For the first time in nearly a decade, the Granville High School girls soccer team has punched their ticket to the state Final Four.

The Blue Aces secured their spot with a thrilling 3-2 win against Ontario on Saturday night, capping off the post season run that has electrified through the Granville community.

“All the parents, grandparents, kids, everyone was getting into it,” senior Grant Priestnal said.

Granville (17-3-2) advanced through a challenging regional bracket, defeating Elida High School with a combination of disciplined defense and timely scoring. The victory marks the program’s first appearance in the Final Four since 2016, when the Aces reached the semifinals before falling to Lincoln.

“We’re competitive, we bring each other up, we push each other at practice, we push each other at the games,” captain Mimi Wood said. “All we want is to win.”

Granville’s defense has been particularly strong in the postseason, allowing only six goals across four playoff games. Offensively, key players Ivy Miller and Ayla Cook have led the charge with most goals this season, including Miller scoring the winning goal in double overtime against Ontario.

“We are a very close-knit team,” Ivy Miller said. “I feel Like we joke around a lot, but we can lock in when we need to.”

The semifinal match is scheduled for tonight at Clearfork High School, where Granville will face Bay Village High School for a shot at the state championship.

If Granville wins, it will mark the school’s first-ever appearance in the state championship game — a milestone nearly a decade in the making.

“We really wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for everyone, especially our defense and Sydney,” junior Davynn Miller said.