The Karns High School boys’ soccer team keeps checking off firsts this postseason.
The Beavers played Farragut on Thursday in their first-ever regional final.
They capped off the week with their first state sectional appearance Saturday, their first sectional win and subsequent first state tournament berth.
Karns went on the road early Saturday morning and beat Science Hill, 1-0, in a Class AAA state sectional. The Beavers will begin state quarterfinal play at either 6:30 or 7 p.m. Central on Tuesday in Murfreesboro.
Second-year coach Steven Gallaher wasn’t sure if the program-changing moment on Saturday really resonated with his players.
“Because of the nature of my team, I have some guys who are your traditional Knoxville soccer players,” said Gallaher. “They came up through the academies and have been living here a long time. But some of the other ones are more transitory. They’ve moved in from other places, so I don’t know if they know the histories of the Farraguts and other teams from here.
“So I don’t know how much that (the history of Karns soccer) impacts them or their thinking. But they certainly hear it from me. I tell them that stuff. I just don’t know how much it sinks in.”
Trevor Grussing, a sophomore, got the lone goal for Karns (14-3-3) with roughly 26 minutes left in the first half.
“It came off a set piece,” Gallaher recalled of the goal. “It’s one of those that was bouncing around in the 18, and Trevor got a foot to it and went in off the left post. … Trevor is a sophomore, so he’s maybe scored three or four goals for us (this season). So, for it to come from a not-a-usual scorer in such a dramatic way, that was pretty special.”
For that goal to stand up, goalkeeper Zion Gretz and the Karns defense had to silence the Hilltoppers, which they did. It was the first shutout Karns pitched since the 3-0 win over Oak Ridge in the District 3-AAA championship.
“(Zion) played lights out. There was such a level of commitment from the boys to defender,” said Gallaher. “They all played lights out.”
In other state sectionals …
Gatlinburg-Pittman 11, Oneida 2 — The defending Class A state champions got little resistance out of Oneida on Saturday and will look to defend a title next week in Murfreesboro. Class A soccer begins Tuesday at 4 or 4:30 Central.
Loudon 5, Sequoyah 0 — Loudon shocked the brackets last season, making a run all the way to the Class AA state championship game before falling to Greeneville in the final. They’re no surprise team anymore. Still, the Redskins cruised Saturday past Sequoyah and will return to state. Class AA soccer begins at 1:30 or 2 Central on Tuesday.
Sweetwater 3, Chuckey-Doak 2 — Sweetwater will join Loudon in the Class AA state-tournament field. Sweetwater led 1-0 at the half but surrendered two goals in the opening minutes of the second half. Sweetwater took the lead for good with 7 minutes left to secure its first state-tournament berth in program history, per TSSAA records.
South-Doyle at Greeneville — The game was delayed multiple times by lightning and was ultimately postponed until 11 a.m. Sunday.
Christ Presbyterian 2, Webb 1 — The Spartans fell on the road at CPA, as Baker Avinger scored on a PK in the 79th minute of the Division II-A state quarterfinal.