Chapin boys soccer wins thrilling battle, forces tiebreaker scenario for region title
Shortly after his team’s thrilling win over River Bluff, Chapin boys soccer coach Bob Taylor turned to look at his cellphone.
Taylor started plugging in numbers in the spreadsheet he had on his phone to help determine the tiebreaker scenarios for Region 4-5A. The numbers didn’t end up going Taylor and Chapin’s favor but that didn’t take away the jubilation they had following the 2-1 (3-2 in penalty kicks) win over the Gators on Tuesday at Cecil Woolbright Field.
“It was a fun one to be on the sidelines for. It usually is between these two teams,” Taylor said. “I didn’t want to put the foot off the gas because I knew River Bluff would have something for us and they did. They tied it up late.
“I had a lot of faith in my goalkeeper in penalty kicks and I’m proud of my guys in the PK session.”
With Chapin’s win, the Eagles finished in a three-way tie for first place with Lexington and River Bluff. All three teams split their season series and finished at 6-2.
But it will be Lexington, which defeated Dutch Fork 7-1 earlier Tuesday evening, that will be the top seed from the region and be in the Upper State bracket for the playoffs which begin next week. Chapin is the No. 2 seed and River Bluff No. 3 and both will be in the lower state.
The playoffs begin on Monday.
“I pulled out a spreadsheet today and wasn’t sure how it was going to end up. But that just shows you how competitive it is,” Taylor said of the region.
River Bluff entered the match in first place at 6-1 and defeated Chapin, 2-1, on March 24. The Gators needed just a win to clinch the outright title. The Eagles would have to likely shut out the Gators to win the No. 1 seed.
The match was tied 1-1 after regulation and two five-minute overtime periods so it went to penalty kicks.
It was tied 2-2 in penalty kicks before Chapin’s TJ Jennings slipped one in the right-corner to make it 3-2. Thomas Halliday tried to tie on River Bluff’s final attempt but his shot was too high as the Eagle players raced to celebrate in the corner of the field.
Chapin goalkeeper Will Robinson also had a couple of big saves during the penalty kicks.
Chapin took a 1-0 lead in the first half on Griffin Ellis’ rebound in the 30th minute. The Eagles have a few more chances to add to the lead in the half but couldn’t convert.
River Bluff tied it in the 71st minute when Connor Banchero found the left side of the goal to make it 1-1. The goal came minutes after the Gators had a goal waved off because of an offsides call.
The Gators had a few chances in the final minutes but weren’t able to capitalize.
“Thought we had it tonight. I really did,” River Bluff coach Phil Savitz said. “... We probably won’t get to host a game now. The third seed usually doesn’t but someone could get knocked off. We will probably have to travel the whole playoffs. But this is the type of team that can win against anybody, home or away.”
Chapin girls win region title
There was no tiebreaker needed in the Chapin at River Bluff girls soccer match.
The Eagles scored two second-half goals to beat the Gators, 2-0, and win the Region 4-5A championship. River Bluff is the No. 2 seed from the region and Lexington is No. 3.
Macie Rogers had a goal and an assist and Darcy Ahern added a goal for the Eagles. Addison Bagnal and Olivia Bradley
Chapin, AC Flora lose in lacrosse semifinals
Chapin and AC Flora’s bid for a spot in the boys state lacrosse finals came up short on Tuesday.
Wando defeated Chapin, 10-5, in the Class 5A Lower State final. It was the Eagles’ first semifinal appearance. Chapin’s girls lost on Monday to Wando, in the girls Lower State championship.
AC Flora lost to Christ Church, 15-8, in the Class 4A Upper State Championship game. It is the second straight year the Falcons lost to the Cavaliers in the playoffs.
