Clarkston senior Da Meh and her Lady Angora teammates are making history with the team’s first state tournament appearance in 20 years. The last came in 1999. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The 2019 high school soccer regular season has come to an end and DeKalb County (DCSD) is sending 17 soccer teams into the state playoffs beginning Tuesday.
Classes 7A, 5A and 3A girls’ open play on Tuesday with six DCSD teams in the mix including a pair of home matches.
Region 5-5A champ Chamblee (8-6-3) opens at home against Walnut Grove (9-8-0) at 6:00 pm at North DeKalb Stadium while No. 10 ranked Arabia Mountain (13-3-0), the 5-5A runner-up, opens against Loganville (11-5-0) in a 6:00 pm match at Godfrey Stadium.
The Lakeside Lady Vikings (10-7-1) travel to No. 4 ranked North Gwinnett (13-3-0) for their Class 7A state playoff opener.
Clarkston (12-4-1) makes it first girls’ state playoff appearance since a first round loss to Rome in 1999 as the Lady Angoras travel to Johnson-Gainesville (8-8-0) for a 5:55 pm match in Class 5A. The Cross Keys Lady Indians (4-8-0) are making their third consecutive trip to the state playoffs and third overall with a trip to face No. 4 ranked Buford at 6:00 pm.
The Stone Mountain Lady Pirates (3-12-0) make their first playoff appearance since the 2005 season as they go on the road to No. 6 Jackson County (14-2-1) for a 6:00 pm match.
Lakeside’s Eduardo Guillen and his Viking teammates have moved up to No. 2 in the Class 7A soccer rankings as they head into their home playoff game against Peachtree Ridge on Wednesday at Adams Stadium. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Boys’ play on Wednesday (April 24) also features Class 7A, 5A and 3A teams with three DeKalb teams hosting first round action and three traveling.
The Class 7A No. 2 ranked Lakeside Vikings (14-1-3) get play underway in a 7:30 pm match at Adams Stadium against Peachtree Ridge (8-8-0). The No. 7 ranked Clarkston Angoras (12-4-1) open with Loganville (7-8-1) at Hallford Stadium with opening kick set for 6:00 pm.
The No. 11 nationally ranked (USA Today) and Class 5A No. 1 ranked Cross Keys Indians (14-2-0) host Cedar Shoals (4-9-1) at North DeKalb Stadium with a 7:00 pm start time.
In other Class 5A boy’s action Chamblee (9-8-1) goes on the road to No. 8 Clarke Central (15-2-1) at 7:00 pm and Arabia Mountain (7-7-1) travels to face No. 4 Johnson-Gainesville (14-2-1) at 6:30 pm.
The Stone Mountain Pirates (9-6-1) open Class 3A boys’ play with a road trip to face No. 6 ranked Jackson County (14-2-1) in a 6:00 pm contest.
Class 6A and Class 3A girls’ play opens on Thursday (April 25) with a pair of DCSD teams seeing action.
The No. 6 ranked Dunwoody Wildcats (11-4-0) were the Region 7-6A runner-up and play host to No. 8 ranked Creekview (10-5-2) in Class 6A girls’ action at 6:00 pm. The Druid Hills Lady Red Devils (10-6-0) begin their Class 4A state playoffs with a trip to Northside-Columbus (13-4-0) for a 7:30 pm match.
Three home games are on tap on Friday (April 26) with both Region 4-6A champions Tucker teams hosting Class 6A playoff games along with Druid Hills hosting a Class 4A tilt.
A doubleheader is set in the Class 6A playoffs at Hallford with the Lady Tigers (11-6-1) hosting Coffee (7-7-2) in the girls’ opener at 6:00 pm and the No. 6 Tigers (14-2-2) hosting Coffee (7-11-0) in the boys’ game at 8:00 pm.
The Region 4-4A runners-up Red Devils (8-8-1) host Shaw in a Class 4A first round game set for 7:30 pm at Adams Stadium.
All winners advance to the second round with girls’ teams set for May 1 and the boys’ for May 2.
Tuesday, April 23
Class 7A Girls
Lakeside (10-7-1) at No. 4 North Gwinnett (13-3-0), 6:00 pm
Class 5A Girls
Clarkston (12-4-1) at Johnson-Gainesville (8-8-0), 5:55 pm
Cross Keys (4-8) at No. 4 Buford (11-4-3), 6:00 pm
Walnut Grove (9-8-0) vs. Chamblee (8-6-3), North DeKalb, 6:00 pm
Loganville (11-5-0) vs. No. 10 Arabia Mountain (13-3-0), Godfrey, 6:00 pm
Class 3A Girls
Stone Mountain (3-12) at No. 6 Jackson County (14-2-1), 6:00 pm
Wednesday, April 24
Class 7A Boys
Peachtree Ridge (8-8-1) vs. No. 2 Lakeside (14-1-3), 7:30 pm, Adams
Class 5A Boys
Loganville (7-8-1) vs. No. 7 Clarkston (12-4-1), Hallford, 6:00 pm
Cedar Shoals (4-9-1) vs. No. 1 Cross Keys (14-2-0), North DeKalb, 7:00 pm
Chamblee (9-8-1) at No. 8 Clarke Central (15-2-1), 7:00 pm
Arabia Mountain (7-7-1) at No. 4 Johnson-Gainesville (14-2-1), 6:30 pm
Class 3A Boys
Stone Mountain (9-6-1) at No. 7 Jefferson (14-2-0), 6:00 pm
Thursday, April 25
Class 6A Girls
No. 8 Creekview (10-5-2) vs. No. 6 Dunwoody (11-4-0), North DeKalb, 6:00 pm
Class 4A Girls
Druid Hills (10-6-0) at Northside-Columbus (13-4-0), 7:30 pm
Friday, April 26
Class 6A Girls
Coffee (7-7-2) vs. Tucker (11-6-0), Hallford, 6:00 pm
Class 6A Boys
Coffee (7-11-0) vs. No. 6 Tucker (14-2-2), Hallford, 8:00 pm
Class 4A Boys
Shaw (2-4-0) vs. Druid Hills (8-8-1), Adams, 7:30 pm