GREENWOOD  — The Lamar School Girls soccer squad have become a dynasty in Academy AAAA Division 2 soccer, winning their third straight state championship Monday night. The Lady Raiders defeated arch rival Pillow Academy of Greenwood by one goal once again, this time with a 1-0 victory.

“Oh my God, just when you think it can’t get any more dramatic, it does,” a clearly relieved third year head coach Leon Powell said after the game. “That game was electric.”

The lone goal of the contest came with 13 minutes left in the first half. Following a Pillow foul, Lamar freshman Lydia Hutcherson curved a free kick into the box. Senior star Darby Gillette, a Louisiana Lafayette Division 1 signee, placed a spectacular stab at the ball in the air that went past Pillow goalie Jane Rob Pannell for the goal. 

“Darby is a special player, and to score the game-winning goal at Pillow is a perfect way for her to go out,” Powell said after the game. Gillette has played some of her best high school soccer in Greenwood: two years ago, she scored on a beautiful header and had two assists in a 3-2 victory which secured Lamar its first girls state championship. 

Lamar adjusted its formation for the final game, moving away from the typical 4-3-3 formation with three offensive players to a 5-3-2 formation with only two forwards. “I had to drop back Ambreah (Waters) to the middle of the field to take away Pillow’s strength, and I told Darby and Emma Kate (Uithoven) they would have to generate the offense.

“And they did, and Ambreah was great in the middle along with the rest of the team.”

Pillow threw the kitchen sink at Lamar early on, forcing two free kicks just outside the box in the first six minutes of the game. For the full contest, Pillow had six chances with free kicks right outside the box, but the homestanding Mustangs could not convert.

Lamar goalie Bayleigh Brent threw a shutout in her first battle for a state title. The freshman transfer from NE Lauderdale stopped all nine shots she faced, including a breakaway by Pillow’s Madeline Kelly late in the first half.

The physical contest produced a slew of yellow cards, with Lamar stars Waters and Gillette both having to be pulled from the game momentarily after receiving one. The momentum turned big in Pillow’s favor when a defender for Lamar retaliated after receiving a blow to her head while on the ground. The resulting red card and ejection meant that for the final twenty minutes of the contest Lamar played with ten players versus Pillow’s 11, a huge advantage.

It made no difference. Despite playing shorthanded, both Uithoven and Gillette streaked down the field and nearly scored again for Lamar. The Lamar defense would bend but not break, playing strong in the middle and forcing Pillow to play outside and never score. Despite repeated waves of attack by Pillow, the Raiders would counter with strong play.

“My young girls played big tonight, especially on defense and in the middle,” Powell said. “I am so proud of them. I can’t believe that I lose Darby and Diana (Suarez), but we have a lot of great talent coming back”

Lamar and Pillow both finished with nine shots each for the contest. Each team had two corner kicks. Lamar finishes the season 11-2-1, while Pillow fell to 10-3.

Asked about the team’s chances of playing Pillow again in the finals and four-peating, Powell smiled and stated, “Well, if we do play them again next year, they have to come to Meridian.

“I like my team’s chances.”