Why state championship loss couldn't kill spirits of Eastside girls soccer
· Yahoo Sports
COLUMBIA — You’d think Lydia Parker kicked a game-winning goal that belonged in a highlight reel.
After the Class 5A-D2 girls soccer state championship game on May 23 at Memorial Stadium, the Eastside senior forward had the biggest smile plastered on her face as she gave all of her teammates extended hugs.
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You’d have no clue that her team just suffered a 4-0 loss to Chapin.
Parker’s demeanor is intentional, though. Because even in the loss, she remembers everything she’s grateful for.
“In my four years at Eastside, I’ve been to four state championships, and won three,” she said. “We’re blessed and highly favored. This team has a faith that's larger than anything. And that's what's keeping us grounded.
“At the end of the day, losses are a part of life. But this team knows we’re more than just a state championship.”
A huge part of Eastside’s success is coach David Craig, who took over the program in 2016. During his tenure, the Eagles have played in seven straight championship games, winning three.
And similar to Parker, his demeanor might shock you.
In a game where his team struggled more than ever to score, he looked the same the entire time. Arms folded, eyes locked, not saying a single word.
It’s all intentional.
“People might look at me and notice I’m not running up and down the field screaming like a crazy guy . . . And look where my team is. Every year, in a state championship,” he said. “I’m not gonna get myself all up in a tizzy and waste that emotion and energy, when I could be using it to pour into somebody else.”
He took a breath, then pointed to the empty bright green field.
“Look where we are,” he said. “It’s been working. Why change it?”
And even though Craig's most successful senior class is graduating, his expectations for the future of Eastside girls soccer is staying exactly the same.
"We have to set ground work in the beginning of the season, and get to know each other as a team so we don't throw them in the fire right out of the gate," he said. "But the expectation is to get here. Every single year, to play in this game.”
Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News, Anderson Independent Mail, and the USA TODAY Network. Please email her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @KamxJack.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SCHSL girls soccer, Eastside holds head high in state title loss to Chapin