Chippewa girls soccer comes up short in Div. V state championship game

The tears, the hugs and the looks on the faces of the Chippewa team said more than words at the end of the Div. V state championship girls soccer game Nov. 8. 

But even in a 3-0 setback to Cincinnati Madeira, the Chipps' bond as a team couldn’t have been more evident and their passion for each other and for success more on display. 

When the clock hit triple zeroes at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Delaney Marshall didn’t have to look far for a hug as Paityn Welty was there. As goalkeeper Gianna Neely dropped to her knees just atop the goal box, multiple teammates were there, and for senior Cally West, hugs were in order. The tears flowed due to the finality of playing their last game with this year's five seniors, but so did the fire and desire to get back to this stage next year for a third consecutive time 

“I am really proud of all of them,” said West about her team. “I am best friends with so many of them and it's hard with this being my last game — I hope they have a lot of success down the road.”

On the late afternoon, the vaunted Chipp attack stalled out. Madeira put the Chippewa defense on its heels with counters through its heart, and the Amazons showed an ability to control the center of the pitch.

“Their movement at every position on the field, it really mattered,” said West. “Their outside backs took runs, every girl on their team was fast and that played a big role. Their movement on and off the ball and their sense and feel of where the ball was. They did a good job doing that.”

The Chipps had some looks late, but just missed a couple opportunities to get on the board as the Madeira defense held firm.

“We made a couple changes in the second half,” said Chippewa coach Ruth Coney. “We just wanted to win, we were playing our hardest to do that.”

Even after the outcome was decided, nothing could take away another special run for girls from Doylestown. Making back-to-back trips to the finals for the second time in program history, making their program’s seventh state appearance, and capping a 43-3 run over the past two years are all special achievements. 

“Our girls did a great job this season,” said Coney. “I am so proud of all of them, they worked so hard from day one to today, I couldn’t be prouder of the team. They are a special group, a very special group.”

There is little doubt, a potential third time around with Madeira could be in order as Marshall and company don’t look to be finished with trips to Columbus. With their eyes focused and already looking to get back to the grind, these Chipps walked out of One Black and Gold Boulevard already on a mission. 

GIANNA NEELY KEY — There was no question that a time was going to come that freshman goalkeeper Gianna Neely would be tested. One could only hope that it would be before the Div. V Final Four matchup with Woodmore, but it wasn’t. Still, the freshman stood tall, answered the bell and delivered a performance that will be remembered. 

“She had great save early, had great saves all night,” said Chippewa coach Ruth Coney after her team edged Woodmore 1-0 in the semifinal. “Our defense did a fantastic job all round — Paityn (Welty) was tough and Neely has been practicing really hard. Gianna (Neely) works against our girls and that’s tough, she did a great job tonight and has done stellar all tournament and throughout the season.”

Her biggest save came about three minutes into the game when Woodmore standout Kelsey Kaylor unleashed a rocket towards the far post. Neely dove, with full extension, and deflected the shot towards the post before it came back to her and she reeled it in.

“My first instinct was to dive for it,” said Neely. “I used my left hand — I am really glad the post was there, as my coach says, ‘kiss the post,’ and I definitely kissed the post on that one. I am glad that it didn’t go in, I am just really grateful.”

That was the story of the night for Neely as she had her number called a plethora of times. Because she answered, the Chipps advanced to the Div. V state finals with the one-goal win.

“That’s the most that I’ve been challenged all year,” she said. “I am grateful that I was challenged, it was definitely a learning experience.”

She credits her training and with some help through her own experiences as a striker and midfielder in middle school. In middle school, she led the team in scoring and that mindset helped her on this night. 

“It really does make it easier to anticipate where the shooter is going to go with it,” Neely said. “I know how forwards act and have an idea where they want to go.”

As for the switch to goalkeeper, it was a team-first move.

“I knew that if I came with the want, I could do it,” she said. “I miss being a field player, but this is what the team needed, I am really happy that I get to play goalkeeper and experience all of this.”

SPOOKY SETTING — Across the area for soccer, there are few programs with as much of a tradition as the Chippewa girls and their Halloween practice. This tradition stands in its own right as a testament of success, as normally it means you're among the last eight or 16 teams standing in the division. Fourteen times since 2001, the Chipps are practicing in late October, compared to the combined 17 potential Halloween practices of other area schools in the same time span.

“We are very grateful for this opportunity, it’s really cool,” said senior Cally West. “We fight to continue to play together for one more game, each time. So this is really fun, especially to have my mom as my coach, my cousin and sister on the team, it’s fun.”

As for the best costume ... “Emme (Donnelly) and Lea (Ferrell) had the best costume’,” said West. “They wore flipflops, it was pretty funny and they looked good today.”