Thomasville soccer completes state championship sweep as boys avenge 2025 loss
THOMASTON — Thursday could be considered the best day in Thomasville soccer history.
Just hours after the Bulldogs’ girls team finished an undefeated season with a state title, the boys team earned a trophy of its own. The Thomasville boys avenged their 2025 state championship loss to Armuchee with a 1-0 victory at Upson-Lee’s Matthews Field.
Donzee Applewhite delivered the go-ahead goal roughly halfway through the second half. The freshman forward poked a header through a rare soft spot in Armuchee’s defense and found the back of the net.
Applewhite rushed to celebrate with the Thomasville student section as fake rose petals — celebrating the “Rose City” — rained like confetti around him.
Armuchee’s best chance to score came just minutes after Applewhite’s goal. A Thomasville double touch gave the Indians an indirect free kick from inside the penalty area.
The Bulldog defense lined the goal and stopped the shot, preserving the 1-0 lead.
“Defense wins championships,” Thomasville coach Robert Peterson said. “We talked about it from the start of the playoffs, and they were just lights out.”
Thursday marked Thomasville’s ninth shutout of the season, a stark improvement against a team that scored four goals in their last meeting.
Applewhite was an eighth grader when Thomasville lost the state championship to Armuchee last season, 4-3. He said better composure was key to a better result this time around.
“After our loss last year against the same team in the state championship, we knew what it was coming into it, so we had to put in the work,” Applewhite said.
It was Thomasville’s third state championship in boys soccer and its first since 2019. The Bulldogs beat No. 1 seed Model in the semifinal round to return to the state championship game.
About the Author
Jack Leo is a sports writer and reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jack worked for the AJC throughout his four years studying journalism and sports media at Georgia State University and the University of Georgia. He's now focused on telling stories in the grassroots: bringing comprehensive coverage of high school sports for AJC Varsity.
