OAKWOOD —The fourth-ranked Johnson boys soccer team was on the ropes for a half.
That was all.
The Knights outscored Cass, 4-0, in the second half to roll past the Colonels, 5-1, at The Dungeon and advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament next week.
"It was a close first half. I am pleased with how the boys responded in the second half," Head Coach Frank Zamora said. "We found the energy and intensity we needed in the second half as well as being clinical in the final third. Taking the lead with less than two minutes into the second half gave us the momentum we needed."
They'll host to top-ranked Starr's Mill, who blanked Union Grove on Tuesday, 6-0, in what is sure to be an epic battle between two of the state's elite programs on May 5.
After a slow first half that ended tied, 1-1, the Knights found a rhythm, turned up the pressure on the Cass defense, and shut the Colonels down offensively.
Abraham Gomez broke the tie within the first minute and 1/2 of the second half on a cross from Ramon Aguilar. Eliam Chavez added the second goal of the half with 33 minutes left on a shot at the top of the box. A couple of minutes later, Jorge Sandavol, who scored the Knights' first goal of the game, added his second of the night with 31 minutes left.
Aguilar scored the last Johnson goal with 14 minutes remaining to ensure the victory.
SECOND ROUND SOCCER SCOREBOARD, Tuesday, April 27
(Games listed by date and classification, highest to smallest)
(Games listed by visiting team in alphabetical order)
(Area teams highlighted in bold)
CLASS 5A
Johnson boys 5, Cass 1
CLASS 3A
Westminster boys 4, Cherokee Bluff 1
Greater Atlanta Christian boys 3, White County 2
Greater Atlanta Christian girls 4, Lumpkin County 0
CLASS A PUBLIC
Towns County boys 5, Armuchee 0
Georgia Military boys 10, Commerce 0
SECOND ROUND SOCCER
(Games listed by date and classification, highest to smallest)
(Games listed by visiting team in alphabetical order)
(Area teams highlighted in bold)
Wednesday, April 28
CLASS 6A
Habersham Central boys (R8, S3) at Johns Creek (R7, S1), 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 29
CLASS 4A
Chestatee boys (R8, S3) at Southeast Whitfield (R7, S1), 6 p.m.
Flowery Branch boys (R8, S4) at Northwest Whitfield (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
Druid Hills boys (R6, S2) at East Hall (R8, S1), 7:30 p.m.
Jefferson boys (R8, S2) at Marist (R6, S1), 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Lovett boys (R6, S2) at Union County (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Riverside Military boys (R8, S2) at Pace Academy (R6, S1), TBD
