Polk tops Brevard, seals state 2A playoff berth

Polk County clinched a 2A state playoff berth and second place in the Mountain Foothills 7 Conference, downing Brevard 3-1 Thursday in Brevard.

The Wolverines improved to 15-3-1 overall, 8-2-1 in conference play with their seventh straight win. The Blue Devils dropped to 12-7-2, 6-4-1.

How it happened: Polk took a 1-0 lead at halftime, striking in the 29th minute as Elena Carroll headed a Susanna Asworth throw-in into the area in front of the goal, where Taylor hit a low left-footed drive into the left corner of the net.

The Wolverines tallied again early in the second half as a Brevard hand ball during a Polk County corner resulted in a penalty kick. Jessica Baird took that penality and converted for a 2-0 Polk lead.

Polk County increased the margin to 3-0 in the 64th minute as Taylor found the net once again, this time on a corner kick that she struck and bent into the goal, hitting a defender on its way into the goal.

Brevard cut the deficit to 3-1 moments later, but Polk County held firm from there on to seal the win.

Maggie McCammon had 10 saves for Polk County.

Next up: Polk closed its regular season on Monday, traveling to Chase for a 6 p.m. match that will be shown live on NFHS Network.