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Experienced CCS aiming for girls’ soccer state title

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Chattanooga Christian School soccer players Kate Dirkse and Addie Henry pose for a photo at CCS Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dirkse and Henry, who have helped the program reach the state tournament twice, will be the team leaders as they go into their fourth season as starters.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Chattanooga Christian School soccer players Kate Dirkse and Addie Henry pose for a photo at CCS Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dirkse and Henry, who have helped the program reach the state tournament twice, will be the team leaders as they go into their fourth season as starters. Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Chattanooga Christian School soccer players Kate Dirkse and Addie Henry pose for a photo at CCS Wednesday, August 8, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dirkse and Henry, who have helped the program reach the state tournament twice, will be the team leaders as they go into their fourth season as starters.

By Stephen Hargis 3 min read

photo Staff photo by Doug Strickland / CCS’s Addie Henry, right, breaks ahead of Boyd-Buchanan’s Emma Rogers during their soccer match at Boyd-Buchanan High School on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

So much for easing into the schedule. Two of Chattanooga’s most accomplished high school girls’ soccer programs – Baylor and Chattanooga Christian – will face each other in a season opener this evening.

Baylor’s Lady Red Raiders, who won last year’s meeting 1-0, are the defending Division II-AA state champions, and CCS was the runner-up in Division II-A last season. They’ll meet tonight at 7 at CCS, but regardless of the outcome both teams again have soaring expectations.

“We know Baylor is always good and the perception is that they’re better than us, so we’re the underdogs,” said CCS senior midfielder Addie Henry. “But a win would be a good way to get our season started going in the direction we want to go.”

Even on a team loaded with 10 seniors, Henry and defender Kate Dirkse stand out as leaders, both on and off the field. They will be counted on heavily not only to carry the Lady Chargers in the right direction but to help the program claim a state title after coming up short, 2-0, in last year’s final.

CCS, which has reached the state tourney seven straight years and played in the title game twice in the past three seasons, hasn’t won a championship since 1997.