The Harrison girls team had its 14-game winning streak snapped in a 1-1 tie with McIntosh 1-1 Saturday, but the Hoyas’ status as one of the state’s top defensive teams remained intact.
The Hoyas, 14-0-2 and ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAA in the Georgia High School Soccer Coaches poll, have outscored their opponents 59-5. Harrison has 12 shutouts this season, including streaks of seven and five games without allowing a goal.
"In our second game against Centennial, we gave up two goals and won the game 3-2," Harrison coach Steve Riccard said. "After that game we made a couple of lineup changes and have [given up just two goals] since then."
The other goals allowed by the Hoyas came in a 1-1 tie against No. 8 Lassiter in the season opener and a 5-1 victory against Woodstock on March 8.
“That goal was against our subs when the game was 5-0,” Riccard said.
Freshman goalkeeper Allison Leone is the anchor for the Hoyas' defense. Her key support comes from Krissy Kaufman (right back), Sarah Smith (center back), Brittany Reed (center back) and Haley Pollock (left back).
Harrison completes region play at home on Friday against South Cobb before finishing the regular season on Tuesday at Woodward Academy, the second-ranked team in Class AAA.
Raiders rolling
The Southeast Whitfield boys team went 18-5 and reached the state semifinals last year, and it appears ready for another deep run in the tournament this season. The Raiders are 16-0 and ranked No. 3 in Class AAA after three impressive victories at the Stanno Invitational last weekend and a 3-0 win against Baylor of Tennessee on Tuesday. Goalkeeper Abel Mendiola leads a defense that has recorded 11 shutouts and allowed just eight goals, three of which came in a 7-3 victory against Pacelli last week. Southeast Whitfield closes out the regular season with games at Dalton on Friday and at Chattanooga Christian on Saturday.
Etc.
One of the state's top-rated boys players is Darvin Ebanks, a senior at Macon's Mount de Sales, which plays in the Georgia Independent School Association. Ebanks, a North Carolina signee, has 14 goals and 13 assists for the Cavaliers, who are 14-0 and have outscored their opponents 99-5. The leading scorer for Mount de Sales is Robert Ochieng, a Shorter College signee who has 19 goals and 19 assists. ... The highest-profile boys game of the weekend takes place on Friday when Greater Atlanta Christian travels to Westminster. GAC is ranked No. 1 in Class AA, Westminster is No. 2 and both are undefeated in 6-AA. ... The state playoffs are a little more than a week away. First-round games for Class AAAAA and AAAA are April 26 (girls) and April 27 (boys). The Class AAA, AA and A girls begin on April 28, followed by the boys the following night. The state championships are May 13-14.
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