Most of the state’s top-ranked girls soccer teams at the schedule’s midway point are defending champions or multiple title-winners, but one is positioning itself for a possible breakthrough season.
Class AAAAAA’s Johns Creek is the only current No. 1 team in the Score Atlanta rankings that has never won a state championship. The Gladiators came agonizingly close last year, losing in the final against Harrison in penalty kicks.
Mary Byrne, a former player and assistant coach at Collins Hill, inherited a team that had gone 11-4 in 2016 but was eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs. The Gladiators improved to 17-4-2 and made a trip to the final last year in her first season as head coach, and now they’re sitting at No. 1.
“When I took over this program, I told these girls I do, and will always, have very high expectations for them,” Byrne said. “I expect the work rate, the effort and the pride for their school, team, and themselves to be higher than ever. High school athletics is more than just a sport, it is a family, and it is a chance to learn valuable life lessons. I just hope to instill those values into my team and teach them life lessons that will last longer than their four years in high school. I also feel that as a female coach I am able to bring a different perspective to the girls that I coach, and we are able to connect and interact on a different level.”
Midfielder and captain Rayah Schwartz is the only senior on this year’s team, which was 10-0-2 overall and 3-0 in Region 7-AAAAAA heading into Tuesday night’s game against North Atlanta. The Gladiators have won eight consecutive games and allowed just two goals since consecutive tie games against Class AAAAAAA schools North Gwinnett (0-0) and South Forsyth (1-1) in the third week of February.
“This year our team is incredibly young and working together to form the bonds within our team,” Byrne said. “We have set team goals for the season, but ultimately we take things on a game-to-game mentality. We want to play the absolute best that we can each and every game. We don’t overlook any team or any game.”
Here's a look at the No. 1 team in each of the other classifications:
*Holy Innocents' (A): The Golden Bears reached the semifinals last season, losing to eventual champion Wesleyan 2-0, but hasn't won a championship since sharing the AA/A title with Savannah Country Day in 2006. Six seniors are starting on this year's team, which has started the season 6-0-1, with a 1-1 tie against Lovett on Feb. 26. Senior captains Lucy Brown (goalkeeper) and Margaret Wilkins (defender) lead a defense that has allowed just six goals. Freshman forward Caroline Belisle has led the way with 13 goals, and juniors Emily Grasing (six) and Shea Fleming (five) have combined for 11 more. "We have a difficult region, with Paideia and Mt. Vernon hot on our heels, looking to knock us out of the top spot in the region after we won it last year," coach Clayton Schmitt said. "Hopefully we can keep up the high level of play as we head into the meat of our region games starting this week." Holy Innocents' played at Galloway on Tuesday.
*St. Vincent's (AA): The Saints rolled to the first state championship in program history last season, outscoring their five playoff opponents 37-0 and beating East Laurens 10-0 in the final. St. Vincent's held on to the No. 1 spot in the most recent Score Atlanta rankings despite losing to Class AAAA schools Columbus (6-3) and St. Pius (7-0) on March 10. The Saints (6-2-1) are in firm control of 2-AA with a 6-0 region record, their closest game being an 8-1 victory over Vidalia. St. Vincent's travels to Metter on Thursday.
*Westminster (AAA): The Wildcats play in the state's premier girls soccer region, 5-AAA, which put three teams in the semifinals last season. Westminster beat Pace Academy 3-0 in the final for its third consecutive and 11th overall state title. The Wildcats are ranked No. 16 nationally among spring teams in the United Soccer Coaches poll and have started the season 7-0-2, with ties against the top two teams in AAAA, Marist and Blessed Trinity. Westminster is 4-0 in region play and faces Cedar Grove on Wednesday.
*Marist (AAAA): The War Eagles are ranked No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and have started the season 8-0-1, winning eight consecutive matches since a 1-1 tie with Westminster in the opener. Marist has won nine state titles (most recently in 2013 and 2014) but must find a way to get past nemesis St. Pius, which shut out the War Eagles in the final each of the past three seasons. No. 3 St. Pius, which won state titles in eight of the past nine seasons, will host Marist on April 17 in the teams' regular-season finale.
*McIntosh (AAAAA): The Chiefs won their second consecutive state title and 11th overall when they beat Buford 2-0 in the final last season. McIntosh outscored its playoff opponents 25-2, the only goals allowed coming in a 5-2 semifinal win against Flowery Branch, which is currently 11-0 and ranked No. 2. McIntosh is 8-0-1 (3-0 in 3-AAAAA) and has allowed just three goals. The Chiefs played at Sandy Creek on Tuesday and have big home matches upcoming against Westminster (Saturday) and St. Pius (March 27).
*Milton (AAAAAAA): The Eagles moved to No. 1 this week after 2-0 victory over previous No. 1 Lassiter on March 13, but their hold on the top spot might be temporary after suffering a 2-1 loss to Region 5-AAAAAAA rival and ninth-ranked Forsyth Central on Tuesday. The loss was the first this year for Milton, which started the season with seven consecutive victories, including 2-0 against Forsyth Central on Feb. 20. Milton won its only state title in 2012 and lost in the quarterfinals to state runner-up Grayson last year.
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