Chapel Hill High School’s boys soccer team has earned their spot in the NCHSAA Championship game.

Chapel Hill’s road to the state championship game led the Tigers into the backyard of undefeated Jacksonville High School.

Coming into the match-up, Jacksonville gave up no goals through the first four rounds of the tournament.  Chapel Hill outlasted Cardinal Gibbons by a score of 4 to 3 in the last round, but had scored five goals in each of its previous games.  With Chapel Hill’s offense going against Jacksonville’s dominant defense, something had to give.

The play was chippy from the beginning.  Chapel Hill earned 3 yellow cards, and a red card on an assistant coach that stepped on the field while arguing with the referee.  Jacksonville earned two yellow cards.

Chris Gillespie scored in the second half for Chapel Hill, the first time all post-season anyone has scored on the Cardinals defense.  The Tigers needed that goal to bring the score even at 1 to 1, as Patrick Lynch had scored earlier in the second half for Jacksonville.

At the end of regulation, the score stood 1 to 1, and the field was ruled unplayable.  Two days later, Chapel Hill travelled past Jacksonville to play the overtime period.  The first ten minute overtime period passed scoreless, as did the second. 

As the match went to sudden death, or “golden goal”, Chapel Hill High found a way to nab the victory.  Just a couple minutes into the first five minute third overtime, Jamie Dell was able to find the back of the net to send Chapel Hill on a happy trip back to Orange County, and a noon championship game Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park.