Four state championship double-headers will be packed into two days of action at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium. On Friday, Whitefield Academy and Walker meet in the boys Class A finals where Whitefield Academy will play for the program’s first state title. Walker has two all-time state crowns, with its most recent championship coming in 2011.
In the boys Class 5A finals, Clarkston will look to avenge its only loss of the season against five-time state champion McIntosh. The teams met on Feb. 23 and McIntosh held off Clarkston for a 2-1 road victory.
Saturday opens with the Class 2A finals, where Coosa and Benedictine headline a matchup of the top 2 ranked teams in the classification. Coosa rides a nine-game winning streak into the finals and Benedictine is a winner of eight straight. Each of those victories came outside of a one-goal margin of victory.
In the boys Class 6A final, Chattahoochee looks to snap a six-year title drought while Gainesville can take home its first state title in seven seasons. Gainesville rides the confidence of a 3-1 victory over Dalton into finals, while Chattahoochee cruised to a 5-1 victory over a formidable Allatoona team in the semis.
McEachern will host three of the seven classifications this championship weekend, with a Class 3A double-header opening up Cantrell Stadium’s two-day marathon on Friday. Westminster and Pace Academy successfully reached the boys and girls Class 3A finals and the Atlanta private schools will go back-to-back. The schools previously met for a double-header on March 31, with the Westminster boys winning 3-1 and the Westminster girls scoring a 4-0 win over the Knights
The Westminster boys have won 11 soccer state titles, while the Pace Academy boys won their only state title in 2006.
Saturday will start with the boys and girls Class 4A championship and will be followed by the grand finale with Class 7A. The boys Class 4A finals is a battle between two emerging programs with Druid Hills and Southeast Whitfield as they sit one win away from their first-ever state titles. Southeast Whitfield prevented Marist from also sending its boys team to the finals with a 3-1 victory in the semifinals. Druid Hills battled past Blessed Trinity 2-1 in the semifinals to earn its ticket to the finals.
The first Class 7A boys soccer state title will be rewarded to a first-time state champion on Saturday as Pebblebrook and Meadowcreek headline championship weekend’s finale. Both teams were tested by the playoff gauntlet, but prevailed by playing some of the best soccer of the season. Pebblebrook had to get past Berkmar and Walton in the past two rounds, while Meadowcreek squared off with Region 4 elites Etowah and Roswell.
Schedule
At McEACHERN
Friday May 12
5:00 - 3A Girls: Westminster vs. Pace Academy
7:30 - 3A Boys: Westminster vs. Pace Academy
Saturday May 13
noon - 4A Girls: Marist vs. St. Pius
2:30 - 4A Boys: Druid Hills vs. SE Whitfield
5:00 - 7A Girls: Lambert vs. Grayson
7:30 - 7A Boys: Pebblebrook vs. Meadowcreek
At MERCER UNIVERSITY
Friday May 12
noon - A Girls: First Presbyterian vs. Wesleyan
2:30 - A Boys: Whitefield Academy vs. Walker
5:00 - 5A Girls: McIntosh vs. Buford
7:30 - 5A Boys: Clarkston vs. McIntosh
Saturday May 13
noon - 2A Girls: St. Vincent's vs. East Laurens
2:30 - 2A Boys: Coosa vs. Benedictine
5:00 - 6A Girls: Johns Creek vs. Harrison
7:30 - 6A Boys: Chattahoochee vs. Gainesville
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