It's set to be a huge weekend for northeast Georgia prep soccer in the state quarterfinals.
Ten area programs -- five girls, five boys -- will do battle in the "Elite Eight" and there are some huge match-ups in the offing.
(NOTE: Scroll down for a complete list of scores from round two and a quarterfinal schedule for area teams.)
In Class AAAA, the top-ranked Johnson boys will take on No. 3 Southeast Whitfield in a rematch of the 2014 Class AAAA semifinals -- a game that the Knights won 1-0 in Oakwood en route to the final. North Hall's girls will also hit the road for the second time this postseason when they travel to Atlanta to face No. 1 Marist. The seventh-ranked Lady Trojans know it will be a big task but are also comfortable in their abilities after two straight one-goal playoff victories.
Meanwhile, both Buford programs are also set to do battle -- both against Grady. The Wolves, fresh off two straight upsets of higher-seeded teams, will look to continue their ascent on Friday in Atlanta against the sixth-ranked Gray Knights. After already taking out previous No. 2 Whitewater in the first round, Buford will not be intimidated. The fourth-ranked Lady Wolves will play host to fifth-ranked Grady at 5 p.m., as Buford searches for its first semifinal berth since 2013.
Class AAA features another huge showdown, as No. 1-ranked East Hall plays host to No. 2 Blessed Trinity on Friday in Rabbittown. The Vikings are in search of their first semifinal berth since 2013 after fallin in last year's quarterfinals. On the girls side, No. 6 Lumpkin County will play host to No. 2 Decatur on Friday (the game moved up a day due to school prom).
The Lady Indians are facing No. 2, but the Dawson County girls are taking on No. 1 at home on Saturday when the Lady Tigers tackle Westminster. The Dawson County boys, meanwhile, will trek to Oconee County on Friday in a battle of 4 (Tigers) vs. 7 (Warriors). Both the Dawson County and Lumpkin County girls won coin flips to determine home field.
There are also two intriguing Class AA contests, as No. 5 Riverside Military will play host to No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian on Friday, and the Union County girls -- who up till now have been unranked -- will play host to No. 1 Pace Academy on Saturday in Blairsville.
It will be a busy weekend after a run of success earlier in the week.
The North Hall girls magical postseason run continued on Wednesday, while four other area teams dominated to march on through the second round of the state soccer playoffs.
Buford, Dawson County, Lumpkin County and Union County also each claimed victory -- by a combined score of 43-1 -- in lopsided results, as they joined the Lady Trojans in Saturday's quarterfinal round.
North Hall used a penalty kick goal from Katie Estrada to make the difference on the scoreboard in a 1-0 win over Eagles Landing.
The day proved tough for a number of area programs, including Gainesville and Lakeview Academy, as each lost by a solitary goal. The Lady Red Elephants twice responded to a two-goal deficit but could not get back on top in a 3-2 loss to McIntosh, while the Lady Lions fell 2-1 to Mt. Pisgah. Jefferson also fell 2-1 at Savannah Arts.
Fannin County, Jackson County and Rabun County also fell in second round contests.
QUARTERFINAL STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday, May 6
(Kickoff times included where available)
CLASS AAAA
Southeast Whitfield boys at Johnson, 6:30 p.m.
Buford boys at Grady, 7 p.m.
CLASS AAA
Decatur girls at Lumpkin County, 7 p.m. (moved up one day)
Blessed Trinity boys at East Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Dawson County boys at Oconee County, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS AA
Greater Atlanta Christian boys at Riverside Military, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 7
CLASS AAAA
Grady girls at Buford, 5 p.m.
North Hall girls at Marist, 3 p.m.
CLASS AAA
Westminster girls at Dawson County, 7 p.m.
CLASS AA
Pace Academy girls at Union County, 5 p.m.
SECOND ROUND STATE SOCCER PLAYOFF RESULTS
Wednesday, May 4
CLASS AAAAA
McIntosh girls 3, Gainesville 2
CLASS AAAA
Buford girls 6, Spading 1
North Hall girls 1, Eagles Landing 0
CLASS AAA
Dawson County 10, Central 0
Lumpkin County girls 10, Rutland 0
Peach County girls 3, Fannin County 0
Savannah Arts girls 2, Jefferson 1
Blessed Trinity girls 10, Jackson County 0
CLASS AA
Union County girls 7, Berrien 0
Thomasville girls 3, Rabun County 0
CLASS A
Mt. Pisgah Christian girls 2, Lakeview 1
Tuesday, May 3
CLASS AAAAA
McIntosh boys 3, Gainesville 0
CLASS AAAA
Johnson boys 6, Pike County 4
Buford boys 3, Walnut Grove 0
Spalding boys 2, White County 0
CLASS AAA
East Hall boys 10, Peach County 1
Dawson County boys 6, Rutland 2
Blessed Trinity boys 8, East Jackson 0
Decatur boys 1, Jefferson 0
CLASS AA
Putnam County boys 3, Union County 1
Riverside Military 7, Berrien boys 0
Monday, May 2
CLASS AAA
Savannah Arts boys 5, Jackson County 0
