9-0 victory, Lady Dawgs heading to state
Knoxville — In a match that seemed almost anticlimactic the Bearden High School girls soccer team punched its ticket to
this week’s Class AAA State Tournament in Chattanooga.
The Lady Bulldogs cruised to a 9-0 victory over Sevier County Saturday afternoon in a state sectional match contested inside the friendly confines of Turner-Allender Field.
University of Tennessee commit and senior Jayla Blue found the back of the net four times in the match against the Bearettes, giving the Lady Bulldogs the opportunity to return to the Volunteer State’s grand stage and a chance to play in the state championship game for a fifth consecutive season.
BHS has played in the state title match in each of the last four years, winning championships in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Lady Bulldogs lost to Germantown-Houston in 2024 on a penalty kicks shootout.
Bearden (17-2-1) also got a pair of markers from Madi Bowlin in the Sevier County match. Eva Karb, MC Lemarbre and Tyler Roth also tallied for Bearden, earned the right to host Saturday’s state sectional by winning the region championship over District 4-AAA rival West High, 2-0, on Thursday.
Bearden Coach Ryan Radcliffe, who won his 400th game as a head coach (combing to win with both the boys and girls teams), said getting to host the sectional was huge for his side.
“Anytime that you’re playing to go to state, you want that game to be at home,” Radcliffe said after his team defeated the Lady Rebels to win the Region 2-AAA Title. “This is special for my seniors and I told them that the region championship was on the line, and there’s the pride factor, but ultimately for me, and for you all, you get one more chance to play at home.
“Obviously, when you’re trying to book a ticket to state, you’d rather play at home than have to travel.”
The Lady Bulldogs, who opened state tournament play Tuesday against Science Hill (which defeated West on penalty kicks Saturday), have now recorded three consecutive postseason shutouts, blanking the Lady Rebels twice and Oak Ridge once.
In Thursday’s regional final, Emma Rainey gave the Lady Bulldogs a 1-0 lead before halftime and Blue scored an insurance goal off an assist from Roth in the 72nd minute of the match.
Bearden opened region play with a 4-0 victory over Oak Ridge on Tuesday, Oct. 21, avenging a 3-2 loss to the Lady Wildcats earlier this season in West Knoxville.
