A huge contingent of Northeast Georgia-area soccer teams advanced to the first round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs, which begin this week around the state.
In fact, 29 teams in seven of the eight GHSA classifications will look to advance to the second round. Matches are scheduled from Tuesday through Friday. (Check below for the full schedule for area teams.)
Seven area teams come in as region champions. Six -- the Class 6A No. 1-ranked Buford girls, the No. 2-ranked Johnson boys and seventh-ranked Jackson County girls in Class 5A, the Cherokee Bluff girls and West Hall boys (both ranked third in Class 3A), and Union County boys (sixth) in Class 2A -- also come in highly-ranked in the final Eurosportscoreboard.com poll.
Two teams -- the Johnson boys and East Hall boys (Class 3A) -- are hoping to get back to the state championship game for a second straight season. Two others -- the Buford girls in Class 6A and the Town County girls in Class A Public -- will try to get one round further after falling in the semifinals in 2021.
The West Hall boys have perhaps their best team since winning the Class 3A state title in 2015. The Johnson boys are looking for their third title game appearance ince 2018 and their second title in four completed seasons (the 2020 season did not finish due to COVID.)
Perhaps the best story of the playoffs are the East Hall girls. The Lady Viking finished fourth in a very tough Region 8-4A and are making their first-ever playoff appearance in program history.
Tickets will be $7 for all single playoff games contests, as set by the GHSA, and available only on GoFan sites.
FIRST ROUND SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, APRIL 12
Class 5A
Chapel Hill girls (Region 6, Seed 4) at Jackson County (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 3A
Cedar Grove girls (R5, S4) at Cherokee Bluff (R7, S1), 5:30 p.m.
Coahulla Creek girls (R6, S3) at East Jackson (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
East Forsyth girls (R7, S4) at Westminster (R5, S1), 6 p.m.
Sandy Creek girls (R5, S3) at Lumpkin County (R7, S2), 5:30 p.m.
White County girls (R7, S3) at GAC (R5, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Class A Public
Towns County girls (R8, S3) at Armuchee (R6, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Trion girls (R6, S3) at Commerce (R8, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Class A Private
Lakeview Academy girls (R6, S3) at George Walton (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
Class 5A
Chapel Hill boys (R6, S4) at Johnson (R8, S1), 7 p.m.
Class 3A
Cherokee Bluff boys (R7, S4) at GAC (R5, S1), 5:30 p.m.
Salem boys (R5, S4) at West Hall (R7, S1), 6 p.m.
Sandy Creek boys (R5, S3) at East Forsyth (R7, S2), 7 p.m.
Sonoraville boys (R6, S3) at East Jackson (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Class A Public
Commerce boys (R8, S3) at Drew Charter (R6, S2), 6 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 14
Class 6A
Kennesaw Mountain girls (R6, S3) at Habersham Central (R8, S2), 6:30 p.m.
Wheeler girls (R6, S4) at Buford (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 4A
East Hall girls (R8, S4) at Marist (R6, S1), 5 p.m.
Flowery Branch boys (R8, S3) at Marist (R6, S2), 7:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Bank County girls (R8, S4) at Lovett (R6, S1), 5 p.m.
Rabun County girls (R8, S3) at Pace Academy (R6, S2), 5 p.m.
Riverside Military boys (R8, S3) at Pace Academy (R6, S2), 7 p.m.
Therrell girls (R6, S4) at Union County (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 15
Class 6A
Buford boys (R8, S4) at Lassiter (R6, S1), 7:30 p.m.
Class 4A
East Hall boys (R8, S4) at Druid Hills (R6, S1), 8 p.m.
Hapeville Charter girls (R6, S3) at Jefferson (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Stephenson boys (R6, S3) at Jefferson (R8, S2), 8 p.m.
Class 2A
Elite School Academy boys (R6, S4) at Union County (R8, S1), 5:30 p.m.
Towers boys (R6, S3) at Rabun County (R8, S2), TBD
(Area teams listed in BOLD)
