Science Hill blanks Vikings to claim District 1-AAA title

JOHNSON CITY — Down two goals earlier this week in an elimination game, Tennessee High rallied to extend its season. There would be no comeback in this one. Junior Serrano had a goal and an assist to lead Science Hill to a 3-0 District 1-AAA championship game victory over the Vikings on Thursday evening at Kermit Tipton Stadium. "It is really exciting. We have worked really hard all season for this," Science Hill's Nahum Tadesse said. "I just trust my teammates. Me and my teammates have worked hard this season so we got the 'chip. I have just got to give that to my teammates especially." Science Hill (14-3-1), which defeated Tennessee High three times this season by a combined score of 14-1, will host Jefferson County in the Region 1-AAA semifinals on Tuesday. The Region 1-AAA championship is slated for Thursday, with the sectionals on Saturday. "I think we have just got to stay locked in and ready for these games and just keep playing our system and just be focused going into these next games," Tadesse said. Tennessee High (12-6-1), which trailed 2-0 at halftime before rallying for a 3-2 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Tuesday, had no such luck with the Hilltoppers. The Vikings has shown improvement, falling 6-1 and 5-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in the tourney finale. "They showed a lot of heart. The D-B game, they got down, they never gave up. This game we got down, although we didn't get the win they never gave up the entire 80 (minutes)," Tennessee High head coach Hunter Meade said. "They have got no quit in them so as a coach that is what makes me more proud than anything else is they don't put their heads down and they don't give up on each other." Tadesse's 15th goal of the season off an assist by Ian Almaroad put the Hilltoppers on top to stay by slapping the ball past Tennessee High goalkeeper Milo Ochoa just three minutes into the match. Tadesse was chosen as the most valuable player of the tournament. "I would say my teammates definitely set me up for this giving me a lot of assists and goals," he said. "I am thankful for the award." Science Hill added two more in a four-minute span near the end of the first half, with Serrano scoring from 30 yards out at the 34th minute, and the Hilltoppers added a third goal in the 38th minute with Ian Meade scoring from close range on a difficult angle following an assist by Serrano. "(Ochoa) had some great saves. We had a couple that we might could have gotten, but it happens. That is the life of a goalkeeper," Meade said. "You are going to have some that slip on you. I wouldn't want to play that position, a lot of people couldn't handle that." "I am proud of them. Every game we have played against them I feel like we have improved a little bit. I feel like we are making improvements, we are not getting worse." The Hilltoppers turned on the defense in the second half, having allowed just one shot on goal in two tournaents wins over David Crockett and Tennessee High. Science Hill goalkeeper Griffin Lewis picked up his 10th shutout in goal this season. "That says a lot about the way we handled the ball. Having the ball so much it is very difficult to give up goals," Science Hill head coach David Strickland said. "I thought our adjustments that we made were good. The great thing is every player got to step on the field tonight in a championship game, that is exciting. That is something those boys will remember for their life to be involved." In addition to Tadesse, five other Science Hill players earned all-tournament honors, including Parker Shipley, Tom Faleke, Dylan Trull, Lewis and Brayden Harris, who stood out to Strickland for his efforts in the match. "Tonight this was this group of players their first piece of hardware they have worked hard for. A really focused effort, I thought the second half we were super strong with the ability to control the game with what we were doing," Strickland said. "The first half we kind of got caught up in running back and forth. Those are things where it can get away from you and you can give up a goal and you have problems." Seasons are on the line next week for both teams, with Tadesse confident in what awaits Science Hill. "I think we have just got to stay locked in and ready for these games and just keep playing our system and just be focused going into these next games," he said. Tennessee High placed Everett Lester, Holden Lester, Connor Broglio and Jackson Ferrell on the all-tournament team. Santiago Cerna represented Dobyns-Bennett on that team.