The Grady Grey Knights girls soccer team has just one regular season game left on its schedule, a non-conference tilt against Class AAAA No. 8 Flowery Branch after spring break, but Rodney Thomas’ squad has already locked up a spot in the upcoming Class AAA state playoffs.
The Grey Knights are 4-0 in the last nine days, including a crucial 3-0 victory over Druid Hills last Friday. The win was the third straight region victory for Grady, which started the year 0-2 in Region 5A-AAA action. The opposition has been held to just one goal the last three games entering last night, when Grady stepped out of region play to face Decatur one day after defeating Luella. The Grey Knights tagged Decatur 4-1 after previously thumping Luella 11-1 Wednesday. The mercy-rule victory marked the fourth time Grady has posted 10 or more goals this season.
Sweeper Gracie White, a junior for Grady, says the team has certainly improved as the season has progressed. “I would say we are playing with a sense of momentum right now,” said White before last week’s victory. The fourth straight win improved Grady’s record to 8-5-1 on the year.
White noted that Thomas and the assistant coaches worked to adjust defensive positions in an effort to help the Grey Knights play fast, something White says has helped the team during its current winning streak. “We always want to increase the speed of the game,” said White. “We want to make it fast.”
Grady’s roster features just five seniors with six juniors and six sophomores holding down a number of the positions. White has played varsity since her freshman season and her experience has helped the team as she serves as a leader on the field. “The responsibility falls onto the seniors, but it is up to the juniors to get the team excited, to pump up the team.”
When the team is pumped up, that helps energize the crowd which comes full circle to help the team play better still. “(Our improved play) has brought more spirit and more awareness to the Grady soccer team.” White noted that the fans are more apt to come out to the games when the team is winning, which it is now doing on a regular basis.
Grady made the playoffs last year after missing the postseason in 2010, something that has helped the team in other ways. White noted that, after making the playoffs, the team was able to bring aboard a goalie coach, which has helped drive the goals-against average down to 1.5 per game. The team also sports additional trainers.
But can the team overcome an 0-3-1 record against ranked opponents come playoff time? Last year the team lost in the first round of the playoffs to Allatoona but managed a tie earlier this year. The team fell to Paideia 4-0, Riverwood 3-2 and St. Pius X 6-0. Thomas has purposely scheduled difficult non-region opponents to prepare for the postseason said White. “He wants us to face the best to get us ready.”
Facing St. Pius X, ranked No. 1 in Class AAA according to Eurosportscoreboard.com, is something that Grady must do regionally, but White said Grady would play the Golden Lions regardless. “Facing St. Pius gives us an idea of what we’ll be up against in the playoffs.”
White even hinted that after the early season loss, perhaps Grady has developed a strategy to defeat the No. 1 team should they meet up again in the postseason. “We refined the plan,” said White. “We’ve grown a lot as a team since our shaky start.”
What must Grady do to have some postseason success and continue the run the Grey Knights are currently on? “We cannot come out flat and we’ve got to up the speed of play, make it fast.” Grady likes playing fast and has quickly played to a 4-0 record over the last two weeks. If Grady keeps up the pace, postseason success is bound to arrive in a hurry.
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This is a great write-up. I like the way that it was presented with stats and details from players.