The Liberty County High School girls’ soccer team has clinched a Class AAAA state-playoff spot, according to head coach Jarvis McArthur.
The Lady Panthers will travel Tuesday to Griffin to face Spalding. McArthur said they have not confirmed a start time yet.
This is the fourth time in McArthur’s eight years of coaching and second-straight season that the Lady Panthers have made the state playoffs. Liberty County also made the state playoffs in 2009 and 2010.
This year, the Lady Panthers went 5-7 overall and 2-2 in Region 3-AAAA.
McArthur said they’ve placed more emphasis on defense from 2008-13, relying on counter-attacks for scoring opportunities.
“Last year and this season, we have more skilled players at the midfield and forward positions,” he said. “Seniors Cortney Welch and Myesha Robinson, sophomore Sidney Wilkinson and junior Alexi Limer allowed us to attack more from the start of the game.”
The coach said that last year the Lady Panthers lost a close first-round game at Cairo, 2-1.
“We have had a good week of practice and we are very confident that our performance will be one of our best this season,” McArthur said.
He added the team will have to play without one of their key strikers, junior Jennifer Garcia, who was injured against Bradwell.