Eight Northeast Georgia-area girls soccer teams advanced through to the Sweet 16 of the Georgia High School Association playoffs last week.
The second round will be a challenging one overall as well. Only one team -- Commerce in Class A Division 1 -- will be at home when the second round opens on Monday around the area and state. The other seven will all be on the road, six against region champions.
There are three compelling matchups in the second round on Monday.
The first will be in Marietta where No. 2 Buford (15-2) will travel to No. 3 Walton (13-2-2) in Class 7A. The Lady Wolves have won four straight while the Lady Raiders are 8-0-1 in their last nine. Something will have to give as both teams are hoping to repeat deep playoff runs from last year. Walton advanced to the Class 7A semifinals while Buford made it to the Elite 8 in Class 6A.
The second will be in Class 3A, where third-ranked Lumpkin County (12-1-1) will travel to No. 4 Bremen (14-5). The Lady Indians are looking to improve on their Elite 8 finish in 2022 while Bremen was a semifinalist in Class 2A last season.
The third will be in Class 5A where No. 7 Jefferson (12-1-1) heads to No. 2 Midtown (17-1). Both teams were state runners-up in 2022, with Midtown losing in the Class 5A finals and Jefferson falling in the Class 4A finals.
In Class A Division 1, last year's Class A Public state runner-up and now No. 1-ranked Commerce (17-1) rolled in the first round and takes on Atlanta International School (10-5-1) at home. The Lady Tigers have won 22 straight at home going back to a playoff loss in 2021.
(Check below for the full second-round schedule for Northeast Georgia-area girls teams.)
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS, 2nd round, Monday, April 17
Class 7A
Buford (Region 8, Seed 2) at Walton (R5, S1), 7:30 p.m.
Class 5A
Jefferson (R8, S2), at Midtown (R5, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 3A
Lumpkin County (R7, S2) at Bremen (R6, S1), 6:30 p.m.
White County (R7, S3) at Sandy Creek (R5, S1), 6 p.m.
Class A Division 1
Atlanta International School (R6, S3) at Commerce (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Class A Division 2
Towns County (A3, S3) at Portal (A2, S2), TBA
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS, 2nd round, Wednesday, April 19
Class 4A
Cherokee Bluff (R8, S2) at Lovett (R5, S1), 5:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Union County (R8, S3) at Mt. Paran (R6, S1), 5 p.m.
