Mitchell Kernels girls soccer will play for its first ever Class AA state title on Saturday in Brandon when they take on the Harrisburg Tigers at 5 pm.
It’s a fitting end to the season for the Kernels that started with an upset of then #1 ranked Harrisburg, 3-2, on August 11th.
Senior Mia Mullenmeister scored the first two of her 41 goals on the season in the season opener and accounted for 57 percent of all goals that Mitchell scored this year.
“I could not have imagined a better end to my career,” said Mullenmeister.
“We’ve been taking it game-by-game and going into each match with gratitude that we have come this far.”
After the season opening loss, Harrisburg has won 16 straight matches and outscored opponents 90-5 during the season. The Tigers only allowed two goals after the loss to Mitchell, shutting out their opponents 14 times in 17 matches.
“Harrisburg is a very potent offensive team,” said Mitchell head coach Scott Mullenmeister. “They really flood the offensive side of things, so we have to be ready for them. We did a good job, maintained and held like we needed to when we played them in the first game of the season. We are such a better team now than we were then.”
Before this season, Mitchell had never won a playoff game and finished 7-7 in 2022.
To get to the state final, the Kernels took out #16 seed Brookings 4-1 in the opening round, #8 Pierre 5-1 in the quarterfinals and #4 Aberdeen Central 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out in the semis this past Tuesday.
“I think the girls are ready,” said Scott Mullenmeister. “I think they are ready to compete in the state championship game.
“We continue to get better, especially through the playoffs. I keep telling them that your best soccer is still ahead of you. We still have a lot in the tank and we’re going to be ready for the state championship.”