Eastern Alamance blanks South Point to win first NCHSAA 3-A girls soccer state title

Molly Widderich named MVP after scoring two goals and assisting on another; Eagles finish 20-0-1.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA– Senior Molly Widderich found the net twice and added an assist to earn MVP honors as Eastern Alamance blanked South Point 4-0 at UNC Greensboro Saturday to win the NCHSAA 3-A state soccer championship. 

Sophomore Abby Brinker added the other two goals for the Eagles. Widderich finished the 2023 season with 54 goals and Brinker had 34.

Molly Widderich scored two goals and had an assist and was named MVP of the NCHSAA 3-A state soccer championship game for Eastern Alamance / Shaffer Broughton photo

Eastern Alamance wrapped 2023 with a staggering 137 goals scored compared to just eight goals allowed.

The Eagles tied their season opener 1-1 with Chapel Hill in February. Since that game, they have rattled off 20 straight wins and allowed just seven goals, including Saturday’s win.

The win gives Eastern Alamance its first NCHSAA girls soccer title in their third trip to the championship game. The Eagles lost 2-0 to Lake Norman Charter last season and 4-0 to High Point Central in 1998.

Ainsley Dial of Eastern Alamance points to her ring finger after winning the NCHSAA 3-A state championship on Saturday / Shaffer Broughton photo

The South Point Red Raiders also came into the contest undefeated and riding a 19-game winnings streak. The Eagles were the first team all season to score more than two goals against the Red Raiders.

Players fight for possession during Saturday's NCHSAA 3-A soccer state championship / Shaffer Broughton photo

The NCHSAA is committed to recognizing and promoting good sportsmanship and has partnered with the NC Farm Bureau to honor two student-athletes at each of this year’s championships with Sportsmanship Awards for excellence throughout the season. The 3A Women’s Soccer Sportsmanship Award winners were Eastern Alamance’s Ryen Gibbs and South Point’s Payton Decker.