Soccer teams from around the state will continue their march through the state brackets this week -- several of them knowing that the road to the championship will wind through northeast Georgia.
With 22 area teams still alive in the championship battle it's no wonder that a number of programs are amongst the favorites in their respective classifications. But that march to the crown will get undoubtedly tougher in the second round -- for every team.
(NOTE: For a complete schedule of second round playoff matches scroll down.)
It all kicks off on Monday, with Jackson County's boys trekking to Savannah to face sixth-ranked Savannah Arts Academy. The Panthers (9-6) are coming off a 4-2 first round win over Pepprell but know the Region 1-AAA champion Savannah Arts (14-3-1) will present perhaps their toughest test since taking on top-ranked East Hall on April 12.
Speaking of which, the Vikings (18-1) are looking to keep their domination going when they host Peach County on Tuesday in Rabbittown. East Hall cruised to a 9-0 win in the first round but will not want to overlook Tuesday's match -- despite a potential quarterfinal showdown looming with No. 2 Blessed Trinity. Though East Jackson will look to derail that match-up on Tuesday when the Eagles (9-5-1) travel to face the Region 4-AAA champion Titans (12-5-1). Also in Class AAA, Dawson County will look to progress when the fourth-ranked Tigers (13-3-1) play host to Rutland. Also, fourth-seeded but 10th-ranked Jefferson will look to claim its second road scalp after the Dragons (11-6-1) took out Region 5-AAA champ Cedartown last week. Jefferson faces fifth-ranked Decatur in Atlanta -- a team that edged out Blessed Trinity earlier in the season.
The Class AAAA bracket features thre northeast Georgia squads, including top-ranked Johnson, as they play host to Pike County on Tuesday. The Knights (17-0-1) pulled away for a 8-0 first round win and will be favored to take care of business again against the Pirates (14-4). Meanwhile, Buford's boys, meanwhile, are fresh off perhaps the upset of the first round of the postseason (across all classifications) after edging previously No. 2 Whitewater, 1-0. The Wolves (9-5-2) will travel to Walnut Grove on Tuesday. Fellow Region 8-AAAA competitor White County will also look to build on its most successful season in some time when the Warriors (10-6-2) travel to battle fouth-ranked Spalding.
In Class AAAAA, Gainesville's boys will steel themselves for a top 10 crunch, when the No. 8 Red Elephants (12-5) travel to battle No. 1 McIntosh (18-1). The Chiefs halted Gainesville's postseason in the quarterfinals two seasons ago but the Red Elephants will enter the tilt with plenty of confidence after their most lopsided playoff victory in at least eight seasons -- a 7-0 first round defeat of Villa Rica.
And in Class AA, fifth-ranked Riverside Military also nailed down a 9-0 first round win and will look to keep rolling when the Eagles (13-4) play host to Berrien. Union County also faces a lengthy road trip when they head out to face Putnam County.
The girls side of the bracket will re-commence on Wednesday, and while there are no No. 1-ranked programs from northeast Georgia in the bracket there are plenty of title hopefuls.
Certainly Buford will feel it laid down a marker with its first round 10-0 domination of Fayette County, and the Lady Wolves (16-2) will expect a tougher foe -- but one they will expect to defeat on Wednesday when they take on Spalding (12-6). After pulling off a big first round upset of Carrollton, the North Hall girls leapt to No. 7 in the Class AAAA rankings -- though the Lady Trojans (10-7) will be much more focused on Eagles Landing than polls as they get to play host to a second round match.
There will be another top 10 showdown in the second round of the Class AAAAA bracket -- and it too features Gainesville and McIntosh. This time the seventh-ranked Lady Red Elephants (16-2) will host the Lady Chiefs (17-2) after breaking a three-season winless streak in the postseason.
In Class A, Lakeview's girls will finally get their postseason going after winning Area 8-A and earning a first round bye. The Lady Lions (12-5) will play host to Mt. Pisgah Christian on Wednesday in Gainesville.
Class AAA will also have a distinctly northeast Georgia flavor, as five area teams will compete, including the No. 4 Dawson County girls, who will play host to Central Macon. The Region 7-AAA champion Lady Tigers (15-1-1) won 2-0 in the first round. The No. 2 seed from 7-AAA, sixth-ranked Lumpkin County (14-4), will play host to Rutland in the second round. Also, Fannin County will travel to take on Peach County looking for a second straight upset win. Meanwhile, from Region 8-AAA, Jefferson will travel to take on fifth-ranked Savannah Arts, while Jackson County travels to battle third-ranked Blessed Trinity.
And in Class AA, the Region 8-AA champion Union County will play host to Berrien. Meanwhile Rabun County will trek across the entire state when it travels to battle No. 10 Thomasville.
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.
Rutland boys at Dawson County, 6 p.m.
East Jackson boys at Blessed Trinity, 6 p.m.
Jefferson boys at Decatur, 7 p.m.
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, 5:30 p.m.
Fannin County girls at Peach County, 6 p.m.
Jefferson girls at Savannah Arts, 6 p.m.
Jackson County girls at Blessed Trinity, 6 p.m.
CLASS AA
Berrien girls at Union County, 4 p.m.
Rabun County girls at Thomasville, 5 p.m.
CLASS A
Mt. Pisgah Christian girls at Lakeview, 6 p.m.
