Jefferson avenges 2025 championship loss, claims first girls soccer title

In a rematch of last year’s championship, Jefferson defeated Oconee County 4-3 on penalty kicks to win the girls 3A state title Tuesday at Duluth High School.

After an initial miss, Jefferson had four makes in a row, needing one save to clinch the win. Goalkeeper Isabell Ikirt stopped a shot by Oconee County’s Sydney Jackson, prompting celebration by Jefferson, but the Dragons were told Ikirt had come off the line.

Ikirt made the same save again, though, giving Jefferson its first state title and avenging last year’s overtime loss.

“She has not had a goal scored on her in I don’t know how many games until tonight, and then she goes, this is like her thing, right here, is PKs,” Jefferson coach Molly McCarty said of Ikirt. “She’s calm, she’s patient, and she made it, man.”

“I guess it’s because you just have to kind of fully believe in yourself,” Ikirt said of how she handles the nerves during penalty kicks. “You know that your team is going to back you up no matter what, if you win or lose.”

Jefferson goalkeeper Isabell Ikirt (0, in red) celebrates with teammates after she made the game saving stop as Jefferson defeated Oconee County 4-3 in an extra time penalty kick shootout during the GHSA 3A girls soccer state championship at Duluth High School, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Duluth, Ga. (Jason Getz/AJC)

In the second half, No. 1-seeded Oconee County had a free kick at the top of the 18-yard box, but Jefferson put together a counterattack resulting in a goal by sophomore midfielder Mia Smith at the 31:16 mark.

Oconee County sophomore forward Maddie Cass evened it up, 1-1, with 12:25 to play. Cass scored the game-winning goal in overtime of last year’s championship, which gave Oconee County its third straight title.

Tied 1-1 after regulation, both teams went scoreless in the two 10-minute overtime periods, so the game came down to penalty kicks.

No. 7-seeded Jefferson, which lost to Oconee County during the regular season, recently lost two players to injury and rallied together throughout the playoffs, according to McCarty.

“We knew going into this game that it was going to be a dog fight. ... We had to make some adjustments tonight,” McCarty said. “We’re a blue-collar type team where everybody works for the same purpose. It was next-man-up mentality for this, all throughout the playoffs.”

This is the first girls soccer championship in Jefferson history.