The final three classes -- AAAAAA, AAAA and AA --begin play Friday in the boys state high school soccer playoffs. Here's a preview of what to expect:
Class AAAAAA
No. 1 team: Dalton
2018 champion: Chattahoochee
Overview: Dalton enters the tournament undefeated at 18-0-0 after capturing the Region 6 championship and will carry its No. 1 seed into the first-round matchup against Northview, the four seed from Region 7. Dalton is looking for its fifth title after sharing the AAAA title with Heritage in 2003 and winning three consecutive titles -- in AAAA (2013-14) and AAAAA (2015). No. 3 Chattahoochee, the defending champs, will face Osborne to open its bid for a three-repeat and fourth overall title after winning the AAAA crown in 2011.
First-round matchups:
R4 #3 Morrow at R1 #2 Houston County
R3 #4 Evans at R2 #1 Richmond Hill
R6 #3 Osborne at R7 #2 Chattahoochee
R5 #4 Douglas County at R8 #1 Gainesville
R1 #3 Northside-Warner Robins at R4 #2 Lovejoy
R2 #4 Bradwell Institute at R3 #1 Lakeside-Evans
R7 #3 Cambridge at R6 #2 Allatoona
R8 #4 Dacula at R5 #1 Alexander
R2 #3 Effingham County at R3 #2 Greenbrier
R1 #4 Coffee at R4 #1 Tucker
R5 #3 South Paulding at R8 #2 Habersham Central
R6 #4 Sprayberry at R7 #1 Pope
R3 #3 Heritage-Conyers at R2 #2 Glynn Academy
R4 #4 Drew at R1 #1 Valdosta
R8 #3 Apalachee at R5 #2 Northgate
R7 #4 Northview at R6 #1 Dalton
Class AAAA
No. 1 team: Upson-Lee
2018 champion: Northwest Whitfield
Overview: Top-ranked Upson-Lee is the riding a 10-game winning streak into its first-round meeting with Thomson. The Knights have not lost a match this season, but tied with Fayette County on Feb. 22. Defending champion Northwest Whitfield is ranked No. 8 . Whitfield has spent its last six games struggling with two ties, two losses and two victories, but five of the six matches were away games and a first-round home game will be welcomed.
First-round matchups:
R4 #3 Eastside at R1 #2 Columbus
R3 #4 Thomson at R2 #1 Upson-Lee
R6 #3 Pickens at R7 #2 Blessed Trinity
R5 #4 Central-Carrollton at R8 #1 St. Pius X
R1 #3 Shaw at R4 #2 Druid Hills
R2 #4 West Laurens at R3 #1 Richmond Academy
R7 #3 Marist at R6 #2 Northwest Whitfield
R8 #4 North Oconee at R5 #1 LaGrange
R2 #3 Perry at R3 #2 Baldwin
R1 #4 Northside-Columbus at R4 #1 Woodward Academy
R5 #3 Sandy Creek at R8 #2 Oconee County
R6 #4 Gilmer at R7 #1 Chestatee
R3 #3 Cross Creek at R2 #2 Spalding
R4 #4 Luella at R1 #1 Cairo
R8 #3 Madison County at R5 #2 Cartersville
R7 #4 Flowery Branch at R6 #1 Southeast Whitfield
Class AA
No. 1 team: Coosa
2018 champion: Benedictine
Overview: At 15-1-1, Coosa is the team to beat entering the AA tournament, and after its 10-0 victory in the opening match against the Region 6 No. 4 seed KIPP, the Eagles are one step closer to the first boys soccer title. Last season's state champion, Benedictine, reclassified to AAA, which opens up the opportunity for a new AA champion. No. 2 Pepperell is 14-2-1 and riding an 11-game winning streak. Of those 11 games, Pepperell held opponents scoreless in seven matches, which included a run of five consecutive shutouts.
First-round matchups:
R4 #3 Johnson-Augusta at R1 #2 Fitzgerald
R3 #4 Washington County at R2 #1 Vidalia
R6 #3 Therrell at R7 #2 Pepperell
R5 #4 Callaway at R8 #1 Social Circle
R1 #3 Berrien at R4 #2 Jefferson County
R2 #4 Jeff Davis at R3 #1 Dodge County
R7 #3 Gordon Central at R6 #2 South Atlanta
R8 #4 Union County at R5 #1 Lamar County
R2 #3 Toombs County at R3 #2 Dublin
R1 #4 Brooks County at R4 #1 Harlem
R5 #3 Spencer at R8 #2 Putnam County
R6 #4 KIPP at R7 #1 Coosa
R3 #3 East Laurens at R2 #2 Woodville Tompkins
R4 #4 Hephzibah at R1 #1 Thomasville
R8 #3 Rabun County at R5 #2 Bremen
R7 #4 Armuchee at R6 #1 Hapeville
Boys soccer blog: Previewing the final three classes in the boys soccer championships
