Sports
Georgia high school soccer: Boys notebook
Two-time defending AAAAA champion McIntosh had its 51-game winning streak snapped in a 2-2 tie with Whitewater on March 3. The Chiefs then suffered consecutive losses to Houston County and Northgate last week. But coach McIntosh coach Bunky Colvin believes his young group will be in the mix once again come playoff time.
The Chiefs return just three starters from last year’s undefeated squad and are searching for offense, after top offensive weapon Didrik Cooper-Seip moved back to Norway. Cooper-Seip had a hat trick in last year’s championship game win over Houston County.
Attacking midfield Conner Halmi, one of only five seniors on the squad, has been a playmaker early in the season for theChiefs, but missed time last week with an injured ankle. Colvin also pointed to backs Aaron Brewer and Daichi Uki as key components of this year’s team.
Dalton, which moved up to AAAAA after winning the last two AAAA state titles, is among the teams looking to dethrone McIntosh. The Catamounts are off to a 5-0 start, but their record doesn’t tell the whole story.
“Despite the early season weather causing us to postpone our first four scheduled matches and losing a key player to injury, we seem to be off to a good start,” Dalton coach Matt Cheaves told the AJC in an email.
Star senior Eder Mora, a three-year starter who is committed to UAB, suffered a fractured foot and is out for the season.
In Mora’s absence, Cheaves said seniors Kobe Perez and Javier Rodriguez have stepped up on offense, while senior Kiko Rodriguez and junior Hernan Saldana have bolstered the defense.
Off to a 9-0-1 start and already owning a win over McIntosh, Houston County, last year’s runner up, is expected to contend in AAAAA.
Broncos are back: In AAAAAA, defending-champion Brookwood is off to a 10-0 start. Eleven players, including four starters, are back from last year’s title squad. Broncos coach Daniel Klinect pointed to senior defenseman Junior Ametep and junior midfield Samaan Williams as key cogs this season.
In addition to the Broncos, Campbell, Chattahoochee, Peachtree Ridge, Duluth, Walton and Roswell are early contenders in Class AAAAAA.
Moving up: Like Dalton, St. Pius is also a two-time defending state champion that moved up in classification this season. The Golden Lions won the last two AAA titles, before moving up to AAAA this year. They remain the favorites. Senior striker Edmundo Robinson is a big reason why.
“[Edmundo] is a powerful, dynamic forward with great finishing skills inside and outside the 18-yard box,” St. Pius coach David O’Shea told the AJC. “To date, he has 17 goals in 11 games.”
Notable:
The state soccer championships will be held at Mercer University in Macon on May 14-16. This will be the first year all soccer championship games will be played at one site. In past seasons, games have been split between Mercer and Kennesaw State University. But there was a scheduling conflict with Kennesaw State this season, and the Georgia High School Association elected to sign a two-year contract to bring all the championship games to Mercer this year. … Glynn Academy senior captain Seth Carroll has scored goals in six of seven games and leads the Terrors with 11 goals on the season.
