Lacrosse: Round 3 recap, semifinals preview

The quarterfinals concluded Wednesday and we’re down to the Final Four, which takes place Friday and Saturday. Here’s a look at what happened last round, and what’s ahead.

CLASS 7A

Boys

Credit: GHSA.net

One thing is already known: There will be a new state champion in 7A after top-ranked North Paulding edged defending champs and No. 5 West Forsyth 10-9. No. 2 Lambert is in line to win its third title in four years, and the fourth in the past six years. Lambert will play No. 4 Walton, which beat unranked Harrison 13-7, in the semifinals. No. 3 Buford beat No. 9 Milton 14-7 and will play North Paulding.

In other words, the top four teams in the rankings heading into the tournament are the final four.

Girls

Credit: GHSA.net

Three of the teams ranked in the top four advanced, the lone exception being unranked North Gwinnett, which beat No. 5 Hillgrove 6-5. It will now play top-ranked Milton, the heavy favorite for a seventh straight title, which beat No. 2 Cherokee 19-6. No. 3 West Forsyth beat No. 9 South Forsyth 10-9 and will play No. 4 Walton, which crushed No. 7 Campbell 20-0.

Walton is the last team not named Milton to win a title in the highest classification, beating Milton in the 2016 5A championship.

5A-6A

Boys

Credit: GHSA.net

Top-ranked Roswell beat No. 3 Allatoona 8-7 for the second time this season, and for the second time of the past two postseasons. It beat Allatoona in last year’s championship. Roswell plays No. 5 Alpharetta, which beat unranked Cambridge 13-4. Unranked Centennial stunned No. 2 North Forsyth with a 17-6 win and will play No. 6 Blessed Trinity, which beat No. 4 Lassiter 13-4.

It was Roswell’s closest game this season against a 5A-6A school, with the next closest a 12-8 win over Blessed Trinity for the Area 5 championship in the regular season finale.

Girls

Credit: GHSA.net

Blessed Trinity is going for a fourth straight title and seventh since 2016 after beating unranked Pope 17-7. It will play No. 5 Creekview, which beat No. 6 Roswell 11-7, ending Roswell’s hopes of sweeping the championships. No. 3 Cambridge beat unranked Lassiter 13-11 and will play unranked Chattahoochee, which beat unranked Alpharetta 12-10.

Chattahoochee will play its second ranked opponent after upsetting No. 4 Northgate 16-5 in Round 1.

A-4A

Boys

Credit: GHSA.net

Defending champions Westminster beat unranked Lovett 9-6 and will play unranked Oconee County, which beat No. 3 North Oconee 7-6. This will be the first matchup of the tournament against a ranked opponent for Oconee County. Top-ranked Starr’s Mill beat No. 4 Benedictine 14-4 and will play unranked Wesleyan, which upset No. 2 Fellowship Christian 12-5.

Westminster is the only program remaining with state titles, having won six in the lowest classification since 2010, and an open championship in 2007, before there were enough GHSA programs for area alignments.

Girls

Credit: GHSA.net

No. 2 Wesleyan toppled top-ranked Fellowship Christian 14-13 and will play No. 8 Starr’s Mill, which beat unranked Holy Innocents’ 21-3. There will be a new champion, as No. 3 Westminster beat defending champions, No. 10 Pace Academy, 22-7 and will play No. 5 East Forsyth, which beat No. 9 Mount Paran 15-12.

Westminster is the only remaining program with titles, having won four in a row in the lowest classification from 2010-2013.

Sources: AJC rankings , Maxpreps

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