MURFREESBORO -- Coaches often say it's tough beating a team after you've faced them three times in a season.

Webb goalie Zach Crownover (left) celebrates the semifinal win with teammate Sean Kim. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

What about four times?

After the road team won during the two regular season matches and King's Academy took down Webb in the East/Middle Region tournament, there were no more cards up anybody's sleeves to be played in the semifinals of the Division II Class A state tournament at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex.

"It's a blessing and a curse," eighth-year Feet coach Adrian Anderson said. "It's a blessing because at least you know what you're facing. We knew what we had to do to beat them because we've beaten them before.

"The curse about it is that they know how to beat you too and they know how you're going to try to come at them."

When coaches' game plans offset one another, it falls to the players. With the Feet lineup comprised mostly of underclassmen, it didn't look like the river card would flip in their favor.

However, Webb booted away the trend and set a course toward history by taking down King's 3-1 to advance to today's championship at noon.

"You talk about it and everything else at the beginning of the year and you say that's your goal," Anderson said. "If it's not your goal then you don't need to be playing.

Feet freshman Josh Ferrell comes in to steal possession away from King's Academy's Nick Gioioso. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"To be so young and be able to make it to the state finals, no matter what happens tomorrow, just to be able to get there with these kids is something else and means a huge amount."

The Feet (12-4-2) take on St. George's (9-3-3) in the main stadium of the complex. The West Region champions defeated University School of Nashville thanks in part to a pair of goals from both Forbes Harris and Hunter Cowan.

The boys from Bell Buckle aren't likely to shy away from the title bout as they're playing their best soccer of the season at the right time, which was a challenge from the start partially from having to mix playing styles and personalities from six different nationalities.

Whether they're American, Korean, Chinese, Czechnian, Greek or Lebanese, all the Feet wear blue and they've bonded for a run at a state title.

"It all came together in Memphis (at the sub-state)," Anderson said. "Everybody really started playing together, playing the exact same game. That makes a big difference."

The teamwork showed when Webb freshman Zach Wagner played a ball through to senior Sean Kim for a goal with just 1:54 left in the opening half.

The advantage doubled in the 56th minute after Kim was taken out at the top of the penalty box, allowing Josh Ferrell to take a free kick from the spot of the foul. The freshman magnificently blended touch and velocity for the score over the top of a wall of Lions and just beyond the reach of opposing goalie Sam Witt.

Webb's Zach Wagner streaks upfield through the King's defense. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

King's (13-5-2) answered right back 18 seconds later with a goal off a penalty kick from Sam Ndurumo.

Wagner schooled Witt for the final insurance goal by applying a soft touch to squeeze a ball just inside the far post as he raced down the left side of the box with only 6:32 to play. Daniel Hoover provided the assist.

"(Wagner's) just one of those players that you absolutely love about 90 percent of the time and he will complete frustrate you about 10 percent of the time," Anderson said. "That frustration part is getting less and less because he's getting more and more experience."

Junior keeper Zach Crownover totaled eight saves for Webb.