Northside girls soccer captures program’s first ever region championship
When Elizabeth Toelle came to Northside to coach girls soccer six years ago, the thought of the Lady Patriots taking home a region title was as far fetched as they come. On Thursday, Toelle’s latest team put the finishing touches in making program history.
Northside beat Hardaway on Thursday to finish off region play and capture its first region title ever. The Lady Patriots’ Region 1-4A crown not only gives them bragging rights among local rivals, but also guarantees home field advantage for at least the first two rounds of the state tournament.
“This is huge,” Toelle said. “This is what I was working toward when I came here. I’m originally from the Atlanta area, so when I moved here all I heard about was Columbus High. I was told (winning the region) would be impossible for us to do, especially with Northside being such a young school. I said, ‘OK, challenge accepted.’”
Toelle’s teams have steadily improved in the seasons leading up to this one. She said she realized this team truly had potential during the first week of practice, when it became clear the young freshmen who had joined the team were gelling well with the upperclassmen.
As promising as the team’s play was then, it would mean little if it could not execute against Columbus. The Lady Blue Devils’ reign in the region was no secret, and year after year the Lady Patriots were unable to top their crosstown foes.
When the two teams squared off on March 13, the Lady Patriots looked to be in luck. Northside went into halftime with a 2-0 lead, but Toelle could tell there were serious nerves in the locker room. The Lady Patriots were entering the unknown in the second half, and the thought of finally beating Columbus weighed heavily on the players’ minds and stomachs.
Toelle tried to motivate her players at the half, but it couldn’t prevent Columbus answering back with two goals that forced overtime.
The two teams duked it out in a nerve-wracking extra session when the Lady Patriots got the last laugh. Cari Anderson connected with a shot that broke the tie, sending the Northside sideline into an absolute frenzy.
“I was kind of in disbelief and shock. It was super invigorating, but I didn’t know what to do. I was super hyper and excited in the moment to know my team and I had come that far together,” Anderson said. “Once we finally crossed that threshold of beating Columbus, that was when it really hit home we could actually win region.”
Northside took advantage of beating Columbus by taking care of business and ending region play with a 7-0 record.
The region title was a special one for the Lady Patriots, but Toelle and her players aren’t content with just that. The team has three non-region tests remaining before the Class 4A state tournament, where they hope to make Northside history yet again.
Toelle said the Lady Patriots have never advanced past the Sweet Sixteen but have a realistic chance to contend with the likes of the top Atlanta teams.
Anderson, meanwhile, has played a role in Northside’s progress over the last four years. She said she’s really proud of the team’s effort, and the work of the younger players has her excited about their outlook for the upcoming seasons.
Although Anderson believes Northside’s future looks bright, right now she’s concerned with capitalizing on this moment as a Lady Patriot.
“Starting from freshman year was like building from the ground up,” Anderson said. “I just want to enjoy the moment, with this being my last year. Going into state, I know we can at least host the first two rounds and hopefully make it further. We’re just striving to do our best.”
This story was originally published April 6, 2018 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Northside girls soccer captures program’s first ever region championship."