ROYERSFORD — Grace Wilson and her Archbishop Carroll teammates made it clear how tall the task is Saturday.

The District 12 Champion played a state favorite in the District 1 Champion, Central Bucks East. For a team coming off its first state tournament win, the CB East would be another step forward.

It wouldn’t cheapen anything that came before, though.

“When you play against a good team, you just have to put them behind you and you can’t let them get to you,” Wilson said. “We were much smaller than them. I didn’t have that many subscribers. I think everybody just went out there and gave it their all, gave it their all, and the result is the result.”

The result, despite nine saves from Wilson, was a 5-0 CB East victory at Spring-Ford High School, a result that left little surprise and inspired a few tears.

Carroll (11-6-2) defeated Emmaus 2-1 on Tuesday for its first state win on the schedule. It’s the first time a District 12 team has scored that much in the Class 4A tournament, which was instituted in 2014. The previous eight games featured a combined score of 42-0. For District 12’s last win in the PIAA girls soccer top division, you have to go back to Archbishop Ryan in the 2014 Class AAA field.

Carroll ended that drought, which meant the Patriots were playing with house money on Saturday.

“We played really, really well on Tuesday and I think it was a shock to us, the school and everyone else,” Wilson said. “Everyone was glad we got here.”

CB East (23-1) is an entirely different challenge. He has outscored opponents 89-15 this year. His only loss came at Conestoga in September.

East displayed its attacking dynamism with exquisite interplay between its attacking diamond. Kiera Sleicher had a goal and two assists. Mia Forney opened the scoring in the ninth minute, slotting past her defender. Center back Sydney Ralph headed home a header from a Sleicher corner in the 17th minute, then right-back Taylor Roumy buried a shot in the 26th minute to make it 3-0 despite Wilson getting a handball.

It would have been worse if Wilson hadn’t come up with so many saves, including two superb breakaway denials. One on Madelyn Hill early in the second half pressed her face into service, while the other came with a leg behind to put Roumy away in the first half.

East’s pressure made it a long day for Carroll, who kept it 3-0 in the opening 20 minutes of the second half before Sleicher finished off a superb through ball from Mikayla Gray on the hour, then Magee Williamson added a the fifth The two Eastern states are won by a combined score of 9-0.

“I think we keep our eyes on the prize,” Sleicher said. “The big trophy we want is states and we’re always focused on that. And these games are just games that we have to play hard and build momentum going forward. And doing what we need to do in these games helps us prepare for the next two games we have to play.”

Carroll had just one shot on goal, from Kayla Eberz, after East made a goalie change. Abby McFillin, who scored the winner against Emmaus, fired wide in the first 10 minutes, one of several openings that disappeared. Carroll’s postseason experience came with just two seniors, middle linebacker Sophia Vierlinghieri and outside linebacker Analie Frank, playing at states. This is a lot of experience for many of the students who have grown up quickly.

“All of our seniors this year, every time they’ve stepped on that field, they’ve given it their all,” Wilson said. “They just got off their ass. And I think all three of them are a major example for all the students here, that every time you step on the court, you just have to give it your all.”