The Class 4A No. 1-ranked North Oconee and No. 3-ranked Cherokee Bluff girls have been on a collision course all season. Friday night in Bogart, the two juggernaut programs will more than likely settle the Region 8-4A title.
If it's not the biggest matchup in the state, we'd like to know where that one is. Both offenses are dynamic but the Lady Titans defense vs. the Lady Bears offense may be the key matchup. Something is likely to give.
North Oconee (11-0-2, 8-0 Region 8-4A) has pitched nine consecutive shutouts. The last goal they allowed was to Mill Creek in a 1-1 draw all the way back to Feb. 7. Cherokee Bluff (13-1, 7-0 Region 8-4A) has scored 107 goals (7.6 goals-game) and is led by junior Caitlin Cook (31 goals) and Amelia Dovie has 16 goals. Cook (93) and Dovie (60) have combined for 153 goals in their varsity careers to this point. The Lady Bears are averaging 8.1 gpg in region play.
No matter who wins, both would still have some work left to clinch a title. North Oconee still has a vastly-improved Johnson squad (9-3-1, 7-1 Region 8-4A) while Bluff still has Seckinger and Cedar Shoals, who are a combined 5-9 in region play, left after Friday.
Perhaps the biggest boys matchup on Friday will be at City Park Stadium when Class 6A No. 6 Gainesville (11-2-1, 7-1 Region 8-6A) plays host to No. 1 Lanier (13-0-1, 9-0 Region 8-6A). The Longhorns beat the Red Elephants 2-0 on Feb. 28 in Sugar Hill in their first meeting. A Lanier win would give them a two-game lead with three matches left. However, a Gainesville win would split the season series and possibly put tiebreakers into motion.
(Check below for the full schedule of soccer matches on Friday.)
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER SCHEDULE
Friday, March 24
(All matches start at 5:30 p.m. with girls unless otherwise noted)
Buford at Central Gwinnett*
Cherokee Bluff at North Oconee*
Commerce at Athens Christian*
East Forsyth at Madison County*
East Jackson at Banks County, 6 p.m.*
Georgia Military at Towns County
Habersham Central at Shiloh, 6 p.m.*
Jackson County at Apalachee*
Jefferson at Clarke Central*
Lanier at Gainesville*
Norcross at West Hall
Wesleyan at Lumpkin County, 5 p.m.*
White County at Dawson County*
(* -- denotes region contest)
