More than a dozen Northeast Georgia-area girls soccer teams made the playoffs -- 15 to be exact -- with several having been highly ranked in their respective classifications most of the season.
All will get under on either Tuesday or Thursday as the 2023 state playoffs kick off this week around the state. Buford in Class 7A, Habersham County in 6A, Jefferson in 5A, Cherokee Bluff in 4A, Lumpkin County and White County in 3A, and Commerce in Class A Division 1 all have been perched in the top 10 most of the season.
Buford, now No. 2 in 7A, sat in the top spot until now-No. 1 Mill Creek knocked the Lady Wolves off for the 8-7A title. Commerce comes into the playoffs ranked No. 1.
But of the 15 teams, only Jackson County (Region 8-6A) and Commerce won region championships.
The 2022 playoffs were about as good as it could get for area teams, with Commerce (Class A Public) and Jefferson (Class 4A) both advancing to the championship match. In all, eight teams made the Elite 8 or better. Four made the semifinals.
What is in store for 2023? No one knows, but several area teams will face tough roads as they try to advance. Classes 7A, 5A, 3A, and both Class A divisions open on Tuesday. Classes 6A, 4A, and 2A will begin on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Buford (13-2) opens at home against Meadowcreek (9-4-2) and could face four potential top-10 teams over the final four rounds if the Lady Wolves get past the Lady Mustangs.
Class 6A ninth-ranked Habersham Central (15-2) has a brutal opening, playing host to No. 4 and defending Class 6A state champion Lassiter (11-2-2) at Raider Stadium on Thursday. If they can get past the Lady Trojans, No. 10 Alexander (15-3) will likely be waiting.
In Class 5A, No. 8 Jefferson (11-1-1) opens at Memorial Stadium against Cartersville, looking to return to the championship game after falling to Marist in last year's Class 4A finals. Flowery Branch (12-4) has played well all season and could be an upset-alert watch against No. 2 Dalton (12-5-1).
Unranked Johnson (10-4-1) may have the most challenging road of any of our area teams The Lady Knights open against Class 4A No. 7 Northwest Whitfield (11-3-1) and could face a ranked team in every round. If they can pull the upset against the Lady Bruins, No. 3 Westminster (13-3), which is the seven-time reigning Class 3A state champ before moving up, is likely to be waiting in the second round.
Also in Class 4A, No. 4 Cherokee Bluff (15-2) has a favorable draw with just one potential ranked team -- No. 10 Lovett, which is the reigning Class 2A state champion -- standing in its way to a second straight semifinal appearance (3A).
In Class 3A, seventh-ranked White County (12-5) travels to No. 6 Hebron Christian (12-1-2) in the first round. No. 3 Lumpkin County (11-1-1) plays host to Stephens County (4-8-1) but, like Buford, could face four ranked teams over the final four rounds.
East Jackson (2-7-1) opens Class 2A against No. 2 Model (15-0) on the road.
In Class A Division 1, Commerce (16-1) may not have to face but one ranked team until the semifinals but has an intriguing matchup with Pepperell (9-5-1), which won two straight and 4 of its last 6 to get into the playoffs.
(Check below for the full first-round schedule for Northeast Georgia-area girls teams.)
GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE, Tuesday, April 11
Class 7A
Meadowcreek (R7, S3) at Buford (Region 8, Seed 2), 6 p.m.
Class 5A
Flowery Branch (R8, S4) at Dalton (R7, S1), 6 p.m.
Cartersville (R7, S3) at Jefferson (R8, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Class 3A
Dawson County (R7, S4) at Oconee County (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Stephens County (R8, S3) at Lumpkin County (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
White County (R7, S3) at Hebron Christian (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Class A Division 1
Pepperell (R7, S4) at Commerce (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Rabun County (R8, S3) at Darlington (R7, S2), TBA
Class A Division 2
Towns County (R3, S3), BYE in 1st round
GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE, Thursday, April 13
Class 6A
North Forsyth (R8, S4) at Blessed Trinity (R7, S1), 6 p.m.
Habersham Central (R8, S3) at Pope (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
Class 4A
Johnson (R8, S3) at Northwest Whitfield (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
Southeast Whitfield (R7, S3) at Cherokee Bluff (R8, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Class 2A
East Jackson (R8, S4) at Model (R7, S1), TBA
Union County (R8, S3) at North Murray (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
