Tennessee DI-A State Championship Preview

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) state semifinals took place this past weekend, and the DI-A matchups pitted West (12-5) against Signal Mountain (11-4) and Page (6-9) against Hillsboro (5-6). Signal Mountain got the best of West by a score of 10-9, and Hillsboro beat Page 10-5, setting up a thrilling state championship game between Hillsboro and Signal Mountain, where Hillsboro will look to repeat as state champs.   Let's take a look at some of the most pivotal players on each squad that will determine the outcome of what projects to be an exciting championship game!    The senior standout from Hillsboro is a classic two-way midfielder who does everything for his team. With 23 goals and 16 assists, he is the team's leading point scorer this season, but Charlie makes a significant impact at the faceoff “X” and defensive end of the field. As the main faceoff specialist, he has won 62.4% of his draws and collected 105 ground balls. Despite the attention, getting Charlie's strong right hand free will be critical for Hillsboro to succeed this weekend.      As just a freshman, Finn has put together a solid 2025 season, stopping 55% of shots and allowing 10.1 goals per game. As you would expect out of a young goalie, there have been some ups and downs. But Finn has shown his dominant ability during the state tournament, allowing just 4 goals per game stopping 76% of the shots he's faced. If Finn can continue the game-changing performances he's had, Hillsboro has a strong chance of hoisting another championship trophy in 2025.     As a junior, Cooper has made enormous improvements, almost doubling his offensive output. As a balanced threat, he leads the Signal Mountain offense with 41 goals and 32 assists. As a dynamic dodger with both hands, Cooper draws a lot of eyeballs on the offensive end, leaving his teammates open after the initial slide. Cooper will likely draw Hillsboro's top defenseman and will need to continue being aggressive in order for Signal Mountain to be successful.     As the senior leader on the attack unit, Declan has amassed 42 goals and 12 assists during his final season at Signal Mountain. He is a strong righty finisher who often finds himself on the scoring end of Cooper Jordan and Foster Armstrong's assists. He has a deadly accurate shot from outside and is a crafty inside finisher allowing him to finish in tight spaces. He intelligently uses his finishing ability to his advantage when dodging as well - using hitches and face dodgers to get past his defender.     Foster rounds out a strong Signal Mountain attack line, with all scoring over 50 points this season. As a unit, Signal Mountain's attack accounted for nearly 60% of the offensive's output. Foster served as the quarterback of the unit, compiling 33 goals and 21 assists as a junior. A smooth player who is a threat with both hands, Foster has a high-IQ which helps him understand defenses and see opportunities. Equally a threat to score or feed makes him difficult for defenses to stop.     The junior netminder for Signal Mountain has had a strong 2025 campaign, stopping 71.6% of the shots he has faced, making 11 saves per game. For his frame, Silas has quick feet, and his hands explode through the ball. His solid stick skills make him an asset in the clearing game, and his constant communication helps ensure the defense is always on the same page.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) state semifinals took place this past weekend, and the DI-A matchups pitted West (12-5) against Signal Mountain (11-4) and Page (6-9) against Hillsboro (5-6). Signal Mountain got the best of West by a score of 10-9, and Hillsboro beat Page 10-5, setting up a thrilling state championship game between Hillsboro and Signal Mountain, where Hillsboro will look to repeat as state champs.

Let's take a look at some of the most pivotal players on each squad that will determine the outcome of what projects to be an exciting championship game!