Only two Cobb County soccer teams made the state semifinals, and both of them were on the girls side. Walton fell to North Gwinnett in penalty kicks last week, but Walker broke through for the school’s fourth overall girls soccer title and third in a row.
Walker, led by head coach Brad Brown, coasted past Blessed Trinity in the Class 2A/A state finals, defeating the Lady Titans 5-1. The Lady Wolverines led 4-0 at the break thanks to two goals from Nicole Locandro, who also had an assist, and one goal each from Rachel Fine and Sara Sikora. Locandro struck again in the second half to make it 5-1 after Taylor Green of Blessed Trinity gave the Roswell school its first and only goal. Walker goalkeeper Alyse Scott capped off an amazing year with 11 saves in the game, and Walker finishes up the 2010 campaign with a 15-3-2 overall record.
Walton wasn’t so lucky in the Class 5A state playoffs, falling to eventual champion North Gwinnett at home as a 4-3 penalty kick count broke a 3-3 tie in the semifinals. North Gwinnett came back from a two-goal deficit to catch the Lady Raiders at 3-3 in the second half with five minutes remaining, sending the game into overtime. Brooke Theobald and Jessica Helms scored in the first half for Walton, with Johanna Liney netting in the second to give the team a seemingly comfortable 3-1 advantage. North Gwinnett had several chances in the first overtime, but both defenses held to send it to a shootout. The teams stayed knotted up at 3-3 in penalties, but a North Gwinnett goal and subsequent diving stop by the Lady Bulldogs’ goalie ended the game and Walton’s playoff run. The team finishes with a 17-1-1 overall record.
MORE SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS …
The state lacrosse titles were decided last weekend, and Lassiter represented the county well despite coming away without a trophy. Both the Trojans’ boys and girls lacrosse squads lost in the title match in the Class 5A division, and both times it was Milton that thwarted Lassiter’s efforts. The boys fell by a goal count of 13-5, and the girls lost 14-4 to Milton, which has appeared in every girls state title game since the inception of lacrosse as a GHSA-sanctioned sport in 2005. The boys finish the year at 17-5, while the girls wrap up the season with an 18-4 mark. Harrison also made the semifinals on the boys side, losing to Lassiter, and Walton reached the Final Four on the girls side, getting defeated by Milton.
The boys track and field championships were decided last week in Jefferson, which capped off track and field season. The top team finishers were McEachern in 5A (fourth), Allatoona in 4A (eighth), and Whitefield Academy in A (fourth). Jaron Roberson helped McEachern to its top-five finish with a win in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.911, while teammate Cornelius Savage took fourth in the 110-meter hurdles and third in the 300-meter hurdles. Wheeler took second in the 4×400-meter relay. Henry Stevens-Carty shined in 4A for Allatoona, winning both the 800-meter run and the 1,600-meter run by over two seconds in front of the second-place finisher each time. Cameron Thornton of Whitefield Academy also won the 800 and 1,600, and the Wolfpack’s 4×400 relay team took first as well. Whitefield’s Andrew Dunkleberger took second in the shot put.
STILL ON THE DIAMOND …
With all spring sports wrapped up except baseball, there are still a few county teams in the hunt for titles. As of Tuesday afternoon (Round 3 results were not available as of press time), four Cobb teams were still alive in the playoffs: Lassiter and Harrison in 5A and Sprayberry in 4A. Lassiter advanced to Round 3 after a surprising sweep of previously top-ranked Parkview (7-0, 4-1), and was taking on an upstart Luella team at home. Harrison squeaked past Collins Hill in the second round with a 7-4 win in the rubber match, and had to travel to Valdosta for a shot to advance to the semifinals. Sprayberry was matched up with Wayne County on the road in the quarterfinals, having advanced past Alexander with a dominant sweep (12-4, 11-5) sweep over Alexander. And finally in Class A, Walker was hosting Irwin County after dispatching Eagle’s Landing Christian in two blowout wins (16-4, 17-8). North Cobb in 5A and Hillgrove in 4A reached the second round but were defeated by North Gwinnett and Whitewater, respectively.
For all classifications, the baseball semifinal series will be played on May 24, and the finals will take place on May 28.
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