Sandy • Rowland Hall showed Waterford and the rest of the state what perfection looks like.
The Winged Lions capped a perfect season with a 6-3 victory against defending champion Waterford in Saturday’s Class 2A state final at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“We’re super proud that we got to play Waterford in the final,” said Jordan Crockett, whose hat trick gave her 42 goals this season. “They are amazing competition. They really made us work this year.”
It was a recipe familiar to what Rowland Hall cooked up all season long — a quick-strike offense and a smothering defense to avenge last year’s state title loss to the Ravens.
A one-goal game at halftime turned into a blowout shortly after the teams returned to the field. Crockett netted a hat trick, with her second and third goals coming three minutes apart in the second half.
“Me and Giselle Bodeen, our chemistry just started to click in the second half,” Crockett said. “We worked really well together in the midfield and we stayed really positive.”
It’s Rowland Hall’s third state title, joining the 2007 and 2014 championship teams.
How dominant has Rowland Hall (18-0) been this season? The numbers are staggering: The Winged Lions outscored opponents 167-6 this season, and outscored three playoff opponents 20-3. And Saturday’s margin of victory matched the closest for Rowland Hall all year.
Rowland Hall 6, Waterford 0<br>The Winged Lions cap a perfectseason and win the rematch of last year’s 2A title game won byWaterford.<br>Sophomore forward Jordan Crockett scored a hat trickto give her 42 goals this season.<br>Waterford junior Anna Woodscored a hat trick in the second half.
Five of those six goals allowed this season were to Waterford (14-3-2), which remains the only team to beat the Lions over their past 35 contests. Junior Anna Wood scored a hat trick in the second half Saturday, with goals in minutes 56, 63 and 71 as play moved frantically from end to end late in the game.
“It’s hard going through our classification because reclassification made our division a little weaker and, as it happens, our team is a little stronger than last year,” Rowland Hall coach Bobby Kennedy said. “At least this year, we’re the best team in 2A, but it always goes through Waterford.”
Bodeen scored to make it 2-0 in the 49th minute. After Crockett completed her hat trick, Anna Fukushima knocked in a rebound for a 5-1 margin in the 63rd minute and, two minutes later, Caeli Kennedy rocketed a shot from 18 yards out to make it 6-1.