Holly Springs breaks through for first girls soccer title, beats Weddington in 7A championship

DURHAM, N.C. — Two wonder goals, one wonderful moment.

Holly Springs has its first girls soccer championship after defeating Weddington 2-1 in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 7A girls soccer championship at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

And they pulled it off with two dazzling shots.

Live 2026 NCHSAA girls soccer playoff brackets

• Purchase and view photos: Holly Springs vs. Weddington (May 30, 2026). HSOT Insiders can download championship photos for free. Here's how.

The second of those shots, which held up as the game-winner, came in the 48th minute as Gabby Barbee's run down the right side of the box was nearing the touch line. It was an almost-impossible angle, but it went into the far side netting.

Weddington had wasted no time taking the lead as 6-foot forward Sona Johnson was fouled in the box in the third minute, setting up Kacey Clark goal on the penalty kick.

But in the 15th, Holly Springs' Sorin Smith uncorked a speculative try from 44 yards out off a throw-in.

The ball bounced over the keeper and into the net for a long-distance equalizer, which led to a halftime score of 1-1.

That wonder strike landed Smith the MVP.

Start times revealed for NCHSAA baseball, softball, lacrosse, & girls soccer state championships

The Warriors did have some promising chances in the final 10 minutes, but the Holly Springs back line was always able to clear away any danger.

NCHSAA girls soccer conference standings for the 2026 season

Weddington (15-8-1) the West regional champ, finished third in its own conference behind 6A champ Charlotte Catholic and a Marvin Ridge team that it upset in the "elite eight" of the playoffs. The Warriors were in their fifth championship game, having won it all in 2016 and 2017.

Holly Springs (20-3-1), the East regional champion, was playing in its first championship game.

Before the game, each team named a Sportsmanship Award winner. Holly Springs' Cataline Garrido and Weddington's Genevieve Baptiste were their respective winners.

Box Score

• Scoring
  • Kacey Clark (Weddington) '3
  • Sorin Smith (Holly Springs) '15
  • Reese Kulha (Holly Springs) '45

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