Signal Mountain (14-7) rode a three goal first half to knock out Madison Magnet (9-8-2), 3-0, in the Division I A Girl’s state quarterfinals on Wednesday night.
Senior Kennedy Ethridge started the first half scoring blitz for the Eagles in the 6’ minute as she got on the end of a through ball from junior Camilia Mincy to make it 1-0.
“We were definitely nervous in the very beginning, even though we have been here twice,” Signal Mountain Head Coach Richard Northcutt said. “It is still nerve racking, but once we scored we could relax and play a whole lot better.”
Signal Mountain would score their second goal in the 21’ minute as sophomore Kara Wilson picked off a pass deep in the Mustangs’ half and went on to slide her shot past the goal keeper.
“Kara (Wilson) is unusually fast,” Coach Northcutt said. “They (Madison Magnet) looked out and said, ‘Oh that girl is open’, but Kara ran like 10,000 mph, stole it and scored.”
Four minutes later Ethridge returned the favor and set up Mincy who scored Signal Mountain’s third goal.
“On the field we are on the same wave length,” said Mincy. “We both kind of have the same skill set, I play the ball through for Kennedy (Ethridge) and Kennedy plays the ball through for me and that’s kind of how we work.”
Madison Magnet had to start pushing numbers forward and creating chances if they were going to get back into the game. Junior goal keeper Reilly Furr – who just returned from an injury that occurred in a preseason game- came up with some acrobatic saves to keep the clean sheet and help get her team over the line.
“Reilly (Furr) is amazing,” said Mincy. “She flies across the goal and I think that she is going to be super important. She had some good saves tonight and can keep us in this.”
Ethridge is another Signal Mountain player who only just returned from injury. Setting up a goal and scoring once herself, the Eagles have missed her offensive contributions.
“I felt like I had something to get back for and someone to fight for.” Ethridge said. “It all comes down to my team, we are like a family.”
Signal Mountain will take on Cosby (16-4-1) – who defeated Westview (12-1) 7-0 in its quarterfinal - in the state semifinal on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary:
SM 3 0 - 0
MM 0 0 - 0
SM 6’ Goal Kennedy Ethridge (assisted by Camilia Mincy)
SM 21’ Goal Kara Wilson (unassisted)
SM 25’ Goal Camilia Mincy (assisted by Kennedy Ethridge)
Stats: Shots/on target/Saves
SM 11/5/3
MM 9/3/2