First-round action in the girls soccer state tournaments continues Thursday when Classes 6A, 4A and 2A begin their playoffs.
Four reigning state champions are in the field for these three classifications, but only one – Class 6A Lassiter – is playing in the same division in which it won its 2022 title. Marist (won Class 4A) moved up to 6A in reclassification, and Westminster (3A champion) and Lovett (2A champ) are both in 4A.
Here’s a look at the classifications that begin play Thursday.
Class 6A
*No. 1 team: Marist
*2022 champion: Lassiter
*Overview: This is potentially the most competitive bracket in any classification. Private schools Blessed Trinity, Marist and St. Pius have moved up from lower classifications, and each is among the top six in all-time championships. All are ranked in the top six in Class 6A this season. Also in the top six are defending champion Lassiter, 2022 quarterfinalist Pope and North Atlanta, which finished in second place in Region 4 behind Marist but ahead of St. Pius. Pope has won four state tiles, most recently in 2002. The Greyhounds (12-2) are ranked No. 4 and have victories this season against Lassiter and Blessed Trinity. Lassiter has won two state championships.
*Worth noting: Keep an eye on the bottom right quadrant of the bracket. That’s where No. 1 Marist, No. 2 Blessed Trinity and No. 7 Allatoona sit. Blessed Trinity and Allatoona are on course to meet in the second round, with Marist likely awaiting in the quarterfinals.
*First-round matchups:
(R5 #3) Newnan at (R6 #2) Etowah
(R8 #4) Lanier at (R7 #1) Pope
(R3 #3) Alcovy at (R4 #2) North Atlanta
(R2 #4) Evans at (R1 #1) Houston County
(R6 #3) River Ridge at (R5 #2) South Paulding
(R7 #4) Roswell at (R8 #1) Jackson County
(R4 #3) St. Pius at (R3 #2) Mundy’s Mill
(R1 #4) Lee County at (R2 #1) Glynn County
(R1 #3) Veterans at (R2 #2) Grovetown
(R4 #4) Lakeside-DeKalb at (R3 #1) Woodward Academy
(R7 #3) Lassiter at (R8 #2) Habersham Central
(R6 #4) Sequoyah at (R5 #1) Alexander
(R2 #3) Lakeside-Evans at (R1 #2) Thomas County Central
(R3 #4) Rockdale County at (R4 #1) Marist
(R8 #3) Shiloh at (R7 #2) Blessed Trinity
(R5 #4) East Paulding at (R6 #1) Allatoona
Class 4A
*No. 1 team: North Oconee
*2022 champion: Marist
*Overview: Marist’s departure to Class 6A after winning the 4A title in 2022 leaves the door open. Top-ranked North Oconee won the championship in 2021 and was ranked No. 1 heading into last year’s tournament before losing to Marist in the semifinals. The Titans are 14-0-2, with the ties coming against Class 7A schools Hillgrove and top-ranked Mill Creek, and have outscored their opponents 74-2 this season. No. 5 Westminster and No. 10 Lovett remain major factors after moving up from lower classifications. Westminster won the past seven 3A championships and has a state-record 15 overall. Lovett won the past two 2A titles and has five overall.
*Worth noting: Cherokee Bluff, which opened in 2018, had its best season in 2022, reaching the Class 3A semifinals before losing to Westminster. The Bears (15-2) are ranked No. 2 in 4A this year but face a possible tough matchup in the second round against Lovett.
*First-round matchups:
(R5 #3) Woodland-Stockbridge at (R6 #2) Holy Innocents’
(R8 #4) Madison County at (R7 #1) Heritage-Catoosa
(R3 #3) Wayne County at (R4 #2) Whitewater
(R2 #4) Baldwin at (R1 #1) Bainbridge
(R6 #3) Druid Hills at (R5 #2) Pace Academy
(R7 #4) Cedartown at (R8 #1) North Oconee
(R4 #3) LaGrange at (R3 #2) Islands
(R1 #4) Hardaway at (R2 #1) Perry
(R1 #3) Shaw at (R2 #2) West Laurens
(R4 #4) Trinity Christian at (R3 #1) Southeast Bulloch
(R7 #3) Southeast Whitfield at (R8 #2) Cherokee Bluff
(R6 #4) Clarkston at (R5 #1) Lovett
(R2 #3) Spalding at (R1 #2) Cairo
(R3 #4) New Hampstead at (R4 #1) Starr’s Mill
(R8 #3) Johnson-Gainesville at (R7 #2) Northwest Whitfield
(R5 #4) Mount Zion-Jonesboro at (R6 #1) Westminster
Class 2A
*No. 1 team: Fellowship Christian
*2022 champion: Lovett
*Overview: Lovett has departed to 4A after winning the past two Class 2A titles (and three of the past six). Top-ranked Fellowship Christian, which won a Class A title in 2016, takes over the role as favorite. The Paladins are 14-0 and have outscored their opponents 109-4. No. 2 Model (15-0) and No. 3 Fitzgerald (16-1-1) are the top threats among the public schools. All three teams are on the left side of the bracket, so no more than one will reach the final. Model and Fitzgerald could meet in the quarterfinals, and the winner could face Fellowship Christian in the semis. No. 4 Landmark Christian is the highest-ranked team on the right side of the bracket.
*Worth noting: No public school has ever won a Class 2A championship. Besides Model and Fitzgerald, other public schools in the top 10 are No. 8 Callaway, No. 9 Putnam County and No. 10 ACE Charter. Callaway was the runner-up in 5-2A behind Landmark.
*First-round matchups:
(R5 #3) Eagle’s Landing Christian at (R6 #2) North Cobb Christian
(R8 #4) East Jackson at (R7 #1) Model
(R3 #3) Appling County at (R4 #2) Washington County
(R2 #4) Spencer at (R1 #1) Fitzgerald
(R6 #3) Walker at (R5 #2) Callaway
(R7 #4) Fannin County at (R8 #1) Fellowship Christian
(R4 #3) Thomson at (R3 #2) Pierce County
(R1 #4) Dodge County at (R2 #1) ACE Charter
(R1 #3) Worth County at (R2 #2) Rutland
(R4 #4) Technical Career Magnet at (R3 #1) Savannah Arts Academy
(R7 #3) Murray County at (R8 #2) Athens Academy
(R6 #4) Drew Charter at (R5 #1) Landmark Christian
(R2 #3) Central-Macon at (R1 #2) Jeff Davis
(R3 #4) Toombs County at (R4 #1) Putnam County
(R8 #3) Union County at (R7 #2) Murray County
(R5 #4) Elite Scholars Academy at (R6 #1) Mount Paran Christian
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