty kicks. The penalty-kick shootout went 11 rounds as Wando keeper Amelia Henderson and Mauldin keeper Morgan Hert responded well to the pressure.

Wando senior Jennifer Riley scored the deciding goal on the 22nd shot of the PK shootout, and the Warriors had another state title.

"I felt like I was in a strobe light the whole time," she said. "I was so nervous. I kept shaking. We were shocked for a couple of minutes when they scored their goal (in regulation), and then we got together and decided we needed to do this for the seniors. We needed to do this for Wando since no other team won a state championship this spring."

A crowd of approximately 1,000 fans watched the Warriors, No. 3 in the nation in the latest NSCAA/adidas poll, conclude an amazing 26-0-1 season, outscoring foes 160-2.

Five seniors played in their fourth state championship game and came away with three state titles: Chloe Urig, Susannah Murray, Madeline Fellabom, Jenna Pye and Riley, who scored the game winner. They helped the Warriors compile a 116-5-8 record the past four years.

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Wando tops Mauldin for 4A Soccer Championship

The Wando girls soccer team, ranked 3rd in the nation, survived a scare from Mauldin in the 4A state championship Friday night in Columbia. They battled to a 1-1 draw and won in an 11-round penalty kick shoot-out.

Wando coach Shannon Champ congratulated Mauldin coach Kevin Czar and urged him not to let his players second-guess themselves.

"It was a great game," Champ said. "I knew it was going to be an awesome game. I literally said it would come down to who was smarter on the field.

"I hate losing a game on PKs," she added. "I wish there was a better way to decide it, but we can't play overtime forever."

Wando dominated in every category but the score. The Warriors outshot Mauldin 10-1 in the first half, and held a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks. Wando finished with 23 shots and Mauldin managed eight.

"I thought we played great the entire time, in regulation and overtime," Champ said. "I thought we didn't finish some chances, and at times we didn't capitalize when we had the chance."

Wando freshman midfielder Rachel Torlay gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead, drilling a penalty kick past Hert in the 51st minute. But 16 minutes later, Mauldin freshman Emily Prakish scored from 15 yards out.

But the Warriors prevailed in PKs.

Wando beat Mauldin, 2-1, in the title game in 2008, and Mauldin won, 2-1, in last year's championship.

The Warriors' defense is the most parsimonious in state history, allowing only two goals the entire season, which is a state record. Bishop England held the old record with only five goals allowed in 2004.

The Warriors allowed a meaningless goal in a 6-1 victory over South Aiken on March 6 in the Taco Bell Viking Classic, and after that it -- nada, zilch, nothing -- until Friday.

The Warriors' state-record streak of 23 consecutive shutouts ended when Prakish scored the goal by launching a remarkable shot over Henderson's outstretched arms.

Henderson set a state record this season with 25 shutouts, besting the old record of 20 set by Mauldin's Leigh Ann Harrison in 2004.

The offense was just as effective if not as record setting. The goal Friday night gave the Warriors 160 for the season, which is third best in state history. Mauldin scored 175 in 2000 and Spring Valley scored 165 in 1997.

Wando beat Mauldin 1-0 in the regular season to win the Taco Bell Viking Cup and Friday's match was just as close.

Friday, the score was tied 0-0 at halftime, although a Mauldin goal by Prakish was nullified by a foul in the 15th minute.