Decatur’s Boy’s and Girl’s Soccer teams have made it to the State Final Four.

Both teams advanced to the final four last year and they are hoping to make it a step further this season.

David Harbin has been coaching the boy’s team for three years and played on the Decatur team as a student.

Like this year’s team, Harbin made it just as far, and even won the state championship with a record of 16-3-1.

“I dug up my state championship ring from that year, and on one side was our record from that season, 16-3-1,” Harbin said. “At that point I realized our current team is 13-3-1, and three wins away from a state championship. I believe in fate. I believe in signs.”

The girl’s team is equally hopeful to win state championship.

“This team we have now is one of the best in the history of the program and the coaches expect a lot from us. From the beginning of last year we have all had a picture of the championship trophy to inspire and drive us,” said senior Emma Sandifer. 

As the long season comes to an end, goalie Théo Davis says that he will miss the comradery of the team the most.

“I’ll really miss the support that I’ve gotten from my teammates, even off of the field,” Davis said. “We’ve spent a lot of our high school career together and it’ll be strange to not see them every day next year.”

Harbin agrees that spending so much time together has created a special bond within the team.

“This senior class were sophomores when we started coaching them.  They have all come a long way since the days of being 3-13,” Harbin said. “Even in that difficult year . . . they believed in a vision that I believe many Bulldog Soccer teams will uphold for years to come.”

Since then, players including senior Tuck Rodi feel that the student body has come to support and enjoy the team and its games.

“The whole community has really gotten behind us during the playoffs,” Rodi said.

Harbin is confident that the team will be able to win state, especially with fate on their side.

When referring to the team’s’ corresponding records, he said “Maybe it’s just a coincidence, maybe it’s a sign. I prefer the latter.”

Photos courtesy of Keson Graham