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South Effingham Girls Top Evans, Reach State Tournament
South Effingham’s Reyse Ferguson (22), Madi Rahn (10) and Ella Stephens (28) celebrate after Rahn’s first-half goal in the Mustangs’ 2-0 win over Evans in the opening round of the Class 5A Region tournament Friday in Guyton. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)
GUYTON, Ga. – Game tape doesn’t lie. Sometimes it reveals a team’s weaknesses. Other times, its strengths.
“I went back and watched the film of our first game with Evans, and my biggest takeaway was how much we’ve improved over the course of the year,” South Effingham girls soccer coach Cora McCaffrey said.
Friday night, McCaffrey saw that improvement on the field.
The Mustangs were solid defensively and defeated Evans 2-0 in the first round of the Class 5A Region tournament, advancing to the state tournament for the first time since 2022.
With temperatures hitting 85 degrees, South (9-5) stayed hot, winning its seventh game in the last eight.
Freshman Ella Stephens and sophomore Madi Rahn scored first-half goals, while senior goalkeeper Taylor Baier recorded her seventh shutout during the streak.
South advances to Tuesday’s (March 31) region semifinal against Class 5A’s fourth-ranked Greenbrier, a 7-0 first-round winner over Bradwell Institute.
“I’m very proud of the girls. I know we have a tough road ahead of us,” McCaffrey said.
South Effingham’s Katie Summerour (24) clears an Evans shot by Nina McMahon (19) as goalkeeper Taylor Baier gets into position during the Mustangs’ 2-0 win in the first round of the Class 5A Region tournament Friday. South’s defense limited Evans to just one second-half shot on goal, and Baier recorded her fifth straight shutout. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)
Finding a rhythm
The ever-improving Mustangs have found a rhythm over the past month.
Their spacing is sharper, passing more precise and defense increasingly reliable. South dropped a 2-1 decision to Evans in the season opener but closed subregion play last Tuesday with a momentum-building 0-0 tie — winning 3-2 in penalty kicks — against Glynn Academy.
South Effingham’s Ella Stephens (28) breaks free into open space on her way to the game’s first goal, creating an early scoring chance in the Mustangs’ region tournament win over Evans in Guyton. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)
Baier’s impact
Baier’s return after missing two seasons due to injuries has provided a steady presence for a young squad that starts five freshmen.
Against Glynn, she recorded her fourth consecutive shutout and stopped two penalty kicks in the shootout.
“It was big. All of our minds were blown,” Baier said of beating Glynn for the first time since 2016.
She was tested just twice against Evans but delivered the game’s biggest save late in the first half, leaping to deflect a shot headed for the right corner. The ball glanced off her hand, hit the crossbar and was cleared.
Less than 20 seconds later, Rahn scored to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead with 2:50 remaining in the half.
South Effingham’s Lexi Long (23) greets Ella Stephens (28) with a high-five after Stephens’ first-half goal, as the Mustangs gain momentum in their region tournament matchup in Guyton. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)
Closing it out
That cushion was more than enough for the defensive-minded Mustangs.
Evans managed just one shot on goal in the second half, and Baier secured her fifth consecutive shutout.
A year ago, South Effingham fell to Effingham County in the first round of the region tournament after beating the Rebels in the regular season.
“Compared to last year, this is so much better,” Baier said.
