Chamblee became the first DeKalb County public school to capture a state title in girls soccer when it won Class 5A last season, but that championship was stripped away less than a week later when the GHSA ruled that the team had violated association by-laws.
Now the Bulldogs are on a mission to get back to the state final and bring home a championship that will stick in the record books.
Chamblee completed an 18-4-1 season in 2022 when it defeated Midtown 8-1 in the state final. The Bulldogs defeated perennial state powers McIntosh (6-2) and Blessed Trinity (3-1) in the playoffs in route to the championship game.
However, the GHSA ruled that Chamblee had violated by-laws concerning undue influence, failure to exert reasonable institutional control and allowing an unauthorized person to coach. The program ultimately was cleared of the undue influence charge on appeal, but the Bulldogs were still forced to forfeit all of their victories during the 2022 season, including their region and state titles.
“This is devastating news for our team and the hard work and determination they displayed all season,” Chamblee principal Gail Barnes said at the time of the ruling. “We appreciate the loyal support from our parents, fans, and community. Without question, we will do our part to correct what we can, moving forward.”
This year’s Chamblee team is well positioned to make another run at a championship. The Bulldogs are 16-0-1 and have won 13 consecutive matches since their only blemish, a 2-2 tie against Class 6A No. 1 Marist on Feb. 10. They are the Region 4-5A champions and are ranked No. 1 in the classification.
Chamblee outscored its five region opponents 47-0 and has allowed just five goals all season (with 13 shutouts) while scoring 108.
“The overall mood when I took over was disappointment in getting the state title taken away mixed with a fiery drive to get back to the state championship and win again to prove to everyone that Chamblee is the rightful 5A state championship team,” first-year Chamblee coach Carley Miles said. “The girls, especially the seniors and the girls who were a part of last year’s team, have approached this season with an immense passion. They aren’t necessarily on a revenge tour, but they are letting the ball on the field do the talking.”
The team’s leading scorer is junior Solai Washington, who has 31 goals despite missing four games in February while playing for the Jamaican Senior Women’s National Team participating in the Cup of Nations Tournament. She played in two games in the tournament, losses to the Czech Republic (3-2) and Australia (3-0).
Washington returned to Chamblee’s lineup on Feb. 28 and scored three goals in a 5-0 victory over Denmark.
“The situation last year after winning the state title was hard on everyone, but it has not dimmed our motivation and we are excited to work to win the state title back this year,” Washington said. “I love playing with my high school teammates. They are my best friends, so it is fun to share the field with them and have fun during the high school season.”
Chamblee will begin the playoffs at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Northside-Columbus at North DeKalb Stadium. Northside is the No. 4 seed from Region 3. The winner will play Ola or Ware County in the second round on April 17. A potential rematch with Midtown, ranked No. 3 by Score Atlanta, would take place in the semifinals.
“We have such a talented group,” Miles said. “Not only are they unbelievable players, but they are also great human beings. They deserve to be this year’s state champions, officially. We can’t wait to take on the playoffs and face some tough competition.”
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