The 2021 soccer season was one of the most successful in recent memory for Northeast Georgia-area programs.
The 2022 campaign gets under way on Tuesday around the area as 17 schools kick off their season-openers, including Gainesville, Buford, Johnson, and East Hall.
It will be a tall task to improve on the 2021 season as a whole.
In all, 22 boys and girls teams advanced to the playoffs last season, with nine region champions, five on the boys side -- Johnson, East Hall, White County, Union County, and Towns County -- and four on the girls -- Buford, Lumpkin County, Rabun County, and Commerce.
Two boys teams -- Johnson in Class 5A and East Hall in Class 4A -- finished as state runners-up with both Towns County teams in Class A Public, the Jefferson boys in Class 4A, and the Buford girls in Class 6A making it to the semifinal round.
Johnson coach Frank Zamora and the Knights open on Tuesday against Habersham Central, a team that made it to the second round of Class 6A playoffs last year, at The Dungeon. Zamora has put together a tough schedule as he tries to guide them back to the championship game. They also take on Gainesville at City Park on Friday.
“We try to play the best teams we can to help us get better and to get ready for region play,” Zamora said. “The Gainesville game is always a great rivalry game and the East Hall match should be a lot of fun. And we’re very excited about bringing in national powerhouse Dalton to The Dungeon. It’s a very challenging schedule but that’s the way we like it.”
Below is the opening week’s schedule for Northeast Georgia area teams:
TUESDAY'S SOCCER SCHEDULE, Jan. 25
(All games begin at 5:30 p.m. with girls unless otherwise noted)
Banks County at Stephens County
Cherokee Bluff at Buford
Chestatee at West Hall
East Hall at Gainesville
Gordon Central at Dawson County
Habersham Central at Johnson
Harris County at White County
North Forsyth at Lumpkin County
North Hall at East Jackson
Oglethorpe County at Jackson County
WEDNESDAY'S SOCCER SCHEDULE, Jan. 26
(All games begin at 5:30 p.m. with girls unless otherwise noted
Loganville at Jefferson
THURSDAY'S SOCCER SCHEDULE, Jan. 27
(All games begin at 5:30 p.m. with girls unless otherwise noted)
Commerce at Prince Avenue
Stephens County at Lakeview Academy
Union County at North Hall
FRIDAY'S SOCCER SCHEDULE, Jan. 28
(All games begin at 5:30 p.m. with girls unless otherwise noted)
Buford at Collins Hill
Cartersville at Chestatee
Dawson County at Franklin County
East Hall at North Forsyth
Flowery Branch at Wesleyan
Habersham Central at Oconee County
Johnson at Gainesville
Lambert at Cherokee Bluff
Maynard Jackson at Jackson County
North Atlanta at East Forsyth
White County at The King’s Academy
