Yet again two northeast Georgia soccer teams are headed to the state championship.
For the third straight campaign a pair of area squads will play for it all.
Johnson's boys will make their second appearance in three years after winning in the Class 5A state semifinals, while Chestatee's boys surged to their first ever championship appearance after winning in Class 4A.
Two more teams battled till the end only to fall, the Flowery Branch girls dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to back-to-back state champs McIntosh on the road. Meanwhile, the Gainesville boys suffered some tough luck in a road loss at No. 1 Cambridge.
The Knights and War Eagles will now prep for a trek to Mercer University's Five Star Stadium in Macon -- Johnson playing at 7:30 p.m. Friday against McIntosh (a winner in penalties over Decatur) and Chestatee taking on Northwest Whitfield, which edged Marist 2-1 in its semifinal, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Both games feature plenty of storylines, as Johnson looks to break through for its first state championship after missing out on previous attempts, while Chestatee is aiming for the first team athletics crown of any sort for the school.
STATE SOCCER SEMIFINAL RESULTS
Tuesday, May 8
CLASS 6A
Cambridge 3, Gainesville boys 0
CLASS 5A
Johnson boys 4, Starr's Mill 1
McIntosh 3, Flowery Branch girls 2 OT
CLASS 4A
Chestatee boys 2, Upson-Lee 0
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
At Mercer's Five Star Stadium, Macon
CLASS 5A -- Friday, May 11
Johnson boys vs. McIntosh, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A -- Saturday, May 12
Chestatee boys vs. Northwest Whitfield, 7:30 p.m.
