By Sophie Johnson, Sports Editor

The women’s soccer team has reached the NCHSAA 2A East Regional Championship game after beating Clinton 2-1 on Saturday. Sophomore Nicole York scored both goals for the Nighthawks, assisted by senior Casey Bouker and junior Ashley Forbes.

“We didn’t play to our full potential and still beat a good team, so I hope it energizes everyone and makes everyone understand what we can do when we play our best, like win a state championship,” Forbes said.

The Nighthawks will face Carrboro on Tuesday, the team that knocked FFHS out of the playoffs the past two years. Carrboro has won the last three 2A women’s soccer championships.

“I’m nervous, because they beat us two years in a row and they always have players going to D-I schools and that makes me really nervous,” Bouker said.

Head coach Juan Ramirez, in his first year leading the women’s program, is bringing something new to the table that perhaps could allow the Nighthawks to defeat Carrboro and advance to Saturday’s state championship in Raleigh.

“The team chemistry, the whole team unity — they are playing very well together. I think that makes a big difference,” Ramirez said.

Trying not to think ahead, the team still sticks to its normal practice routines.

“Basically we just do the same thing we’ve always done. No changes, working on strategies, corner kicks, things like that,” Ramirez said.

This will be Ramirez’s second time this year taking a First Flight program to the regional championship round. The men’s soccer team won its regional game before falling in the the state championship. Bringing the women’s soccer team to the state championship would mean a lot.

“It’s great, it’s a good feeling for this school and the kids and it just shows the state that we have a great program,” Ramirez said.

Still, there’s much more to a state championship than the rings, or even making it this far in playoffs: “No reward is more important to me than the memories that the girls will make,” Ramirez said.

The game will kick off at 6 p.m. and fans are encouraged to arrive early because First Flight Middle School’s spring concert will be taking place at 6 as well, just across the street from the soccer field on the FFMS lawn. All soccer fans have been asked to park at the high school near the tennis courts. Tickets are $7 per NCHSAA regulations and no passes are accepted.

Junior Sophie Johnson can be reached at johnsonso0628@daretolearn.org.