Lakeside’s Mauricio Garcia (7) battles Houston County’s Sam Holliefield (9) for a loose ball. Garcia would go on to earn a hattrick of three goals in the second half. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Mauricio Garcia pulled off a hattrick in the second half to help the Lakeside Vikings pull away to a 10-1 victory over Houston County in Class 6A first round play of the state high school soccer playoffs at Adams Stadium on Friday night.
The Vikings (15-2-1) held a slim 2-1 lead at the half when Garcia struck for two goals in the first 6:13 of the second half. Garcia scored the first of his three goals in the half with just 4:22 gone to extend Lakeside’s lead to 3-1.
Less than two minutes later Garcia split the defense down the middle of the field to find the net again to make it a 4-1 advantage for the Vikings.
Six minutes later Garcia blasted a shot from about 20 yards out that Houston County’s diving goalie Ronnie Goodwin got his hands on, but the ball glanced off and into the net to make it 5-1 in favor of the Vikings.
Larry Humphries benefitted from a cross from Garcia to make it 6-1 with 25:43 to play. The Vikings got four more goals as Nicholas Madrid, Sam Newmyer (second of the game), Jalen Roberts and Zach Martin (second of the game) to make the final score of 10-1.
Martin opened the scoring in the first half as he got past the goalie out from the net for a nice touch shot for the goal with 32:20 left in the first half. Newmyer scored his first goal of the game going low into the left side corner to make it 2-0 with 23:34 remaining in the first half.
Houston County’s Thomas Bryant got loose on a breakaway to pick up Houston County’s only goal of the game coming with 6:47 left in the first half to cut the lead in two at 2-1.
Lakeside advances to the Class 6A Sweet 16 on Thursday, April 29 with a trip to Glynn Academy (15-2-1). A time had yet to be set.
DCSD FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS RESULTS
Friday, April 23
Class 6A Boys
Lakeside (15-2-1) 10, Houston Co. (5-9-2) 1
Class 4A Boys
Druid Hills (9-9-1) 2, Pickens Co. (11-5-0) 0
Southeast Whitfield (13-0-3) 10, Arabia Mountain (3-11-1) 0
DCSD SECOND ROUND PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Monday, April 26 (Tentative)
Class 7A Girls
Alpharetta (13-3-0) at Dunwoody (14-5-0), 5:30 pm, Adams
Class 5A Girls
Chamblee (10-5-0) at Blessed Trinity (17-1-1), 6:00 pm
Wednesday, April 28
Class 6A Girls
Richmond Hill (12-3-0) vs. Lakeside (11-6-0), TBA, Adams Stadium
Thursday, April 29
Class 6A Boys
Tucker (9-10) vs. Lakeside-Evans (16-2), TBA
Lakeside (15-2-1) at Glynn Academy (15-2-1), TBA
Class 4A Boys
Druid Hills (9-9-1) at East Hall (12-4-1), TBA