The spring season is almost over. This weekend, state titles speckled through a few states represent the end of the 2013-2014 calendar season for high school soccer. Through another fantastic spring campaign, a group of state title winners has already emerged as particularly impressive. This is a look at four of the best already in the clubhouse.

Chapel Hill High School girls (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) 

Was there a more thrilling state title game than the one contested between Chapel Hill and Weddington this spring? Hough’s 107th-minute winner in the 4A title game may have an argument, but Chapel Hill certainly belongs in the discussion.

Chapel Hill pieced together one of the most impressive title runs in memory, blazing a trail through the 3A state tournament that included a win over Cardinal Gibbons and state Gatorade Player of the Year Morgan Reid. Chapel Hill spilled out into the title game for an anticipated matchup with Weddington, and the game went the distance. Chapel Hill fell behind early, but an equalizer from North Carolina commit Alexander Kimball 14 minutes into the second half set the pace for the scintillating finish to follow. 

With the game knotted at 1-1 and just 1:33 remaining in regulation, junior midfielder Sofie Nielsen whipped in a cross that found senior Megan Dell at the top of the box. The VCU commit blasted home the game-winner to lift Chapel Hill to its first state title under coach Ron Benson. Chapel Hill finished the season with a 23-1 mark, with the only loss coming to the Cardinal Gibbons team the Tigers knocked out in the third round of the playoffs.

Franklin High School boys (Franklin, Tennessee)

Speaking of thrilling finishes, the Franklin boys pieced together a heck of a run on its own merit by finishing off its Class 3A title run in thrilling fashion. Franklin entered the state title game against Collierville in late May with an unblemished 18-0-0 record, and they were riding a four-game streak during which they’d outscored opponents a combined 16-0. Collierville, though, would provide a stiffer test.

The teams battled for 75 minutes without a release until, with 5:49 to play in regulation, Franklin finally made its pressure tell. Jimmy Wester scored the dagger that eventually sent Franklin to its record 37th straight game without a loss. That preserved a rare Tennessee dynasty that features two state titles in the last two seasons and are 37-0-2 in the last two years with a pair of state titles in hand. Last year was the first state title in program history. This makes two.

New Trier High School girls (Winnetka, Illinois)

Simply put, the Illinois Class 3A girls state title game was must-see theater. The meeting between New Trier and Waubonsie Valley pitted two of the best teams in the nation against one another, and they didn’t disappoint. New Trier managed to come out 1-0 winners to take its fourth state title in program history and first since 2006. New Trier may have set a state record for wins in a season as well after the Trevians finished the season with a 31-1 record. 

That one loss came to Waubonsie Valley on May 3, and over the next month New Trier didn’t give up another goal. In fact, the Trevians only gave up just eight goals in 32 games, only four of which were in the run of play. By leaning on its defense, New Trier rode Sarah Conners’ 42-yard dart in the first half to win the state crown. Thanks in part to senior Maddie Mulford (25 goals, 11 assists) and sophomore Kelly Maday (19 goals, 22 assists), New Trier very well may be able to call itself the winningest team in Illinois history.

Wando High School boys (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina)

Wando may not have put together a perfect season like some on this list, but the program’s 29 wins in 2014 was the most for any boys team ranked in the national spring polls. That certainly carries some weight here when you consider the thresher Wando had to walk through to get to its third Class 4A state title in four years. Bitterly fought wins over Dutch Fork (1-0), Lexington (3-0) and South Aiken (3-0) led Wando to the title game against familiar nemesis and one-loss J.L. Mann. 

That set up an encounter that Wando made look easier than it probably should’ve. Goals from Tucker Heffron and Jackson Karolczyk set up Wando with a 2-0 lead at halftime, which allowed the team to control play without having to push for another in the second half. Wando handed J.L. Mann its only loss of the regular season, and it provided the silver bullet again to account for Mann’s only two losses of the season. Meanwhile, Wando rushed to yet another state title and completed a 29-1-1 season to become one of the most winningest teams in the nation during the spring soccer season.

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