Goalie Alexis Briceno made the go-ahead penalty kick and then made the save on Carrollton’s final attempt to give the Cross Keys Indians a 5-4 penalty kick victory over Carrollton in the first round of the Class AAAA boys’ state playoffs at Hallford Stadium on Friday.

Briceno’s heroics in the penalty kick session would not have come about without a big goal by Tony Martinez with 40 seconds remaining in regulation that allowed Cross Keys (12-3-1) to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into overtime.

The clock was ticking down on the Indians’ season when Carrollton (9-7-1) kicked the ball out of bounds at the end line setting up a corner kick for Cross Keys. Martinez was in the crowd in front of the goal as the kick came in and managed to put the ball into the net to tie the game.

The two teams played the two five minute periods of overtime without a score and proceeded into the penalty kick session.

Felipe Lopez, Gilberto Ramos, Roberto Martinez and Victor Owiredu were all matched by Carrollton in the penalty kicks as the game was still tied 4-4.

Briceno then came out of the goal for his attempt and made good putting the Indians up 5-4 before returning to the net for Carrollton’s fifth shot. He got low as the Carrollton player advanced on the ball and tried to put it over Briceno, but the goalie got his hands on the ball and deadened the shot which fell short of the goal giving the Indians the win.

Carrollton scored a goal with 8:30 left in the first half to send the teams to the half tied at 1-1 after the Indians had taken the early lead at the 18:37 mark of the first half on goal by Felipe Lopez.

The second half ticked down to 27:05 to play when Carrollton took the lead at 2-1 and began keeping the ball out of the Indians’ scoring zone. The Indians had a couple of runs, but could not get off a good shot until the corner kick winner with time running out.

Cross Keys is set to travel to Region 4 No. 1 seed Jonesboro (11-2-0), a 10-0 winner over Thomson in the first round, on Wednesday, May 6 with the time set for 7:30 pm at Tara Stadium.

Class 6A Playoffs

The Tucker Tigers (14-2-0) survived a Class 6A boys’ playoff battle with Colquitt County (9-9-1) to win 3-2 on Friday at Hallford Stadium.

The two teams went to the half tied 1-1, but the Tigers would answer early in the second half.

Kevin Frazier got a penalty kick against the Colquitt goalie with 36 minutes to play in the game. Frazier made good on the attempt by putting the kick into the net for a 2-1 Tigers’ lead.

The score remained 2-1 until Elias Debasa beat a defender with a pass from a teammate to put Tucker’s third goal into the net for a 3-1 Tigers’ lead with 15:10 remaining in the game.

Colquitt cut the lead to 3-2 on a penalty kick with 39 seconds to play, but could not get the ball back as the Tigers ran out the clock.

Tucker moves on to face Meadowcreek (12-5-1), a 2-1 upset winner against Central Gwinnett last week, with the game set for 7:30 pm on Tuesday at Hallford Stadium.

Class 3A Playoffs
The Towers Titans (7-7-1) gave Glenn Hills all it wanted before falling 3-2 in the first round of the Class 3A boys’ state playoffs in Augusta on Friday night.

It was the Titans first playoff appearance since 2004 and third overall.

DEKALB CO. SOCCER PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday, May 1
Class 3A Boys
Glenn Hills 3, Towers (7-7-1) 2

Class 4A Boys
Cross Keys (12-3-1) 2 (5), Carrollton (9-7-1) 2 (4), PKs

Class 6A Boys
Tucker (14-2-0) 3, Colquitt Co. (9-9-1) 2

Tuesday, May 5
Class 5A Boys
Starr’s Mill (14-4-1) vs. Clarkston (15-1-1), 5:30 pm, Hallford

Class 6A Boys
Meadowcreek (12-5-1) vs. Tucker (14-2-0), 7:30 pm, Hallford

Class 5A Girls
McIntosh (17-2-0) vs. Dunwoody (11-5-1), 5:30 pm North DeKalb

Wednesday, May 6
Class 6A Girls
Collins Hill (13-5-0) vs. Lakeside (16-0-1), 5:30 pm, Hallford

Class 6A Boys
Brookwood (15-4-0) vs. Lakeside (12-3-1), 7:30 pm, Hallford

Class 4A Boys
Cross Keys (12-3-1) at Jonesboro (11-2-0), 7:30 pm, Tara