The Hough High girls soccer team finished the 2012 season as state champs—their second season in existence. The ESPN 2011-2012 Powerade Fab 50 poll ranked them the top team in the nation and presented them with a national championship trophy, medals and t-shirts at a special ceremony on June 18. 

Hough’s season (26-0-1) came down to a state showdown against the undefeated Green Hope High team from Cary. Hough scored two goals in the final 12 minutes of the game for the win. 

Recent graduate Alison Vest was captain for the Hough Soccer team. She also played on the North Mecklenburg High 2010 state championship team.  

“It was different from the North Meck win because we came in as leaders our junior year,” Alison said. “We taught the new players what we knew. It was easy for us to get along on and off the field. The most important factor is teamwork and a lot of communication. We took it one game at a time.”

Coach David Smith is proud of his team and their commitment to soccer. 

“The win was a tremendous honor for the school and the communities up here,” Smith said. “We have a great bunch of girls. They learned that what they had to do was make individual sacrifices for the team and the bigger endeavor.”