OAKWOOD -- Johnson boys soccer showed it doesn't need goals from Fabian Abarca to win big matches on Wednesday.
The Knights' junior star and leading scorer was held without a strike in a game for the first time since Feb. 13, yet Thomas County Central could still do little to slow Johnson's progress through the Class AAAA tournament, as the hosts notched a 4-0 victory in Oakwood.
Fernando Carillo, Jaime Rosales, Bryant Anaya and Alberto Del Toro each wrote their names onto the scoresheet, as the Knights (17-2) cruised into the state quaretrfinals on part of a big night for area boys teams in the state bracket. (NOTE: West Hall, East Hall, Dawson County, Habersham Central and Riverside Military also each won in various second round matches on Wednesday. For a full look at area scores and a quarterfinal schedule scroll down.)
Johnson put Thomas County Central under pressure from the start -- forcing a save from goalkeeper Seth Daughtry less than three minutes after kickoff -- but needed some time before finally fashioning the break-though. Once it came, however, courtesy Carillo -- off an assist from Junior Gonzalez with 9:27 left in the first half -- Johnson found its comfort zone.
“We knew we had to be patient, because they were gonna play a lot of guys behid the ball (and defend),” Johnson coach Brian Shirley said. “We just wanted to continue to work the ball and keep the pressure.”
The Knights did just that, and the pressure paid off early in the second half when Rosales converted a pass from Carillo less than five minutes after the restart for a 2-0 advantage.
Anaya made sure there would be no shock comeback, scoring off a free kick with 12:44 remaining for a 3-0 advantage before Del Toro finished things off with a strike just 40 seconds from full time.
“Bryant Anaya and Rigo Campa held us down in the middle, and Junior Gonzalez came off the bench and had a great game,” Shirley said. “I couldn’t give enough credit to all four guys in the back line (defense) tonight too."
The win, combined with a Cross Keys defeat of Jonesboro in the second round means Johnson will once again play at home in the next round. The top-seeded Knights will host second-seeded Cross Keys on Saturday, game-time to be determined.
BOYS SECOND ROUND STATE PLAYOFF RESULTS:
Class AAAAAA
Habersham Central 2, McEachern 1
Class AAAAA
Greenbrier 2, Gainesville 1
Class AAAA
Johnson 4, Thomas County Central 0
Class AAA
West Hall 4, Savannah Arts 1
East Hall 10, Jackson 0
Dawson County 2, Islands 0
Class AA
Riverside Military 5, Long County 0
Thomasville 3, Union County 1
STATE QUARTERFINALS SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
GIRLS, FRIDAY (Kickoff times posted where available)
Class AAAA
Chestatee at Woodward Academy, 5:30 p.m.
St. Pius at Buford, 6:30 p.m.
Class AAA
Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe at Lumpkin County, 6 p.m.
Dawson County at Westminster, 7:30 p.m.
Class AA
Lovett at Union County, 6 p.m.
BOYS, SATURDAY
Class AAAAAA
Habersham Central at Duluth
Class AAAA
Cross Keys at Johnson, 1 p.m.
Class AAA
Coahulla Creek at West Hall, 4 p.m.
East Hall at Calhoun, 6 p.m.
Dawson County at Decatur, 2 p.m.
Class AA
Pace Academy at Riverside Military, 1 p.m.
