Tuesday March 19th, 2024 1:52AM

Boys soccer: West Hall marches on to quarterfinals on big day for area teams

By AccessWDUN Staff

OAKWOOD -- The West Hall boys soccer team kept right on marching through the Class AAA playoff bracket on Wednesday courtesy a 4-1 win over Savannah Arts Academy in Oakwood.

Simon Cobian and Sammy Coto each scored in the first half -- Cobian off a free kick and Coto via a penalty kick -- to set the Spartans (10-1-2) on their way to the state quarterfinals.

Ramsis Martinez and Sergio Hernandez finished off West Hall's scoring after the interval -- Cobian providing the assist for Martinez, while Hernandez connected on an acrobatic bicycle kick.

"It was just an incredible goal; I think it surprised everyone on the field. His back was to the goal, but he gave it a go, and it went into the top corner," West Hall coach Tim Gale said of the strike by the substitute Hernandez -- a strike that had West Hall thinking of a quarterfinal showdown with Coahulla Creek on Saturday in Oakwood.

"We're building confidence. We still have to get better, and we know the next game will be against a very tough opponent."

The Spartans' victory was part of a big day for area soccer teams, as fellow Region 7-AAA squads East Hall and Dawson County also completed victories. Meanwhile, Johnson, Habersham Central and Riverside Military also earned victories and will continue play in Saturday's third round. (NOTE: see below for a complete list of results and a quarterfinal schedule.

"We knew we'd have to come out swinging," Gale said. "And we took the game to them from the start. It took us a while to get a goal, but we controlled that game better than a lot of our other big games this season. I was pleased with how we played."

Cobian got things going with a perfectly-driven free kick.

"We've been working a lot on set plays, and we came through on that one," Gale said. "It was just a perfect shot."

Coto kept his nerve at the spot to make it 2-0 before the half, and West Hall was on its way to another playoff victory.

BOYS SECOND ROUND STATE PLAYOFF RESULTS:
Class AAAAAA
Habersham Central 2, McEachern 1

Class AAAAA
Greenbrier 2, Gainesville 1

Class AAAA
Johnson 4, Thomas County Central 0

Class AAA
West Hall 4, Savannah Arts 1
East Hall 10, Jackson 0
Dawson County 2, Islands 0

Class AA
Riverside Military 5, Long County 0
Thomasville 3, Union County 1

STATE QUARTERFINALS SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
GIRLS, FRIDAY (Kickoff times posted where available)
Class AAAA

Chestatee at Woodward Academy, 5:30 p.m.
St. Pius at Buford, 6:30 p.m.

Class AAA
Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe at Lumpkin County, 6 p.m.
Dawson County at Westminster, 7:30 p.m.

Class AA
Lovett at Union County, 6 p.m.

BOYS, SATURDAY
Class AAAAAA

Habersham Central at Duluth

Class AAAA
Cross Keys at Johnson, 1 p.m.

Class AAA
Coahulla Creek at West Hall, 4 p.m.
East Hall at Calhoun, 6 p.m.
Dawson County at Decatur, 2 p.m.
 
Class AA
Pace Academy at Riverside Military, 1 p.m.

  • Associated Categories: Sports, High School Sports
  • Associated Tags: High school soccer, Region 7-AAA, West Hall boys soccer
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