Bracket -shattering upsets were not really prevalent during the second round of the GHSA boys soccer playoffs, but they did happen.
In Class 2A, No. 8 Fellowship Christian upended top-ranked Landmark Christian 6-4, and in Class A Division I, No. 6 Whitefield Academy beat top-ranked Tallulah Falls, 3-1.
The quarterfinals, which take place next Tuesday, feature 11 matchups between ranked programs across the eight classes.
In Class 6A, No. 10 St. Pius X will travel to No. 1 Lassiter, and No. 3 Riverwood will play at No. 7 River Ridge. In Class 5A, top-ranked McIntosh will travel to No. 4 Midtown. In Class 4A, No. 9 Whitewater will visit No. 1 Johnson-Gainesville.
The Class 3A quarterfinals feature three matchups between ranked teams: No. 5 Wesleyan will travel to No. 1 Columbus; No. 2 Oconee County will visit No. 8 Pike County, and No. 6 Hebron Christian will visit No. 7 Savannah Country Day.
In Class 2A, No. 8 Fellowship Christian will travel to No. 7 Tattnall County. In Class A Division I, No. 3 Atlanta International will play at No. 4 Bacon County. In Class A Division II, No. 8 Aquinas will visit No. 2 Atkinson County, and No. 3 Lake Oconee Academy will travel to No. 4 Christian Heritage.
Nearly half of the 64 teams remaining in the boys quarterfinals won region or area titles and carried the No. 1 seeds through the first two rounds in unsurprising fashion. But also remaining in the playoffs are three No. 4 seeds trying to punch tickets to the semifinals.
Two of those are Class 6A programs – No. 6 Johns Creek (R7 #4) and Lakeside-Dekalb (R4 #4). Johns Creek earned its No. 4 seed by virtue of a difficult Region 7 schedule alongside No. 1 Lassiter, No. 4 Sprayberry and No. 5 Blessed Trinity. The Gladiators have beaten Lanier 2-1 and Etowah 4-0 to earn the quarterfinals berth. Lakeside has beaten Woodward Academy 3-1 and South Effingham 1-0 in the first two rounds.
The third No. 4 seed still playing is Class 4A North Oconee, which has beaten Northwest Whitfield 3-2 and Druid Hills 1-0.
Boys state soccer playoffs
Quarterfinals schedule
Class 7A
R4 #2 Archer at R7 #1 Norcross
R4 #3 Parkview at R5 #2 No. 8 Walton
R2 #2 Campbell at R8 #2 No. 4 Collins Hill
R1 #2 Richmond Hill at R6 #1 No. 1 Lambert
Class 6A
R4 #2 No. 10 St. Pius X at R7 #1 No. 1 Lassiter
R7 #4 No. 6 Johns Creek at R2 #1 Glynn Academy
R4 #4 Lakeside-DeKalb at R7 #3 No. 5 Blessed Trinity
R4 #1 No. 3 Riverwood at R6 #1 No. 7 River Ridge
Class 5A
R4 #2 Chamblee at R7 #1 No. 2 Dalton
R8 #1 Flowery Branch at R2 #1 No. 10 Union Grove
R3 #1 No. 1 McIntosh at R5 #1 No. 4 Midtown
R1 #2 Bradwell Institute at R6 #1 No. 9 Centennial
Class 4A
R8 #4 North Oconee at R1 #1 Cairo
R4 #3 No. 9 Whitewater at R8 #1 No. 1 Johnson-Gainesville
R8 #2 No. 5 East Hall at R3 #1 Benedictine
R4 #1 LaGrange at R6 #1 No. 2 Westminster
Class 3A
R7 #1 No. 5 Wesleyan at R1 #1 No. 1 Columbus
R8 #1 No. 2 Oconee County at R2 #1 No. 8 Pike County
R8 #2 No. 6 Hebron Christian at R3 #1 No. 7 Savannah Country Day
R2 #3 Peach County at R6 #1 No. 3 Coahulla Creek
Class 2A
R3 #3 Pierce County at R7 #1 No. 5 Model
R8 #1 No. 2 Providence Christian at R2 #1 Academy for Classical Education
R8 #2 No. 8 Fellowship Christian at R3 #1 No. 7 Tattnall County
R8 #3 Union County at R4 #1 No. 6 Putnam County
Class A Division I
R6 #2 No. 3 Atlanta International at R1 #1 No. 4 Bacon County
R6 #3 No. 6 Whitefield Academy at R3 #2 Claxton
R7 #3 Armuchee at R3 #1 No. 7 Woodville-Tompkins
R4 #1 Lamar County at R6 #1 No. 2 Paideia
Class A Division II
A3 #3 No. 8 Aquinas at A1 #1 No. 2 Atkinson County
A3 #2 No. 3 Lake Oconee Academy at A4 #1 No. 4 Christian Heritage
A4 #3 Mt. Zion-Carroll at A2 #1 No. 5 Portal
A4 #2 Fugees Academy at A3 #1 No. 1 Georgia Military
About the Author
