MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Chattanooga Christian was widely considered a favorite to win the Class A/AA boys’ state title last year but was unable to advance out of the first round, suffering a loss in penalty kicks to Alcoa.
A year after advancing to the state semifinals, Boyd-Buchanan didn’t make it out of its region, falling 1-0 to East Ridge in the Region 3-A/AA semifinals.
A year later, the two have turned it around.
For the first time ever, two Chattanooga-area teams will battle for the state championship, which takes place today at 5:30 EDT at the Richard Siegel complex.
Boyd-Buchanan coach Dustin Walker admitted that his team might have got a little ahead of itself last year.
“We were so focused on going to state last year,” he said, “that we kind of lost focus on the game-to-game stuff.
“This year, we set a goal to take things one day at a time. What we do is just look at the game ahead and do the best we can do that day, and it’s really worked out.
CCS coach Shawn Brower said it was a shame the game had to be played so far away from both teams’ hometown.
“We could just stay at home and play it at one of our fields, but so it goes,” he said.
Both teams sport high-powered offenses and solid, shutdown defenses. Chattanooga Christian has scored 103 goals in 24 games, while Boyd-Buchanan has 85 in 23 contests.
The Chargers have allowed seven goals while the Bucs have allowed 10.
“We have some pretty good soccer in the Chattanooga area,” Boyd-Buchanan senior Taylor Shull noted recently.
Added Walker: “We’re just excited for Chattanooga soccer. It’s just awesome to have so many representing us in the finals.
“As a team, we couldn’t be more excited. This isn’t something that happens every day. A friend told me recently to cherish this opportunity, because you could have the best team in the state and because of one game you don’t make it. We’re just excited to have this opportunity, and we hope to make the best of it.”
Brower said that he told his players not to worry about the state title.
“If that’s what the Lord has in store for us, that would be great,” he said, “but a gold medal around the neck does not define who they are.
“It would be nice, but they’ve done so much and have so many things they should be proud that they should be proud of their efforts and accomplishments.”