By Ron Barry
Managing Editor
Murfreesboro – It isn’t easy to be one of the eight teams in your class in the TSSAA State Tournament. It’s even harder to advance once you get there.
Crockett County’s soccer team, after making school history by being the first group of Cavalier kickers to reach the event, found that out the hard way.
In Murfreesboro, at the TSSAA Spring Fling, Crockett ran into a Greeneville High team that was bigger, stronger, faster, more physical, and more experienced – with three previous state titles in the four most recent seasons – and Coach Carli Branson’s club took a 5-0 loss to the Devils after keeping it close for a half.
But that 1-0 deficit at the intermission grew quickly as the second half progressed. Greeneville began exploiting its size advantage and skillful passing to set up numerous rushes at the Cavalier net over the final 40 minutes. Four of them resulted in goals, and another in a full-scale collision with Crockett goalie VJ Pillar that left him face down on the ground for a minute with the wind knocked out of him.
Cavalier trainer Heather Jones was also busy tending to midfielder Walter Smith, whose left knee area was injured and kept him sidelined for much of the final 40 minutes. Smith, often the orchestrator of Crockett’s offense with his nonstop energy in gaining ball possessions, was greatly missed as the Devils attacked constantly in the second half.
Branson was obviously disappointed that a better showing couldn’t have been made in their State debut, but she was proud – while also realistic – in her assessment of her team’s accomplishments.
“When I took the head coaching four years ago,” she said, “this group of seniors were freshmen, trusting me to try to get them as far as possible. For them to make the State will be unforgettable for them. But now that this school has been here – and has seen what it takes to be successful – it shows us how much harder we need to work to reach the next level. But the first step has been taken, and I’m glad to have been a small part of it, but I’m so, so proud of each and every member of this team.”
For future inspiration, Crockett players need only to look at what happened in the remainder of the tournament. Greeneville was itself shut out 1-0 in the semifinals by Valor College Prep (out of Nashville), which then fell in the championship game by another 1-0 score – to Page High School, which had lost in two of the three previous finals. Obviously, experience helps.
“I have said from the beginning,” Branson said, “I would take this team anywhere and put them up against anyone. Being here and seeing this level of play has been the best experience for these guys. It stings to see it end this way for the seniors, but it gives hope for all the athletes that will come through this program for years to come. We are setting a precedent for what is expected of boys soccer. We are paving a way for all the kids in this community who hope to see the big stage one day.”
Branson appreciated her team for much more than just its soccer abilities, however.
“Words fail me when I try to express what this team means to me,” she said. “While I hope they learned a lot about soccer, my biggest hope is they learned how to get up when they are knocked down; how to break through walls when the walls are up against them; how to persevere when everything in them says to stop; how to be respectful, hardworking men that represent their community in a positive light. I’m praying they seize each and every day with grit and passion. This team did it! This team made it! Such a great story of working hard every single year and seeing all of it come together in the end.”
Greeneville won State championships from 2017-2019 before COVID-19 halted all play for 2020. Page lost in the 2021 final before capturing the crown this season. West Tennessee’s only other Class AA State contender was South Gibson, which was blanked by Page 4-0 in its first-round game.
“So we’ve got a way to go to upgrade the level of soccer in West Tennessee,” Branson said, “but we are building a culture here that can do it. I’ve told the players 100 times that you don’t know what tomorrow holds for you – so what can you do today that will leave a lasting impact? And these guys have made that impact. We had 27 athletes with one goal from Day One: State! And this goal and vision was made possible not just because of the hard work they put in at practice, but also because of the love and support from our families and the community. So we owe a great debt of thanks to all those who supported us this season.”
Crockett finished its season 12-6-1 and as champions of Region 7-AA. It had been since 2014 that the Cavaliers had won a regional title.
