First Presbyterian Christian Academy’s Lady Highlander soccer team nearly had a perfect season. The girls were sitting on an 8-0 record until a 3-1 loss at Frederica Academy Thursday.

According to Highlander coach Tom Sukaratana, it was heartbreaking, especially because he thought his girls could defeat Frederica.
“We were No. 1. We would have won the region, but we lost,” he said. “We are the Region 2-AA runners-up.”

Tuesday, FPCA took a decisive 5-0 win while hosting Trinity Christian at James Brown Park.
Lady ’Lander Ausett Gibbs smashed a solid goal into the back of the net, but she was called offside, cancelling the point. As if showing the goal should have counted, Gibbs got a pass, dribbled down field and kicked in another goal within seconds of the call. FPCA was up 1-0.

That sparked a frenzied offensive attack for the remainder of the game.
“We lost to Trinity in a shootout last year. That’s why we were pumped up and we beat them,” Sukaratana said. “If we would have played Frederica the way we played Trinity, we would have won.”

Despite the loss, FPCA holds the second seed. So they are likely to host the first round game of the state playoffs Friday. 

Monday, the Highlander teams will host Robert Toombs Christian Academy. The girls begin at 4 p.m. and the boys follow.

Between games, the Highlander coaching staff will recognize senior players. Sukaratana said the girls could win another state title.