After pitching a shutout for 100 minutes, the championship-winning goal was Madelaine Frackelton鈥檚 to score.
When neither Glenvar nor Clarke County found the back of the net in regulation or overtime, penalty kicks were the only way Saturday鈥檚 Class 2 girls soccer state title game at Spartan Field in Salem could be decided.
After forcing a missed shot and halting another to give her team a lead in PKs, Frackelton was called upon for Glenvar鈥檚 fifth kick with a chance to end the marathon match.
The freshman goalkeeper jogged the dozen yards from the goal line to the penalty mark, turned around and backed up, and fired a shot center-middle that caromed off the opposing keeper鈥檚 hands and smacked into the top-inside of the net.
Frackelton hesitated for just a moment before realizing what she had done, turning around to greet her incoming teammates.
People are also reading…
鈥淚 was like, 鈥楯ust don鈥檛 miss, don鈥檛 miss, don鈥檛 miss, don鈥檛 miss,鈥 because I was really nervous,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛.鈥
The goal gave Glenvar a 4-3 victory in the shootout and thus the state title, bringing a championship trophy back to Highlander Heaven.
鈥淲e put her last for a reason, because she saved our butts a lot this game,鈥 Highlanders coach Kyleigh Drew said. 鈥淲e knew she could finish it for us and she stepped up in PKs. She wanted PKs honestly, so it was really exciting to see her finish that.鈥
Glenvar goalkeeper Madelaine Frackelton (far right) celebrates with the rest of her team after scoring the game-winning penalty kick to win the Class 2 girls soccer state championship over Clarke County on Saturday at Spartan Field in Salem.
The championship comes even sweeter for a Glenvar squad that had vengeance on its mind, taking on a familiar foe in the title game. The Highlanders turned back an Eagles team that routed them 6-0 in the state semifinals a year ago en route to winning it all.
Clarke County (19-5-0) had several close calls and near misses, but Frackelton and company kept the sheet clean.
鈥淭hey came in thinking that we were definitely the lesser team and that it wasn鈥檛 going to be the challenge that it was,鈥 senior striker Jules Stanley said. 鈥淪o showing them that we are that team and that we are someone that you should be very worried about feels amazing.鈥
Glenvar head coach Kyleigh Drew (right) hugs Avery Steger after the Highlanders captured the Class 2 state championship Saturday.
No player on either squad sniffed the net more than Stanley, who served as Glenvar鈥檚 lone attacker on the offensive front line. The 100-plus career goal-scorer threatened on several occasions during regulation and overtime, trying to thwart off a physically assertive Clarke County defense.
鈥淚 felt like we were playing a lot of defense,鈥 said Stanley, who recorded a hat trick in Friday鈥檚 semifinals. 鈥淚t was really hard to play up because we were playing with just one up top, so it was really difficult because it was like a one vs. four a lot of times on offense. It was a huge struggle to try and score and try to keep us from getting pushed over, constant shots. That kind of thing.鈥
After 80 minutes of regulation and another 20 of overtime 鈥 the final 10 of which was a sudden-death scenario 鈥 the contest went to a shootout, beginning with an Eagles kick.
Glenvar鈥檚 Giuliana Stanley (left) watches her shot on goal go wide past Clarke County鈥檚 Lilli Suling (center) and goalkeeper Avery Shinabery during Saturday鈥檚 Class 2 state championship match at Salem High School.
Their first shot sailed wide right before senior Campbell Hardin put the Highlanders up 1-0 on a low-angle shot that bounced into the bottom-right corner of the net.
Glenvar and Clarke County then traded successful kicks for the next two rounds as the Highlanders held a 3-2 lead. Glenvar freshman Sawyer Wilson scored on a bouncing shot to the bottom-left corner and senior teammate Megan Pomerleau lifted a shot over the reach of the opposing keeper.
Frackelton made the only save of the shootout on the Eagles鈥 next attempt, using her torso to coral a bouncing shot. Stanley then stepped up to the circle needing a goal to win it all for the Highlanders, but her kick drifted too high.
Clarke County kept hope alive by converting its fifth attempt to level PKs at 3-3, but Frackelton answered with her laser down the middle to capture the state crown.
Glenvar鈥檚 Giuliana Stanley drives downfield during Saturday鈥檚 Class 2 state championship match at Salem High School.
Her game-winner was the cherry on top of a heroic 21-save, shutout performance.
鈥淎 lot of people counted us out today. A lot of people did, and they said that we couldn鈥檛 beat Clarke County,鈥 said Drew, herself a Glenvar soccer alumna. 鈥淏ut our girls, like I said, are mentally strong. They were mentally prepared to come in today and do what they needed to do.鈥
The victory capped off an unbeaten season for the Highlanders, whose only non-win was a 1-1 draw with Class 5鈥檚 Franklin County, and gave them their second state championship in three seasons.
鈥淚t feels amazing. I can鈥檛 even explain it,鈥 Frackelton said. 鈥淚t just makes me so happy, my heart鈥檚 full of joy. It鈥檚 really cool.鈥
