Work for the girls soccer season began as summer ended, and for the seniors, their minds were already set on the end goal: a state championship.

Coming into this season, this team was led by eight dedicated seniors, each having an important role in the team, who served as leaders for a team that relied on younger players to fill the roster.

“We had eight seniors this year and what I loved is each person brought something different to the table.” Coach Nick Whicker said.

Each of those eight wanted to make this season memorable, and it would take full commitment from the team to make their season goal a reality.

The importance and meaning of the state championship matchup between the St. George’s Gryphons against the Evangelical Christian School (ECS) Eagles has deep roots for the girls’ soccer team. With these two teams dominating the Memphis sector of TSSAA DII-A throughout the season and playing each other multiple times each year, close matches are always expected.

“We played them two or three times every year, so it was just very competitive every time [and] we just wanted to win more and more,” senior and team captain Mary Clark Consolo said.

The past few years have shown how important the results of these games can be to the end result of the soccer season.

Starting in 2022, when this year’s class of seniors were freshmen, the season concluded in a loss in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament, 1-3 in overtime against Silverdale Baptist Academy.

The record against the aforementioned ECS in this season was 1-1, the win coming in a penalty-kick shootout in the region quarterfinals. Ultimately, these matchups would not be as crucial to the team’s final standings.

The following year, the matchups against ECS proved to be adverse to the outcome of the season.

It was the sophomore season for the Class of 2026, and they were already finding themselves to play a huge role in the team’s on-the-field success.

In the first matchup against the Eagles, the Gryphons fell 4-1.

St. George’s lined up against ECS two more times that season – those being the region and state championship games.

The evening of Oct. 11, 2023, saw the Gryphons and Eagles face off in a tense region championship.

In the 5th minute of the match, the Eagles would put a goal on the board, and for the remaining 75 minutes of the game, neither team was able to score.

The Eagles came out on top in this game, but it would not be the last matchup between these two teams.

The State Championship game, similarly to this year’s match, also took place in Chattanooga, but instead was located at CHI Memorial Stadium.

The first half was an evenly contested match between the Gryphons and the Eagles, the score being 0-0 at halftime.

The second half would not fall the way of St. George’s as the Eagles would end up scoring in the latter stages of the game, winning the game 2-0.

After three defeats against the Eagles in this season, it left the Gryphons even hungrier to find a way to take down the Eagles in 2024.

With the Class of 2026 now having completed two or three seasons at the varsity level, depending on whether they started in 8th grade or freshman year, there were only two more chances to take down their fierce rivals at the biggest stage.

Expectations were high for the fall of 2024, and the results backed up the hype.

On Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024 the Gryphons would take on ECS for the first time since the State Championship the season prior.

Going late into the evening, the game ended with St. George’s beating the Eagles 2-1 in a dramatic double-overtime fight.

After finishing the regular season at 12-1, they were primed for a deep run in both the region playoffs and the state tournament.

The region championship, for the third year in a row, would be the Gryphons versus the Eagles. This time, no overtime was needed.

2-1 was the final score after a tense 80-minute match, with the Gryphons on top.

In similar fashion to the ECS field rush that took place a year before on the Whicker Pitch, the field was covered by players and students there in support as they celebrated the hard-fought win.

With high hopes heading into the state tournament, a championship rematch looked likely between ECS and St. George’s.

However, with an uncharacteristic fall to Lausanne Collegiate School in the semi-final, the Gryphons’ season ended earlier than expected.

The quest for a state championship would come down to one final season for the Class of 2026.

Coming into the fall 2025 season, there was a sense of determination to end the season on top shared by the seniors.

“I was like, if we don’t win state this year, I’m going to be thoroughly disappointed,” Senior Sarah Schemiedicke said.

The first steps towards their goal was the regular season. After beating Lausanne 4-1 on Thursday, Oct. 2, their record sat at 10-2-2, but more importantly they would be placed 1st in the region.

Their region record sat at 6-0, one of those wins coming in another intense game against ECS.

A 3-2 win for the Gryphons, after being down 0-2 at the half, spoiled the Eagles’ senior night.

The afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 30 was cloudy, chilly, yet energetic as the Gryphons took to the field at Finley Stadium to face off against ECS for the third time this season. The game had an eerily similar feel to the 2023 state championship game, with gray skies covering over the Chattanooga stadium.

For the Class of 2026, no matter the outcome it would be their last time stepping onto a soccer field for St. George’s.

“There’s nothing else to hold back for,” Consolo said. “We just have to leave everything we have on the field and just really give it our all.”

