COLUMBUS — Heritage Academy girl’s soccer is just two wins away from a state championship after a first-round playoff win on Tuesday night.
The Patriots (7-8-4) won 2-1 against Bayou Academy thanks to a brace of goals from senior forward Sophie Starks. The Colts got one back and made the game competitive throughout, but Jacob Hunt’s team were able to hold on against a late wave of attacks to secure the win.
“It feels really good,” Senior forward Caroline Peal. “I feel like our whole team has worked so hard for this and every year we fall short, this year we’re doing it.”
The Patriots took some difficult results early, going scoreless through five straight games against Jackson area schools at the start of the regular season. Those were difficult results to take early, but as the Patriots grew into the season they began to grow in confidence.
“I think it helped us a lot,” Peal said of the early season defeats. “At the time we felt defeated but now when it comes down to the big games it’s helping us.”
“We’ve played tough teams and our record reflects that,” Hunt added. “They’ve been able to hang with some of the best, beat some of the best. Ultimately I think the better team won today and the fight that they showed proves they can battle through adversity. They can go against anybody.”
This year the Patriots drew twice against Bayou, 2-2 on the road and 1-1 at home. Something had to give this time and Hunt was confident it would go their way. Over the last few weeks, his team has had no problem hanging with teams in physical games and that went a long way in a playoff setting.
“Our fitness level is higher now,” he said. “Last year at this time we were dying off at the end of games, here we were still turning and burning. Playing the teams at this high level also seems a bit slower for them and they’re able to turn out wins against big schools.”
Starkville Academy fell on the road to Pillow Academy and will not get a chance for a rematch with the Patriots after losing 3-1 in the district title game. Pillow is a strong program traditionally, a team the Patriots lost to twice this year, and it will take another gut-check test to get the win on the road.
“It takes what we have,” Hunt said when asked what it’ll take to win against Pillow. “We have it, we can handle whatever they throw at us, and it’ll be two titans clashing. Whoever wins will win.”
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