Two seems to be the magic number for northeast Georgia soccer teams in the first round of the state playoffs. Each night of the first round has so far seen two area teams claim victory -- Tuesday, Wednesday and again on Thursday.
This time the Flowery Branch and Buford girls each clinched Sweet 16 berths, bringing the total to six area programs through to the second round.
The Lady Falcons fended off Riverwood 1-0 at home -- click here for a video recap of the victory -- claiming their first postseason success since 2013. The Branch was rewarded with another home contest in the Class AAAAA Sweet 16, as fourth-seeded Dutchtown upset top-seeded Wayne County to give the No. 2 seed Lady Falcons another home game next week.
Meanwhile, Region 8-AAAAA champion Buford cruised through the first round, dominating North Springs 8-1 at home. The Lady Wolves will play host to Locust Grove in the second round.
Buford's and Branch's girls join the Lakeview Academy and Jefferson girls and the Chestatee and East Hall boys, who already won their first round playoff contests.
Meanwhile, Johnson's and Habersham Central's girls each fell in first round games on Thursday.
Four more northeast Georgia-based programs will look to move through the first round on Friday, as the Buford Flowery Branch, Gainesville and Johnson boys each get their postseason's underway.
(NOTE: For a complete round-up of first round soccer scores and remaining match-ups for area teams, simply scroll down.)
FIRST ROUND STATE SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Area Teams Results
Thursday
GIRLS
Class AAAAAA
Harrison 7, Habersham Central 0
Class AAAAA
Buford 8, North Springs 1
Flowery Branch 1, Riverwood 0
Decatur 6, Johnson 0
Wednesday
BOYS
Class AAAA
Chestatee 1, LaGrange 0
Cartersville 2, White County 0
Southeast Whitfield 6, Jefferson 2
Class AAA
East Hall 5, Stone Mountain 1
Pace Academy 4, Dawson County 0
Westminster 5, Fannin County 1
Sonoraville 8, Jackson County 1
Calhoun 3, East Jackson 2
Class AA
South Atlanta 4, Rabun County 1
Class A
Holy Innocents 5, Riverside Military 1
Paideia 5, Lakeview 1
GIRLS
Class AAA
Calhoun 2, East Jackson 0
Tuesday
BOYS
Class AAA
Westminster 5, Fannin County 1
GIRLS
Class AAAA
Jefferson 5, Southeast Whitfield 0
Chapel Hill 3, Chestatee 2
LaGrange 1, White County 0
Class AAA
Lovett 2, Dawson County 0
Pace Academy 2, Lumpkin County 1
Westminster 10, North Hall 0
Adairsville 1, Jackson County 0 OT
Class A
Lakeview 7, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 4
Holy Innocents 4, Towns County 0
REMAINING FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS
Area teams first round schedule April 28
BOYS
Class AAAAAA
Harrison (Region 6, No. 4) at Gainesville (Region 8, No. 1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Class AAAAA
Grady (Region 6, No. 4) at Johnson (Region 8, No. 1), 7 p.m. Friday
North Springs (Region 6, No. 3) at Buford (Region 8, No. 2), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Flowery Branch (Region 8, No. 4) at Riverwood (Region 6, No. 1), 7 p.m. Friday
SECOND ROUND MATCH-UPS
BOYS
Class AAAA
Chestatee at Richmond Academy, May 3
Class AAA
East Hall at Crisp County, May 3
GIRLS
Class AAAAA
Locust Grove at Buford, May 2
Dutchtown at Flowery Branch, May 2
Class AAAA
Jefferson at Woodward Academy, May 2
Class A
Lakeview at First Presbyterian Day, May 2
