The Chuckey-Doak Lady Knights soccer team wrapped up the District 1-A regular season championship with a 4-0 win on Thursday at Pigeon Forge.
But the meeting between the Lady Knights and Lady Tigers turned out to be much more than winning or losing a soccer match. It was a lesson in humanity for all.
Knowing Greene County had been without water for a week due to flooding, the Lady Tigers – led by coach Bill Moseley – went well above and beyond to help the Lady Knights.
“We were supposed to play Pigeon Forge at home. But because of the flood and having no water, we had to switch and play at Pigeon Forge,” said Chuckey-Doak coach Anna Ricker. “I called Coach Moseley to make sure we could play the match over there and asked if he could open their locker rooms for us so our girls could shower because a lot of our girls don’t have running water. He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be happy to do that.’
“About an hour later, he called back and said, ‘I’ve been thinking about your girls. I feel terrible for them. Is it OK if we feed them after the game.’ I said absolutely, and then he calls back again and asks, ‘Is Texas Roadhouse OK with everybody?’ I had to laugh and say, ‘Absolutely. Texas Roadhouse is fine with us.’”
But there was more to Pigeon Forge’s generosity.
“A couple hours later, Coach Moseley called me back again and I laughed and said, ‘Hey, you can’t take it back. You already said Texas Roadhouse,’” Ricker said. “And he laughed and said, ‘No, I’ve been thinking more. I don’t want your girls to have to shower quickly and rush to eat. I’d rather have them a place to rest. If I get hotel rooms for you guys, can you stay?’ And they got us rooms at the Best Western in Pigeon Forge.”
And Pigeon Forge’s generosity didn’t end there. The Lady Tigers gave the Lady Knights goodie bags filled with things like homemade desserts, soap, shampoo and conditioner, tooth brushes and chapstick.
“They went so above and beyond. It just blew me away,” Ricker said. “Coach Moseley and I have been coaching against each other for probably 25 years. We’’ve developed a good friendship and a little bit of a rivalry, and I cannot put into words how appreciative and thankful I am for what that team did for us. This just meant so much.”
Ricker didn’t have to explain her appreciation, really. Her tears said it all.
“On the bus, the girls and I were talking about how to thank Pigeon Forge,” Ricker said, her voice cracking. “We were like, ‘Hey, let’s come up with a Bible verse.’ The girls quoted Romans 12:13. ‘Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.’
“What Pigeon Forge did for us was just absolutely a personification of that verse. Coach Moseley just said, ‘Sometimes people need help. Let us help you.’ And we did, and we just kept thanking them.”
As for the soccer match, the Lady Knights’ win not only gave them the district regular season title, it gave them the No. 1 seed in next week’s district tournament and an automatic bye on Monday.
Chuckey-Doak will play the Cumberland Gap-Gatlinburg-Pittman winner on Tuesday at a time and location to be determined.
Following a scoreless first half against Pigeon Forge, Chuckey-Doak took a 1-0 lead in the 60th minute when Lindsey Rojas passed to Layla Fox, who ran through the defense for a goal.
The Lady Knights made it 2-0 in the 65th minute when Hailey Williamson’s corner kick rolled around before Betsie Ramirez poked it in the back.
In the 76th minute, Chuckey-Doak’s Tavyn Southerland cleared the ball over everybody before Williamson ran on to the ball and lofted it over the keeper’s head and into the goal to make it 3-0.
And in the 79th minute, Williamson gathered a rebound and used her left foot to loft the ball over everybody’s head and into the net for the 4-0 final.
Chuckey-Doak keeper Cora Merrill made eight saves, while Ricker cited Addy Bradley, Trinity Hengle and Tavyn Southerland for their defensive play.
It’s the ninth shutout of the season for the Lady Knights, who end the regular season at 12-3 overall and 5-0 in the district.
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