CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville Wildcats soccer team is used to playing in the district title game. Kirkwood was playing in their first-ever championship game for the program. In a battle of old school versus new, Clarksville’s first-half scoring powered them to a 2-1 win on Wednesday, earning the Wildcats the District 13-4A title for the first time since 2021.

Clarksville struck first, with Kinley Long netting the first score of the night off a corner kick from Lily Vargas in the eighth minute. Things were quiet for a while after that, before Vargas scored it herself, this time with a screamer of a kick from the 20-yard line that snuck under the top of the crossbar for the Wildcats’ second goal in the 32nd minute. Just as importantly, the Wildcat defense kept the Cobras off the board in the opening half, leading to a 2-0 lead at the break.

“Our back line has been organized all year, and they know what to do in every situation,” said Clarksville High head coach Sara Kluttz. “They’ve got a lot of grit, they come up and challenge for balls, and I’m proud of them for being able to hold it together in such an intense and emotional game, which was very impressive.”

The Cobras wouldn’t let their first-ever championship game go away that easily, though. Kirkwood goalkeeper Jayda Rhodes locked down the net for the rest of the contest, and Clarksville High goalkeeper Ellie Balthrop was doing just the same, until Hadas Escobar netted a penalty kick in the 62nd minute to bring the Cobras within 1. While Kirkwood had their chances late, it couldn’t find that much-needed second goal, and Clarksville High earned the District 13-4A championship.

Kirkwood on to regional semifinal

For the Cobras, while the result hurts, they’re not done yet, and they will travel to either Henry County or Dickson County for a regional semifinal to keep their season alive. For head coach Kelley Guth and crew, it’s about highlighting the positive, flushing the negative, and trying to get another shot at the Wildcats.

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“They came out with a little more spark than us, and when we got down, we had to chase from that point on,” said Guth. “In the second half, we looked a lot better, possessed the ball, and I felt much better about the second half than the first. Unfortunately, the game is two halves. We just can’t put ourselves in a hole against a really good team. Regardless, I’m very proud of their fight, but we’ve got work to do. We’re right there, and our season is not over.”

Clarksville High on to regional

As for Clarksville, after three straight years of district runner-ups, they finally held a gold plaque, and the team and coaches celebrated a win that you can tell by the emotions on their faces, they wanted badly. The job isn’t done, though, as after fall break, they will host either Henry County or Dickson County for a shot at another big goal for this Wildcat squad, a region title.

“We’ve found ourselves here so many times, and to be on the winning side this year, these girls deserve it,” said Kluttz. “They showed up and played to the very end. I’m very proud of the girls, and we’re gonna celebrate this moment.  However, we’re still hungry, these girls have big dreams and they’re working like we haven’t won anything yet.”

All-District, All Tournament Team

After the contest, the All-District 13-4A team and All-District Tournament team were announced:

All-District Team

  • Janelle Roland, Northeaat
  • Bailey Cunningham, Kirkwood
  • Ellie Shires, Kirkwood
  • Taelyn Atkinson, Rossview
  • Caitlin DeSantis, Rossview
  • Zahria Walker, Rossview
  • Grace Cunningham, Clarksville
  • Kinley Long, Clarksville
  • Aubrey Nelson, Clarksville
  • Lilly Vargas, Clarksville
  • Offensive MVP: Zahria Walker – Rossview
  • Defensive MVP: Bailey Cunningham – Kirkwood
  • Keeper of the Year: Ellie Balthrop – Clarksville

All-Tournament Team:

  • Julie Etson, Northeast
  • Julia Schacht, Rossview
  • Taila Dziembowski, Rossview
  • Taylor Marley, Kirkwood
  • Jayda Rhodes, Kirkwood
  • Lillian Peacock, Kirkwood
  • Juliana Venzel, Clarksville
  • Delyla Winn, Clarksville
  • Rae Ludowese, Clarksville
  • Ellie Balthrop, Clarksville

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