Marvin Ridge beats Chapel Hill in OT to claim 7A boys soccer title

One season after falling short in the boys soccer state championship game, Marvin Ridge captured the trophy on Friday night.

The Mavericks defeated Chapel Hill 2-1 in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 7A state championship game at Guilford College’s Armfield Athletic Center in Greensboro.

Marvin Ridge opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Colton Perkins scored off an assist from Colin McKee. The 1-0 lead nearly held through the rest of the game.

In desperation time, Chapel Hill found the net in the 80th minute. Eliot Werley assisted Gilbert Schmidler on the Tigers’ goal with just nine seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime.

Neither team scored in the first half of overtime, but in the 96th minute, McKee put the Mavericks up by one goal. Daniel Zavala was credited with an assist.

McKee was named the Most Valuable Player of the state championship with one goal, one assist, and two shots on goal in the game.

Marvin Ridge keeper Ford Fehling picked up the win in net with four saves on five shots on goal.

Perkins led Marvin Ridge in shots on goal with four. D.J. Smith added two more.

Chapel Hill’s Cruz Gomes and Marvin Ridge’s Davis Tackett were named the Sportsmanship Award winners by the NCHSAA.

Marvin Ridge ends the season with a 22-3-1 overall record. Chapel Hill finishes the season with an 18-5 record.

This is the fourth state championship in boys soccer for Marvin Ridge, and the first since 2016 when the Mavericks beat Chapel Hill 1-0. Marvin Ridge also won titles in 2013 (6-5 vs. Jacksonville) and 2009 (2-1 in OT vs. Chapel Hill). Each of the three previous titles came at the 3A level.