By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

For somebody who was a little malnourished for the day, Paige Suk sure had some energy.

“I could barely keep food down today, honestly,” the sophomore midfielder from ACE said “I did. It was hard, but I did.

“It ended up working out in the end.”

No kidding.

Suk scored the first goal in ACE soccer state championship history and Lauren Applebee added another one soon after as the Gryphons finished off a season of firsts with the GHSA Class A-Public girls state championship, 2-0 over Atlanta Classical Academy at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium

The sophomore scored ACE's first goal Thursday, and the Gryphons' stronger second half clinched the GHSA Class A-Public girls soccer state title.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia

The college facility was ACE’s latest home away from home, and there was a comfort zone, once nerves were dealt with.

“The first half was a little rough,” co-head coach Jeffrey Grissom said. “They were talking about being nervous, and I can understand that. First time in varsity, first time making the playoffs, and the first time making it to the finals.”

Indeed, there was that digestion issue with at least one Gryphon. Suk’s meals of champions: “Firehouse Sub, turkey sub, and I had a Cliff bar for breakfast. And a banana.”

The postgame championship meal was likely of much more substance.

She put the Gryphons on the board at 24:49, a little after she said the team started calming down.

Then came a big boost, a goal from Lauren Applebee at 34:28 of the first half.

The season didn't start off too well, but they became a good and confident team by the postseason.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia

“This is her first goal this season, so that’s amazing,” Suk said. “And she normally plays defense, so for her to play forward and score is awesome.”

Grissom was thrilled with the depth his team showed.

“Lauren Applebee, to be specific, scoring that goal, that’s a big deal for her,” he said. “Scoring in the final championship for the 1-A … She came off the bench and played her heart out. I told her, I said, ‘don’t quit.’ She didn’t. She rushed, she chased it down, and she got that goal right there.

“Some of my reserve players and my bench players that came on, they played outside of their mind. They played phenomenally.”

Grissom wasn’t happy with the first half, despite the lead.

“The second half, they woke up,” he said, “and showed you guys the team that they can be and the team that they are.”

The Gryphons emerged from the batting-cage-turned-locker room afterward with their fans waiting on the other end of the field for the champions.

Senior standout Kameron Johnson emerged with a smile and a shiny trophy, well aware of how far this team came in its first year of varsity competition.

“I did not expect (this) X number of months ago, but I did expect it for this past month,” she said. “In the beginning, we were like, ‘What happened to us?’ We lost pretty much everything, and we started growing back together.”

but co-head coach Jeffrey Grissom said the Gryphons played their game in the second half en route to the GHSA Class A-Public girls soccer state title.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia

Better play and wins started to follow. A second loss to GMC, for the area title, was a postseason motivator.

“We decided that we wanted to see them again at this championship,” Johnson said. “We didn’t get to, but we knew that if they got beat that we were going to make sure we won (the) championship to show it off, so we did.

“We found out we could beat anyone when we played with heart.”

Now the senior midfielder can focus on being ACE’s first valedictorian, and finish that speech.

Over the weekend, perhaps.

“Obviously, I’ve been pretty tied up with this,” she said through a reluctant-to-leave smile. “I can make my speech even better with this motivation.”