Hilton Head Prep girls soccer takes home state championship

The Hilton Head Prep girls soccer team was dominant in the playoffs and defeated Christian Academy 6-0 on Saturday to win the SCISA Class 3A championship..

The Dolphins scored all of their goals in the first half in the game played at Cardinal Newman’s soccer field.

It was the school’s first girls soccer title in 15 years and continued a strong year for the Dolphins athletic program. Hilton Head Prep won state championships this school year in girls and boys tennis, girls golf, sailing and boys basketball.

“We had a couple unlucky years being in a higher division in SCISA,” Hilton Head Prep coach Risa McMillon said. “They dropped us down where I feel like we should be. We should be competitive from here on out.”

The Dolphins, who were making their first championship appearance since 2019, finished the season at 14-4 with the losses to out-of-state teams. HHP won its three playoff games by a combined score of 24-2 with two shutouts.

SCISA moved from three to four classifications for this school year, with the Dolphins landing in Class 3A. McMillon thinks the classification is better suited for the program.

The Dolphins have four seniors on the roster, but some of their young talent shined in the championship match. Sophomore Callah Dando scored the first goal of the game in the first two minutes and finished with a hat trick. Dando has 25 goals this season.

Eighth-grader Ashley Brothers added two goals, and Bryn Miller had one.

“They brought it Wednesday in the semifinals against John Paul II,” McMillon said. “And we are gelling at the right time, working together and it is pretty soccer to watch.

“... These girls walked on the soccer field the first day and I knew I had a lot of good soccer players, but they didn’t know how to play together. But you saw what they did out here today. They are amazingly gelled from all their hard work.”