7 South Mississippi soccer teams earn spots in state championship round
St. Patrick will send both soccer clubs to Jackson to compete for state championships.
The girls began Tuesday evening with a 2-0 win over Our Lady Academy, and the boys followed with a dramatic 3-1 overtime win against Presbyterian Christian.
The latter’s victory gives St. Patrick’s boys team a chance at winning state for the first time in nearly a decade.
“The whole journey has been so awesome,” boys coach Ryan Worsham told the Sun Herald. “I’m so happy to see these guys reap some of the rewards of all the work.”
The Fighting Irish saw a 1-0 lead vanish in the final moments of extra time. Neither team found net in the first overtime period, but Payton Taylor scored twice in the second to seal St. Patrick’s win.
“It’s all heart,” Worsham said. “In that overtime period, it doesn’t matter the record and it doesn’t matter the talent. It’s all about heart. ... I just saw a team battle for 100 minutes, and I could not be prouder of these guys.”
The Lady Irish spent most of the action on the right side of midfield but could not break through on the scoreboard a Gianna Encrapera-assisted Bella Jordan goal over 60 minutes into the contest.
The dagger was delivered four minutes later by Meredith Tindell.
St. Patrick’s boys program is searching for its first state title since 2017. The Lady Irish are chasing a four-peat as the reigning three-time champs.
Seven South Mississippi teams are heading to Jackson to play for state titles this weekend. Among them the Biloxi boys, who defeated Ocean Springs to capture the school’s first-ever South State championship.
7A
Boys: Biloxi 3, Ocean Springs 2
Girls: Northwest Rankin 4, Ocean Springs 0
6A
Boys: George County 2, West Jones 0
Girls: Long Beach 1, West Jones 0 (PKs)
5A
Girls: East Central 2, Northeast Jones 0
4A
Boys: Bay High 3, Pass Christian 2
Girls: West Lauderdale 4, Bay High 1
Class I
Boys: St. Patrick 1, Presbyterian Christian 0
Girls: St. Patrick 2, Our Lady Academy 0
Championship Games
7A
Boys: Biloxi vs Madison Central, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m.
6A
Girls: Long Beach vs Saltillo, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.
Boys: George County vs Center Hill, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m.
5A
Girls: East Central vs Florence, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.
4A
Boys: Bay High vs New Albany, Feb. 21 at noon
Class I
Girls: St. Patrick vs St. Andrew’s, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.
Boys: St. Patrick vs St. Andrew’s, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 3:39 PM.
