FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Class 4A No. 3-ranked Cherokee Bluff set up a basic region title showdown on Friday with No. 1 North Oconee after beating East Hall 10-0 on Tuesday at home.
The Lady Bears (13-1, 7-0 Region 8-4A) already own wins over third place Johnson, fourth-place East Forsyth, and fifth-place Madison County but would need two wins to clinch no worse than second place. It’s basically the same thing for the Lady Titans (11-0-2, 8-0 Region 8-4A) who already have clinched a top two spot.
Against East Hall on Senior Night, Bluff got three goals from junior Kaitlin Cook. But seniors Alyssa Stringer (1 goal, 3 assists), Amelia Dovie (1 goal, 1 assist) and Sophie Recinella (1 goal) all had solid games for the Lady Bears.
Naomi Cornett, Eva Martin, Genesis Gamez, and Carson DeMars all had one and one assist while Anna Gessner added 1 assist for Buff.
Senior Avery Fowler and the defense posted their 10th shutout of the season.
JOHNSON 4,
EAST FORSYTH 2
The Lady Knights scored three second half goals to rally for a crucial Region 8-4A road win on Tuesday.
East Forsyth (6-6-1, 6-3 Region 8-4A) struck first with a goal in the opening minutes. Johnson later tied the match at 1 on a Abby Menjavar free kick from 40 yards out. The Lady Broncos answered that just before the half with a free kick of their own to make it 2-1 at the break.
In the second half, Johnson (8-3-1, 6-1 Region 8-4A) Johnson’s Liz Rivera heated up. Rivera scored off an assist from Arithzi Vargas to tie the match. Giselle Rivera found the net off a deflection for the lead and then Liz Rivera scored again off a long shot over the keeper to give the Lady Knights some cushion.
The win kept Johnson in third place, one game ahead of the Lady Broncos with the tiebreaker. The Lady Knights next will play host to Walnut Grove on Thursday.
FLOWERY BRANCH 6,
GAINESVILLE 4
The Lady Falcons snapped a two-match losing streak holding off the rival Lady Red Elephants on Tuesday at Falcons Field.
Sarah Greiner scored five goals, including two in the opening four minutes, three in the first 11 minutes, and had found the net four times by the first 21 minutes of the match. Branch (10-3) never trailed.
Olivia Barr scored a goal in the 49th minute and had one assist on the night as well.
Flowery Branch will play host to Chestatee on Thursday.
Gainesville (3-10) will play host to Lanier on Friday in Region 8-6A action.
