It was par for the course for the First Presbyterian Christian Academy girls’ soccer team last week as it wrapped up its second Georgia Independent School Association Region 2-AA title with a 6-1 win over Frederica Academy.
Because the Lady ’Landers won the region title, they will have home-field advantage for the state playoffs, which begin Tuesday.
Now the girls can set their sights on a prize that eluded them last season — the Class AA state title. Last year, the Lady ’Landers were the state runners-up after losing to Gatewood School in the finals.
FPCA coach Tom Sukaratana knows it will be an uphill fight, so he is giving his girls a real challenge Saturday by scheduling a game against Class 2-AAA region champ Stratford Academy, which boasts a 14-0 overall mark. The Lady ’Landers will host Stratford beginning at 2 p.m. at the St. James Sports Field.
The FPCA boys ended the season as the Region 2-AA runners-up. The Highlanders topped Valwood School, 10-7, on Tuesday in Hahira. Sukaratana said it was a challenging game and the most goals ever scored against his boys’ team.
The Highlanders also start their state run Tuesday at home but will need to win out in order to keep the home field advantage.
In other area soccer news, the Liberty County Panthers teams’ seasons are over after losses in the first round of the Region 3-AAAA playoffs on Tuesday. The Tigers lost, 2-0, to Richmond Academy to finish the year at 3-9 overall and 2-5 in the region.
The Lady Panthers lost, 6-2, to Richmond Academy, but Liberty County coach Jarvis McArthur said the Lady Panthers’ battled strong, holding a 1-0 lead midway through the first half on a goal by senior Taylor Christner.
Richmond Academy came back to hold a 2-1 lead at intermission.
In the second half, Cortney Welch notched a goal as the Panthers trailed, 3-2.
“But our inexperience cost us late in the game as they started to pull ahead for a 6-2 victory,” McArthur said. “Our first-year goalkeeper, Olivia Legette, made some very good saves, which enabled us to remain competitive for most of the game.”
McArthur said this season served the girls well as he expects eight girls to return next season with significant game experience.
“This year, we fielded a very young and inexperienced team,” he said. “However, I am happy with the improvement we made, and I look forward to next year.”
The girls finished 1-10 and 0-7, respectively.
The Bradwell Institute Tiger boys’ team lost back-to-back games, starting with a 6-1 loss April 12 at Richmond Hill.
On Tuesday, the Tigers lost, 7-1, at Glynn Academy. The Tigers are 5-8 overall and 4-7 in Region 3-AAAAA.
The Lady Tigers lost, 9-0, at Richmond Hill and 10-0 at Glynn and are 6-8 and 5-7, respectively.
Bradwell will be at Groves High today, with games beginning at 5 p.m.