State soccer playoffs begin this week

Twenty-six Cobb County high school soccer teams will begin their road to a potential state championship this week as the Georgia High School Association state playoffs begin.

The games will be spread out over four days with the Class AAAAAAA and Class A Private girls squads getting underway on Tuesday. The Class AAAAAAA and Class A boys will follow on Wednesday, with the Class AAAAAA girls and boys playing their first rounds on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Arguably the most intriguing matchup is Wednesday’s boys game between South Gwinnett and Pebblebrook (15-2-1).

After beating Campbell 1-0 to win the Region 2AAAAAAA championship, the Falcons were awaiting the No. 4 seed from Region 4AAAAAAA, however South Gwinnett wasn’t the opponent they likely expected.

Last Wednesday, the Comets had to forfeit all but three of its games because of it used an ineligible player who transferred in from a neighboring school. They were also in violation for using a player who sat only one of two mandatory games after receiving a red card.

Originally, South Gwinnett was the region champion, but after the penalties levied by the GHSA, their region record dropped from 6-2 to 2-6. It was just enough to hold onto the No. 4 seed, which qualified them for the playoffs.

With the Comets’ drop in the seeding, it also affects another Cobb County opponent. Grayson moved into the No. 3 seed from Region 4AAAAAAA and will now play Campbell instead of Pebblebrook.

One of the interesting games on the girls side is Hillgrove (11-3-1) traveling south to play Camden County. The Lady Hawks, the No. 7 team in Class AAAAAAA in the latest Score Atlanta poll, was the odd team out in Region 3AAAAAAA, which also has No. 3 Walton and No. 6 Harrison. Hillgrove will face a Camden County squad which is 8-4 and the winner of Region 1AAAAAAA.

2022 GHSA State Soccer Round 1

Boys

Wednesday

Class AAAAAAA

Camden County at Walton

South Gwinnett at Pebblebrook

Hillgrove at Colquitt County

Lowndes at Harrison

Grayson at Campbell

Marietta at Tift County

Class A Private

North Cobb Christian at Atlanta International

Mount Vernon Presbyterian at Walker

Mount Paran Christian at Providence Christian

Friday

Class AAAAAA

Lanier at Kennesaw Mountain

Buford at Lassiter

Osborne at Dacula

Pope at Central Gwinnett

Girls

Tuesday

Class AAAAAAA

Tift County at Harrison

Grayson at Campbell

Hillgrove at Camden County

McEachern at Brookwood

Colquitt County at Walton

Class A Private

Atlanta International at Mount Paran Christian

Walker at Wesleyan

St. Anne-Pacelli at Whitefield Academy

Mount Vernon Presbyteriand at North Cobb Christian

Thursday

Class AAAAAA

Kennesaw Mountain at Habersham Central

Shiloh at Pope

Lanier at Lassiter

Wheeler at Buford