How good has high school soccer become in northeast Georgia? Well, 30 teams qualified for the state playoffs, and this week 22 of those teams claimed victories to move on to the second round.
Not too shabby.
After strong performances Tuesday-Thursday, Friday's results only added to the dominance, as six more teams joined the victors in the Sweet 16.
(NOTE: Scroll down for a complete list of first round scores and second round match-ups.)
The Union County girls claimed the most imposing performance of the night, skewering Chattahoochee County 9-0 in Class AA. The other five winners were in Class AAA, including a pair of 5-0 victories for Region 8-AAA competitors and neighbors Jackson County and Jefferson, defeating Central (Carrollton) and Rockmart, respectively. Region 7-AAA teams Dawson County, Lumpkin County and Fannin County also all marched on. The Lady Tigers knocked off Sonoraville 2-0; the Lady Indians whipped Calhoun 5-0, and the Fannin County girls edged Coahulla Creek 1-0.
All six will begin play in the second round next week, though West Hall's girls and Towns County's girls will not be joining them after tough road losses.
The first three days of playoff soccer saw 15 area teams win to move on to the second round, including some upsets and lopsided victories.
On Thursday, the No. 1-ranked East Hall boys drilled Gordon Central 9-0 in Rabbittown to open the Class AAA bracket. They were joined in the Sweet 16 by fellow Region 7-AAA team Dawson County, which knocked off North Murray 1-0. Also, all three Jackson County-based teams won -- including a 2-1 upset for fourth-seeded Jefferson at Cedartown. Meanwhile, third-seeded Jackson County trekked to Pepperell and pulled off a 4-2 win. And East Jackson dominated Central (Carrollton) 6-0 in Commerce.
In Class AA, Riverside Military also rolled to a 9-0 win, taking out Bowdon at home. Fellow 8-AA porgram Union County boys ran out 6-0 winners over Temple, while Rabun County's girls went on the road and notched a 4-0 upset defeat of Temple.
On Wednesday, Gainesville's girls stormed down the stretch to defeat Paulding County 4-0. Meanwhile, there was also Buford's 10-0 throttling of Fayette County, while North Hall, pulled a road upset to defeat Carrollton, 4-3. In the second round the Lady Red Elephants will host McIntosh in Class AAAAA. Also, the Lady Wolves will take on Spalding at home, and the third-seeded Lady Trojans actually get a home game against fourth-seeded Eagles Landing, both in Class AAAA.
Tuesday's results included Johnson dominating Fayette County, 8-0. The Knights will play host to Pike County on May 3. Elsewhere, Gainesville stomped Villa Rica 7-0 at City Park. Johnson will play host to Pike County next Tuesday, while the Red Elephants face the McIntosh/Hardaway winner. After pulling the upset of the first round, defeating No. 2-ranked Whitewater 1-0 on the road, the Buford boys will travel to Walnut Grove, while White County's boys travel to take on Spalding after a 2-1 win in the first round.
(NOTE: We will update game stories throughout the week as they are completed.)
FIRST ROUND STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF SCORES
Friday, April 29
CLASS AAA
Dawson County girls 2, Sonoraville 0
Lumpkin County girls 5, Calhoun 0
Fannin County girls 1, Coahulla Creek 0
Jefferson girls 5, Rockmart 0
Jackson County girls 5, Central (Carrollton) 0
Adairsville girls 8, West Hall 1
CLASS AA
Union County girls 9, Chattahoochee County 0
CLASS A
Paideia girls 3, Towns County 0
Thursday, April 28
CLASS AAA
East Hall boys 9, Gordon Central 0
Dawson County boys 1, North Murray 0
Jefferson boys 2, Cedartown 1
Jackson County boys 4, Pepperell 2
East Jackson boys 6, Central (Carrollton) 0
Sonoraville boys 4, West Hall 1
Calhoun boys 2, Fannin County 1
CLASS AA
Riverside Military 9, Bowdon boys 0
Union County boys 6, Temple 0
Rabun County girls 4, Temple 0
Bremen boys 2, Rabun County 0
Wednesday, April 27
CLASS AAAAA
Gainesville girls 4, Paulding County 0
Allatoona girls 8, Lanier 2
CLASS AAAA
Buford girls 10, Fayette County 0
North Hall girls 4, Carrollton 3
Whitewater girls 9, White County 0
CLASS A
Whitfield Academy boys 4, Lakeview Academy 0
Tuesday, April 26
CLASS AAAAA
Gainesville boys 7, Villa Rica 0
Allatoona boys 3, Flowery Branch 1 OT
Alexander boys 1, Lanier 0
CLASS AAAA
Johnson boys 8, Fayette County 0
White County boys 2, Carrollton 1
Buford boys 1, Whitewater 0
SECOND ROUND STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
(Start times included if available)
Monday, May 2
CLASS AAA
Jackson County boys at Savannah Arts, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, May 3
CLASS AAAAA
Gainesville boys at McIntosh, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS AAAA
Pike County boys at Johnson, 7:30 p.m.
Buford boys at Walnut Grove, 7 p.m.
White County boys at Spalding, 7 p.m.
CLASS AAA
Peach County boys at East Hall, 6 p.m.
Dawson County boys at Rutland, 6 p.m.
East Jackson boys at Blessed Trinity
Jefferson boys at Decatur
CLASS AA
Union County boys at Putnam County, 5:30 p.m.
Berrien boys at Riverside Military, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 4
CLASS AAAAA
McIntosh girls at Gainesville, 5:30 p.m.
CLASS AAAA
Spading girls at Buford, 6 p.m.
Eagles Landing girls at North Hall, 6 p.m.
CLASS AAA
Central girls at Dawson County, 5:30 p.m.
Rutland girls at Lumpkin County
Fannin County girls at Peach County
Jefferson girls at Savannah Arts
Jackson County girls at Blessed Trinity, 6 p.m.
CLASS AA
Berrien girls at Union County
Rabun County girls at Thomasville
CLASS A
Mt. Pisgah Christian girls at Lakeview
