RABBITTOWN, Ga. — After needing a nine-round penalty kick phase to beat Cedartown in the first round, East Hall looked like it was headed to the same fate on Thursday against Clarkston in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
However, it was unnecessary this time as Jairo Aladaco scored with just over eight minutes in the second overtime to lift East Hall to a thrilling 2-1 win over the Angoras at East Hall Stadium.
Even if they had needed another tension-filled shootout to advance, East Hall coach Chris Henry said they would not have minded.
“You know, dating back to last year, we've won five in a row when we've gone to (PKs), so if we needed to go there again, we felt confident we could go all the way there and finish it,” Henry said.
Clarkston took the early lead on a goal by Kaw Htoo in the 9th minute. But the East Hall defense clamped down from there.
The Vikings' offense had chances but could not even it by halftime. The Angoras had been able to hold off several East Hall attacks.
But the Vikings finally got the equalizer when Yerli Mejia found the net with 26:15 left to play.
It stayed that way until the second overtime when Aldaco's eventual game-winner.
The Vikings denied several Angoras’ rushes in the final minutes to preserve the win and advance to their third straight Elite 8 round.
Henry said the amount of close games this group has endured is starting to show its advantages.
“They're a tight-knit group,” he said. “When you go through this many games with all this adversity, and just the intensity of going into extra time and penalty kicks, you develop a bond that the other teams may not have developed.
“We're very strong defensively. The mindset of these guys, they're just tough as nails. They don't buckle under pressure.”
For a second straight season, the Vikings will hit the road next week against Benedictine in the quarterfinals.
“I don't know a whole lot about them for this year,” Henry said. “But it’s the same exact situation as last year. That's the positive.
“We're familiar with that trip, and we're familiar with the field there. So, we feel very confident and good going into it.”
UNION COUNTY 1,
WALKER 0 (2 OT)
Much like East Hall, the Panthers are showing nail-biters do not phase them.
Zuriel Mancillas scored with just five minutes left in the second overtime to lift the Panthers to their second straight road win in the Class 2A playoffs on Thursday.
Union County will next travel to Putnam County, a 6-0 winner over Rutland on Thursday, in next week’s quarterfinals.
