Jefferson in Class 3A and Buford in Class 6A have sat at or near the top of their respective classifications all season in the Scorbord.com poll.
Both roll into Monday's quarterfinals of the Georgia High School Association playoffs, perhaps peaking at the right time with a pair of dominating wins in the first two rounds.
The Lady Dragons, the No. 1 seed in Class 3A, outscored their first two opponents 15-0 while the Lady Wolves routed their first two opponents 17-0. Jefferson is playing host to Dawson County at Memorial Stadium on Monday while Buford takes on Brookwood at home.
But they aren’t the only northeast Georgia area teams on a roll. After a shaky start to the season without a full roster, Cherokee Bluff has been as hot as any team in the state.
All three reached the semifinals or better in 2024 and are looking for return trips on Monday.
The Lady Bears, a preseason favorite to also be a major player in Class 3A backed by national standout Bristol Kersh, struggled early on while Kersh and several other key players were helping the Lady Bears' basketball team win a state title. But once Kersh and the rest joined for good, Bluff (13-6) has gone 10-1 over its last 11 matches, with the only loss coming to Mill Creek, which is into the Class 6A quarterfinals.
Bluff coach Heath Padgett said there weren't any major changes in strategy, only that players will play. The 13th-seeded Lady Bears take on No. 21-seed Gilmer at Yonah Field at 6 p.m.
“We knew the front half of our schedule was going to be tough, especially without our full roster,” Padgett said. “Our girls stayed together, stayed positive, and gained confidence. It allowed all of our players to gain necessary experience as we moved into our region schedule.
“Obviously, scoring goals and keeping the other team from scoring is how you win. Our back line -- Ashley Scott, Naomi Cornett, Ashley Cook, and Samantha Diaz -- were put to the test early and learned to communicate and work as a unit early on. Our keeper, Brooklyn Roberts, impressed and earned everyone's respect from day one.
“When we added Bristol to our attack, it allowed us to open up our play getting more players in the attack. Midfielders Genesis Gamez, Tyndal Brix, Peyton McDaniel, and Addison Dovie were able to start possessing the ball to allow our defenders to get into the attack with Haley Hunter, who has proven to be dangerous up top.”
Current No. 2-ranked Buford, however, may face the toughest matchup of the playoffs, and the season, taking on top-ranked Brookwood in a monster showdown at Buford High School.
Coach Megan Hill, who is trying to guide the Lady Wolves to a second-consecutive state championship match, said the message was a simple one for her squad.
“The road to trying to win a state championship in the highest classification is difficult,” said Hill, whose group last year lost to West Forsyth in the title match in Class 7A. “It’s not meant to be easy. We cannot look past Monday. It will be a very challenging game. We normally focus on ourselves and what we need to do in order to be successful.”
One goal could win it as both teams feature almost impenetrable defenses. Brookwood (18-0) has allowed just 3 goals while Buford (19-0) has given up just 8 goals on the season.
Both offenses, however, have also been almost unstoppable. Brookwood has scored 104 goals (5.78 goals/game) and Buford has tallied 97 goals (5.1 gpg) in 2025.
“They have some very dynamic attacking players and so do we,” Hill said. “Everyone has a role on the team and if our attacking players fill that role I think we can find success.”
Back to Bluff, a win for the Lady Bears over the Lady Bobcats could set up a potential rematch with Jefferson in the Final 4. The Lady Dragons knocked off the Lady Bears in both teams’ Region 8-3A openers back on March 7. Padgett said they’re focused on Gilmer but also understand what possibly lies ahead.
“Our eyes are set on Monday at the moment. We have to play our game (on Monday) or it won’t matter,” he said. “Our girls love playing at home and will feed off the energy from our supporters. Everyone has to do their job.
“But we’re also excited to potentially get another shot (at Jefferson). We have the utmost respect for their program. Their coaching has done a great job this year and they are very talented in every position. Playing them at full strength would make for a great game.”
Those aren't the only teams with a chance to move into the Final 4 on Monday.
Habersham Central (8-5A) takes on Roswell (7-5A) at Raider Stadium in a battle of region champs.
GIRLS SOCCER 3rd ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, Monday, May 5
(Matches at site of higher-seeded team)
Class 6A
Brookwood (Region 7, Seed 1) at Buford (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 5A
Roswell (R7, S1) at Habersham Central (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 3A
Dawson County (8) at Jefferson (1), 6 p.m.
Gilmer (21) at Cherokee Bluff (13), 6 p.m.
