Wheatmore’s Ellie Garrison tries to gain control of the ball in the state playoffs against Shelby earlier this spring. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
TRINITY – Wheatmore has won a state-record 49 consecutive girls’ soccer games.
Something bigger is at stake for the Warriors on Saturday afternoon: Two straight Class 2-A state championships.
Wheatmore (24-0), looking to repeat, takes on Manteo (24-0-2) in the title game a 2:30 p.m. at UNC Greensboro Soccer Stadium.
Repeat winners have been common in Class 2-A. Since there has been four classes for girls’ soccer, there have been 15 state champions in Class 2-A. Those have gone to eight schools.
Wheatmore is trying to join Swansboro, First Flight and Carrboro with multiple Class 2-A titles during that span.
This year, the Warriors have outscored opponents by a combined 200-12.
Manteo, which has reached a state final for the first time, also has surrendered 12 goals. The Redskins have scored 179 goals.
Manteo won the East Region by defeating Clinton 2-1 in Tuesday’s final. Clinton was Wheatmore’s opponent in last year’s championship game.
There are title games in all four classifications, with UNCG the site for soccer finals for the first time. However, UNCG Soccer Stadium was used for the NCAA women’s semifinals and final in 1997 and 1998.
Friday night’s Class 4-A game pits Wilmington Ashley vs. Ardrey Kell.
Saturday’s first game involves the only classification with two regional top seeds to reach the final weekend as Eastern Alamance takes on South Point at 11 a.m. in Class 3-A. At 6 p.m., Woods Charter meets Christ the King in Class 1-A.