Every member on each team was called by name from the stadium commentary box as both teams lined centerfield awaiting the game.

“‘We cannot lose this game’ was basically my mindset. Everyone else agreed too,” Senior Liza Saenger said. “It’s all or nothing.”

Just after 4:00 p.m., the game began and neither team seemed to have a noticeable edge.

In the first handful of minutes, each team went back and forth with possession before the Eagles launched the first three shots in 8th, 9th, and 10th minutes of the match – the first soaring over the goal, and the two shots following were saved by senior Riley Stooksbury.

As the first half continued, the Eagles had two more opportunities at the goal in the 23rd and 38th minute, the first being saved by Stooksbury, and the second blocked before nearing the goal.

On the opposite side of the field, junior Elle Weathersby, coming off an injury from the region championship match against ECS, took the lead on offense. In the 31st minute Weathersby took the lone shot for the Gryphons in the opening half.

Once the first 40 minutes were completed, the scoreboard still sat at 0-0, while the stat sheets showed three saves for Stooksbury, and the shot total being 1-5 – the Eagles having more opportunities at the goal.

Following the halftime break, the two teams took to the field, and there was a visible shift in possession.

Within the first 15 minutes of the second half, the Gryphons had turned around the offensive playmaking with Schemiedicke and Weathersby putting up shots towards the goal.

In the 56th minute of the match and the 16th of the half, the ball hit the back of the net.

A forceful laser shot from the penalty kick spot by Schmiedicke whizzed past the Eagles’ goalkeeper and put St. George’s up 1-0.

For the remaining 24 minutes of the match, it would take a locked-down defense from the Gryphons to solidify the championship game.

The defensive side of the field was controlled by “The Back Four”: seniors Sarah Schemiedicke, Caroline Cochran, Sarah Kilmurrary and junior Callie Turner. These four kept back offensive strikes by the Eagles.

If the ball got past any of them, they knew that the team was in good defensive hands.

In the 65th minute of the match, University of Memphis commit Riley Stooksbury made her fourth save of the match by coming up to the top of the box, soaring in the air and coming down with the ball in her hands – keeping the Eagles scoreless.

“From the moment the kickoff happened, she was so far ahead of the other players on the other team,” Coach Tony Whicker said. “No matter what they were trying to do with the ball, she was already ahead of it and calm.”

Despite another shot that flew out to the left side of the goal in the 78th minute, the Gryphons’ defense held the Eagles to two shot attempts in the second half. Neither team came near the goal line.

The final minute of the match was the loudest of the afternoon, as the stands that were filled with Gryphon support rose to their feet to cheer on their team to victory. Students held their signs high and Gryphnation flags waved in the stands as the seconds on the clock counted down.

In the final 10 seconds, the Eagles desperately made another attempt up field. Their hopes crashed down, though, as Weathersby completed a slide tackle on the ECS player, sent the ball out of play, and ended the game.

While the ECS player laid on the ground in defeat, Weathersby turned around and celebrated as the centerfield with the University of Chattanooga logo was soon smothered in white jerseys jumping together and hugging each other.

At 5:46 p.m., their season goal became a reality: They had become state champions.

After the initial moments of joy and jubilation following the conclusion of the match, both teams gathered together at centerfield for the presentation of awards and trophies.

As a result of her game winning goal and skillful defense, Schmiedicke was named the 2025 TSSAA Division II Class A Girls Soccer State Championship Most Valuable Player.

Coach Tony Whicker, as his St. George’s coaching career reached the two-decade mark, was awarded the 2025 TSSAA Division II Class A Girls Soccer Coach’s Award for the season.

After these two awards were given, the seniors got to live the long awaited dream of grabbing the state championship trophy, returning to their team and celebrating together as the trophy raised to the sky.

Despite the still cloudy and gray atmosphere surrounding the stadium, on the field it was full of smiles and joy for the Gryphons.

Following the game, players, coaches and fans who travelled to Chattanooga joined in a Wagon Wheel celebration just outside of the stadium – a moment bringing the community together.

While the St. George’s community celebrated together, it was a moment where the seniors got to be together one last time with their team that served as leaders.

“The unification and the way [the seniors] brought everybody together was just seamless,” Coach Tony Whicker said.

It takes a season of hard work, the ability to overcome adversity and consistently supporting each other to reach the state championship, and this team had it.

For the Class of 2026, they grew from challenges together and went out in the most perfect way.

“I’m just proud of the team,” Saenger said. “I’m glad we finally won and I know everyone put all of their effort in. It was really great to see everyone do that.”