Boys soccer playoffs: Knights hold off Chestatee to advance to 3A Final 4

OAKWOOD, Ga. — For the last five days, fate has thrown everything it has at Johnson. Weather, suspended games, long road trips, and on Tuesday, a crucial Class 3A Elite 8 showdown playing on back-to-back days against rival and rested Chestatee.

But just over 24 hours after fighting off Calhoun 2-1 in a second-round road match that began on Friday, the Knights used two second-half goals to pull away for a 3-1 win over the War Eagles at The Dungeon.

Johnson junior captain Jalil Chavez, who scored the second and eventual game-winning goal for a second straight day, said they may be peaking at the right time.

“I think we are,” Chavez said. “All I can say, playoffs period. We have to show up. It's just the way it is. 

“But at this point, I don’t think there's anything that can really stop us. We're on a good pivot, and nothing's going to hold us back.”

The win moves the Knights (14-3) into the Final 4 against Oconee County in Watkinsville on Friday.

Johnson coach Frank Zamora could not disagree with his captain.

“These boys are resilient, and it shows. They're hungry and they're clicking at the right time,” he said. “It's been a wild weekend, you know, from Friday to now. It's been wild for sure. We’re just thankful we have a couple of days to rest and can prepare and get focused on the next test.”

For Chestatee (14-4) it was another tough playoff exit with a squad that was poised for a deep run. It also was the second 3-1 loss to the Knights in 2025 after dropping their Region 6-3A showdown early in the season in overtime.

“We had some chances, but you've got to capitalize,” Chestatee coach Mike Herrin said. “That's one thing that they do a very good job on, is they capitalize on the chances. 

“They got a couple there, and we missed a close one in the first half that would have given us the lead, and then an open net there late in the game. That’s the difference at this stage.”

The  Knights played their customary ball control early while producing three shots to none for the War Eagles in the first seven minutes. But it was Chestatee that would get the first real scoring threat.

After Johnson got deep into the Chestatee zone, War Eagles’ defender Yohan Reyna denied two shot attempts and started a counter that ended with an Edwin Rodriquez blast from 20 yards out that slid just past the far left post in the 13th minute.

Johnson continued to press the attack with Chestatee’s Sergio Estala making a sliding stop to deny another Knights run in the 16th minute. But the Knights found some quick lightning a minute later.

Evan Rohde was able to gather in an errant Chestatee clear and drilled a 22-yard  blast past diving Chestatee keeper Ryan Woodward for a 1-0 lead with 23:39 left.

But Chestatee finally got able to capitalize on a Johnson mistake as the Knights could not clear a long ball into their defensive end. Jeff Zamudio found himself 1-on-1 and lofted a beautiful left-footed shot from 25 yards over Johnson keeper Benjamin Villatoro to tie the match at 1 with 18:01 left in the half.

Johnson nearly reclaimed the lead a minute later, but a shot sailed just left of the goal. The Knights also got a break in the 26th minute when a defender pulled down Chestatee’s Denny Zamudio inside the box after a long run, but got a no-call instead.

In the opening minute of the second half, Johnson’s Yannick Niyibigira was able to slice through the Chestatee defense within 5 yards but was unable to get a shot off before Woodward was able to corral the ball.

However, Johnson reclaimed the lead in the 50th minute when Chavez converted from 5 yards out after a beautiful give-and-go with Martin Rodriquez inside the box.

The Knights then went for the knockout blow, generating three more solid scoring chances over the next five minutes. But twice, Woodward denied them, and the War Eagles' defense kept it a one-score game.

But Johnson connected 10 minutes later when Junior Castillo blasted home a shot after a beautiful feed from Angel Cantero for a 3-1 lead with just 20 minutes remaining.

The War Eagles did not go quietly.

Chestatee had a golden opportunity to cut into the lead in the 72nd minute after a Villatoro save ended up at the foot of a Chestatee attacker in the zone, but his one-timer at an empty net sailed high.

In the 74th minute, the War Eagles had another chance with a long ball into the box, but could not get a shot off before Villatoro gathered in the loose ball. Chestatee had a direct kick from 38 yards in the 75th minute, but Reyna’s blast sailed just over the crossbar.

They also missed a virtual empty net when Villatoro was caught out of position with three minutes, but the shot sailed wide.