Lady Warriors blank Lumpkin to win Crown Mountain Cup title
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The Lady Warriors picked up their second consecutive Crown Mountain Cup championship last weekend in Dahlonega, posting a 2-0 win over Lumpkin County in the title game. (Photo/WCHS Soccer)
After three games in six days, the White County Lady Warriors' soccer team walked off of Cottrell Field at Lumpkin County High School as the 2020 Crown Mountain Cup champions.
The Lady Warriors knocked off Habersham Central, Lakeview Academy, and Lumpkin County on the way to winning the title for the second straight year.
Members of the team are Alexi Pashknovets, Aubrey Dowdy, Sydney Nix, Leah Alexander, Callie Armour, Rachel Harris, McKinley Jones, Lily Gearing, Hannah Gerrells, Ada Smith, Hazen Ramey, Anna Tatum, Reese Vandegriff, Nealeigh Broadwell, Katia Tinajero, Liz Williams, and Skylar Williams, Cassidy Campbell, Hope Thomas, Ansley Seabolt, Naomi Roberts, LaRue Campbell, Chloe Shea, Bella Ramey, and Madison Hunter.
The Lady Warriors outscored their opponents 7-1 during the three-game stretch. The tournament effort moved the squad's record to 5-2, including a four-game winning streak, heading into tonight's Region 7-AAAA matchup in Cleveland with Denmark.
On Saturday, WCHS and Lumpkin County traded punches for the first 15 minutes of the game, with the Lady Warriors controlling most of the action on the offensive end.
After several strong attacks into the Lady Indians's end of the field, the Lady Warriors took the lead with 22 minutes left in the half. Lumpkin County was called for a foul, setting up a free kick situation.
Skylar Williams lined up on the right side about 25 yards from the net and launched a perfect kick over Lumpkin's keeper and into the top of the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Warriors had several more deep attacks in the final 20 minutes but couldn't find the back of net and settled for the one-goal advantage at the half.
It didn't take the Lady Warriors very long to add to the lead coming out of halftime.
Less than six minutes into the second half, Williams struck again, this time sending a laser of her right from about 30 yards out to give the Lady Warriors a 2-0 lead.
The two goals turned out to be more than enough as the WCHS backline defenders and keeper Ansley Seabolt finished off the shutout. Seabolt preserved the shutout with six minutes to go, making a save on a shot from close range to end the Lady Indians' final scoring threat.
Last week in a second-round matchup, the Lady Warriors broke up a 1-1 halftime tie with a pair of goals in the second half to secure a 3-1 win over Lakeview Academy.
Ada Smith got the Lady Warriors off to a quick start, scoring off an assist from Hope Thomas in the first minute of the match.
WCHS maintained the lead for most of the half before Lakeview came up the equalizer to make it 1-1 at intermission.
But the Lady Warriors got the lead by in the second half when the Lady Lions were called for a foul in the box. Cassidy Campbell hammered home a penalty kick for a 2-1 lead.
Later in the second half, the Lady Warriors came up with an insurance goal. Thomas fired a shot at the goal that was deflected by Lakeview's keeper, but McKinley Jones came up with the loose ball and put it in the net for a 3-1 lead.