Roswell girls blank Northgate to win Class 5A championship

When the ball went in the net, Brooks, who has signed with Clemson, ran toward the boisterous Roswell student section and did a triple somersault to celebrate.

A few minutes later she duplicated the jump at the behest of her teammates after they received the trophy, medals and T-shirts that go to the winners. Roswell also won the championship in 2023.

“A lot of these girls played in that game last year and didn’t want to feel that feeling again,” Roswell coach Mary Desing said. “It’s a group of girls we’ve had for three years who have bought into our philosophy and what we want to do and they execute it. Over the last three years they’ve gotten better and better.”

Roswell finished the season 22-0, the first unbeaten record in school history, and wound up with 15 shutouts. Northgate (20-3) was trying to win its first championship since 2013.

“These girls set a goal in January and we held them to it,” Desing said. “We definitely kept them fighting and had to keep them working and didn’t let them give up. There were some hard days and we had some ugly games, but if you can win ugly games, I guess that works, too.”

It was the third title for Desing and assistant Jason Christie. They led Johns Creek to the title in 2021.

Roswell was the more offensive team in the first half, but Northgate had the best chance to score. With 19 minutes left, Northgate’s Ava Metts, a UAB signee, used her quickness to get around a defender in front of the goal but Roswell keeper Lilli Suarez, a West Georgia signee, blocked the point-blank shot. A minute later Northgate’s Kate Anderson had her shot knocked away in front of the goal.

Roswell’s best opportunity came inside the final two minutes when Brooks’ shot was stopped by Northgate keeper Riley Adamson. The half ended scoreless.