Ardrey Kell’s women’s football is a victory for making history

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) — Ardrey Kell has a strong heritage in women’s soccer. Since their inaugural season in 2007, they’ve played in 3 state title games, but they’ve never won them all. You get another chance this weekend to finally achieve the ultimate goal.

This Saturday at 6:00 p.m. in Cary, the Knights will take on Cardinal Gibbons for the 4A state title.

This edition of the Knights was impressive as they are 25-1-1. It’s even more impressive when you consider they only have 3 seniors on this roster and one of those seniors, Ellie Herrmann, tore her cruciate ligament in the fall before the season even started.

“It was a huge blow for us not to have the center of our Ferris wheel,” said Ardrey Kell head coach Kim Montgomery. “She’s our most important central player, but she was also able to give us that guidance off the field as an assistant coach and loving the game from different angles.”

There was clearly more to this team than one great player and leader, which is a big reason they are in this position.

“With our maturity and leadership, led by Ellie Herrmann and our team’s captains, Carly Montgomery and Lyla Chadd, and the majority of the sisterhood that we have, that’s what motivates and excites us not just to be here, but to leave everything on the field and represent the name on your chest,” said the coach.

Losing Herrmann on the field was tough, but to prepare for the tough road ahead, the Knights played a tough schedule.

They competed against 7 of the top 10 teams in the RPI and beat them all.

“Going through all of that prepared us for these huge moments in the playoffs,” said the coach. “We want to get better every day, so here we are.”

In the process of getting better on the field with a tough schedule, young players have taken a big step forward. Sophomore Taylor Suarez leads the team with 17 goals, and a couple of newcomers are 2nd and 3rd in terms of goals scored – Grace Myers (13) and Ellie Reichman (10).

Two years ago, the Knights only played 5 games and won 1 in the truncated COVID season. Last year, in a season modified again due to COVID, they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Overcoming everything this team had to overcome in 2022 would make Saturday’s win all the sweeter.

“We feel so blessed to be in this position,” said the coach. “We will do everything in our power to pull this off. It would truly be a remarkable, never-ending moment that I don’t think I would ever forget.”

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