High school soccer playoffs: Southeast survives first-round test; Northwest, North Murray fall short

Published 10:00 pm Friday, April 14, 2023

The quest for a third straight state championship survived a first-round test.

Two-time defending champ Southeast Whitfield High School overcame an early deficit on a rainy Friday to defeat Chestatee 3-2 and move on to the second round of the boys Class 4A playoffs.

Southeast advances to play Westminster, a 3A semifinalist a year ago, in Atlanta on Thursday.

A goal by Chestatee’s Javier Rebollar less than four minutes into the game, when he turned and fired from long range to sneak a goal in the top corner, put the Raiders behind.

The shocking goal was the first given up in a first or second round game by Southeast since 2019. The Raiders had the benefit of a top seed in their back-to-back state title runs the last two years, but a second-place finish in Region 7-4A, combined with a difficult cross-region pairing, led to a tighter-than-usual opening round for Southeast.

The deficit held for a little over 10 minutes.

With 25 to play in the first half, Diego Ramirez and Jerry Favela combined on an equalizer.

After a corner kick, Ramirez took the ball wide, drew attention and found an open Favela in front of an open net. Favela tapped it in to tie the game.

The tie held through halftime. Favela nearly created a second goal in the closing seconds of the half after a steal, but a centering pass was deflected out of play as the buzzer sounded.

After Southeast keeper Victor Cordoba made a diving, swatting save early in the second half, Chestatee nearly took the lead again with 25 minutes to play.

An attempt to clear the ball by Southeast instead bounced off the back of a retreating player and headed for the goal. Cordoba was able to react in time to get a finger on it and send the ball wide, but a charging Chestatee player caught up to the ball and had a look at an empty net.

The sharp-angled shot went just to the right of the goalpost, and it was Southeast instead that took the lead a few minutes later.

Angel Garcia lofted a perfect setup pass to Favela, who had found room behind the defense in front of the goal.

Favela’s header slapped off the post, but it bounced right back to him with the keeper still at the post. Favela again tapped in for the go-ahead score.

After another kick save from Cordoba kept the advantage, Southeast got the insurance the Raiders would end up needing.

Leo Barajas was tripped up from behind in the penalty box with seven minutes to play.

Garcia took the penalty kick and buried it.

Chestatee quickly cut the margin back to one. A Raider penalty just outside the box set up a free kick, and the ball found its way around defenders with 6:30 left.

The visitors pushed for the tie in the final minutes, but the Raiders held on to continue the chase for a third straight title.

Also in boys playoff soccer action on Friday:

North Oconee 3, Northwest Whitfield 2 (penalty kicks)

A year ago, the disappointment for Northwest Whitfield came in a defeat in the state championship game.

This season, it comes after a first-round upset.

North Oconee (9-6) out-dueled Northwest Whitfield (9-6-2) 5-4 on a round of penalty kicks to oust the Region 7-4A champion 3-2 Friday in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

North Oconee was a deceptively-strong fourth seed out of a stacked Region 8-4A that includes undefeated Johnson, the defending Class 5A champion.

The Bruins led 2-0 at halftime before North Oconee came roaring back with a pair of goals to force extra time. The lead was cut to 2-1 with 18 minutes to play, and the visitors tied things up on a penalty kick with 12:31 to go.

Both 10-minute frames of extra time were played without a score, so the game headed to a penalty shootout.

Each team hit on their first three chances, but a Northwest try went high in the fourth round. Northwest made its try in the fifth round, but needed a save to keep the match going. It didn’t come, and Northwest’s playoff run was halted after one game.

Northwest ends the year after winning its first region title since 2016.

Union County 1, North Murray 0

The season ended for North Murray (11-4) with a 1-0 loss in the Class 2A playoffs’ first round Friday to visiting Union County (9-4).

A first-half goal from Union led the visitors to the upset over the Mountaineers.

Union County advances to the second round on Thursday.