DAWSONVILLE -- Buford girls soccer coach Crystal Fowler wouldn't mind if her Lady Wolves outclassed every foe 10-0 -- but Fowler also likes to see her team in the occasional scrap.
On Monday, the second-ranked Lady Wolves needed every ounce of their grit to see off a determined Dawson County squad, as Buford pulled out a 2-1 victory in Dawsonville that sealed a Region 7-AAA championship.
"I love to see them get fired up and have to fight against teams with heart -- and that's what Dawson County brought today, a lot of heart," said Folwer, whose team won its first region crown since 2007. "And when they stepped up and fought, we showed our heart and our own determination."
Buford (15-0, 6-0 Region 7-AAA) responded to a spirited second half charge from the Lady Tigers that saw Dawson County tie the game -- before the Lady Wolves' Elexa Bahr nabbed the winning strike with just over 25 minutes remaining.
Bahr's second goal of the contest proved more about timing than skill -- a simple tap-in off of a rebounded Buford shot -- but Bahr's ability on the ball and in attack proved a thorn for the Lady Tigers' defense for much of the contest.
"(Bahr) brings a huge threat for us; she makes defenders nervous every time she runs at them, and that's nice to have," Fowler said. "She's a freshman and everybody already knows about her and tries to focus on her. That's pretty amazing, and she's always got that potential to score at any time."
Bahr put the visitors ahead 1-0 midway through the first half, scoring with 24:55 left in the opening 40 minutes to cap a strong opening period for Buford -- which controlled proceedings, generating seven shots on goal.
The Lady Tigers (13-2, 5-1) responded well in the second half, however, taking the fight to Buford from the restart. And Dawson County's fight paid dividends after just three minutes when Jade Perry knotted the contest at 1-1.
The strike came as the result of a throw-in deep in Buford territory, Taylor Bennett receiving the ball and crossing for Perry, who side-footed a first-touch shot into the Lady Wolves' net from 10 yards with 37:35 left to play.
The goal only served to stoke the Lady Tigers' competitive fire, and the contest see-sawed for the next 10 minutes.
Buford, however, was not bowed by the challenge and nearly regained the lead with 28 minutes remaining, as Bahr dropped her shoulder three times to beat three Dawson County defenders in succession -- only to see her cross to Ceely Coker denied by a goal line clearance after Coker's 8-yard attempt.
Three minutes later Bahr found the scoring touch, redirecting a Buford shot into the Dawson County net from 10 yards for a 2-1 lead with 25:05 left to play.
Buford continues to press its advantage the rest of the way, as Dawson County battled to find another response via counter-attacks. The Lady Tigers found little space against a strong Lady Wolves defense, however, and Buford marched on toward a title and the No. 1 state playoff seed that came with it.
"We've got a lot of potential, and we keep seeing it in spurts," Fowler said. "I just hope we can reach it."
Buford will wrap the regular season on Wednesday in a match with Fannin County in Blue Ridge.
Dawson County, meanwhile, will finish the regular season on Wednesday against North Hall in Gainesville. The Lady Tigers will take the No. 2 seed into the upcoming Class AAA tournament.
Thursday
May 8th, 2025
8:44PM
