OAKWOOD, Ga. — The West Hall boys continue to roll through the Class 3A state playoffs.
The fourth-ranked Spartans shut out defending Class 3A champ, Coahulla Creek, 4-0, at Spartan Field on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals. It was not only their third straight shutout win in the playoffs, but the four goals set a school record for goals scored in a season (96).
"We've scored a school-record 96 goals on the season, and we've also conceded zero goals in the playoffs," coach Jimmy Gault said. "I think the players, especially our defenders, are very proud of that.
Kevin Zuniga-Chaves scored one of his two goals first half and Martin Andrade netted one to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead early in the opening frame.
"We went up 2-0 quick in the first half but slacked off a little bit in the middle, Gault said. "After halftime, though, they came out and put some more goals in the back of the net, and we're headed to the Final Four."
Zuniga-Chaves and Alejandro Lemus added a goal each in the second half to push the game out of reach.
Because of the universal GHSA coin flip, which designates the home team when equal seeds meet, West Hall (Region 7-3A No. 1 seed) will travel to No. 2 Greater Atlanta Christian School (Region 5-3A No. 1 seed) on Friday. GACS upset top-ranked Pike County, 1-0, on Tuesday to advance.
"We know we have a lot of work to do," Gault said about the semifinal matchup with GACS.
In other action around the area, East Forsyth gave up a goal in the second half to fall on the road against Oconee County, 2-1, in the Class 3A playoffs.
In Class 2A, Union County struggled offensively in a 3-0 loss to Coosa.
BOYS QUARTERFINAL SCOREBOARD, Tuesday, April 26
Class 5A
Johnson 6, Veterans 1
Class 4A
East Hall 3, Benedictine 0
Class 3A
Oconee County 2, East Forsyth 1
West Hall 4, Coahulla Creek 0
Class 2A
Coosa boys 3, Union County 0
