BLYTHEWOOD — After a brief stumble in late April, the Blythewood girls’ soccer team left no doubt about its dominance in Region 5-5A, closing the regular season with two double-digit shutouts to secure its second consecutive region championship.
The Bengals (12-5, 11-1) officially clinched the title with a 10-0 win over Ridge View on Friday. The victory capped a regular season in which Blythewood outscored region opponents by a staggering 78-7 margin.
Regan Flynn led the charge in the season finale, netting a hat trick and adding two assists. Caroline Powell added two goals and an assist. The Bengals’ depth was on full display as Abby Kopp, Mia Hendry, Lauren Thye, Kylee Gardiner, and Tessa Coker all found the back of the net. Goalkeeper Chyna Bush earned the clean sheet.
The blowout mirrored the Bengals’ performance on April 24, when they dismantled Sumter 10-0. Flynn and Hendry each netted two goals. Kopp, Powell, Coker, Thye, Cassidy Haddock, and Josie Woodley scored a goal each. Flynn led with three assists
The Bengals have found the right formula: timely scoring and high-pressure defense. That defense, anchored by center back Lauren Thye alongside Lily Ballard, Bailey Belville, and Cassidy Haddock, has been a hallmark of the season’s success. Despite a high-scoring 4-3 stumble against West Florence on April 22 and a 3-0 non-conference loss to a ranked Chapin squad on April 28, the unit has remained largely impenetrable against region foes.
The Bengals’ resume earned them the No. 2 seed in the Class 5A-D1 Upper State bracket, giving them a first-round bye as the postseason began this week.
They are scheduled to open playoff action at home on Friday, May 8 against No. 7 seed Spring Valley, a familiar opponent the Bengals defeated 3-0 back on April 14. The Vikings advanced to the second round following a 4-1 victory over Dutch Fork on Tuesday.
A win on May 8 would send Blythewood to the quarterfinal round on May 12, where they would face the winner of the Wade Hampton-Dorman matchup.
The road to a state title likely goes through the Upstate’s top seed, J.L. Mann (15-3-1), but with a second straight region trophy in the case and a rested roster, the Bengals enter the bracket as one of the favorites to contend for the Upper State title.