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By Mark Brock
DEKALB COUNTY, GA–Four girls’ high school soccer teams from DeKalb County will open the GHSA State Soccer Playoffs on Tuesday, April 12, with 15 teams (8 girls, 7 boys) participating in the first round this week.
Two Top 10-ranked DeKalb teams play a doubleheader at North DeKalb on Tuesday at No. 1-ranked Chamblee (5A) and No. 4 ranked Dunwoody (7A) open their respective state playoffs.
Dunwoody (14-3) opens the night at 5:30 p.m. against Region 5 No. 4 seed Etowah (7-6). Dunwoody earned the No. 1 seed from Region 7 with a perfect mark in region play to earn an 11th consecutive playoff trip. A win would tie the team with the most wins in program history at 15.
Chamblee (16-1-1) follows at 7:30 p.m., hosting Woodland-Cartersville (6-9-2) in the Class 5A first round. Chamblee went undefeated in Region 5 to earn the No. 1 seed to earn a 13th consecutive playoff trip. The 16 wins is the most in program history.
Clarkston (12-4) was the Region 5-5A No. 4 seed and travels to No. 2 ranked Blessed Trinity (16-1-1) for a 6 p.m. start. The 12 wins on the season ties the 2019 squad for most wins in program history. It is Clarkston’s third trip overall to the state playoffs and first since 2019.
Cedar Grove’s Lady Saints (10-6) posted a historic season on the way to their first state playoff berth for the team. The 10 wins are the most for the program and earned a trip to face No. 3 ranked Cherokee Bluff (15-3) at 5:30 p.m.
Two away boys’ games are on tap for Wednesday evening. Cross Keys (10-8) travels to Cartersville (8-8-1) for a 6:30 p.m. contest in Class 5A. It is the Indians seventh consecutive playoff appearance. In Class 7A, Dunwoody (14-4-1) goes on the road to Milton (10-5-1) for a 7:55 p.m. start. Dunwoody is making a second consecutive state playoff appearance as the No. 3 seed from 7-7A while putting up the most wins in program history since 1997 (16-2).
Four more girls’ games are on tap including two Class 6A teams on the schedule. The Lakeside Lady Vikings (12-3) host South Effingham (11-5) at 6:00 pm in a doubleheader with Class 4A Druid Hills at Adams Stadium. Lakeside is making a 21st consecutive trip to the state playoffs as the program won its 450th match (452-173-30) 10-0 over Langston Hughes on March 10.
Tucker (8-8) is the other Class 6A entry from DeKalb as the Lady Tigers go on the road to Brunswick to take on No. 8 ranked Glynn Academy (13-2) at 5:30 pm. It is the Lady Tigers eighth consecutive playoff appearance.
The two matches on Thursday come in Class 4A state playoff action. Druid Hills (4-9-1) hosts Madison County (8-6) at 8:00 pm at Adams Stadium following the Lakeside/South Effingham game. Druid Hills is making a ninth consecutive playoff appearance.
Arabia Mountain goes on the road to No. 1 ranked North Oconee (17-0) in the other Class 4A girls’ match. Arabia Mountain is making a fifth consecutive playoff appearance and is looking for its first win.
First round action wraps on Friday as five DeKalb boys’ teams play their first-round matches headlined by Class 6A No. 3 ranked Lakeside (15-01) and Class 4A No. 8 Druid Hills open with a doubleheader at Adams Stadium.
Lakeside hosts Brunswick (11-7-0) at 6:00 pm to open the night as the Vikings make a 24th consecutive playoff appearance which includes seven state titles, the last in 2008. Lakeside won a DeKalb leading 650th victory (652-164-56) with a 6-1 win over North Atlanta on March 18.
Druid Hills follows at 8 p.m. hosting East Hall (9-8-1). The Red Devils are making a 10th consecutive playoff appearance.
Other Friday night playoff action includes the Tucker Tigers (6A), Stephenson Jaguars (4A) and Towers Titans (2A). Tucker (8-7-3) goes on the road to face off with Statesboro (9-8) at 6:00 pm. It is the Tigers’ 11thconsecutive playoff appearance. Tucker also hit a milestone on March 28th picking up the program’s 400th victory (400-320-41) good for fourth in DeKalb.
Stephenson goes on the road to Jefferson (10-5-2) at a time to be announced. Stephenson is making its first state playoff appearance since 2012 and is vying for its first playoff win. Stephenson bounced back from not having a team in 2021.
The Towers Titans (5-5-1) rebounded from not having a team in 2021 to finishing third in Region 6-2A to earn their first playoff berth since 2018. Towers is 0-4 in the state playoffs as they head to Rabun on Friday with a time to be announced.
DCSD SOCCER STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, April 12
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
CLASS 7A GIRLS
Etowah (7-6) vs. Dunwoody (14-3), 5:30 p.m.
Woodland, Cartersville (6-9-2) vs. Chamblee (16-1-1), 7:30 p.m.
AWAY GAMES
CLASS 5A GIRLS
Clarkston (12-4) at Blessed Trinity (16-1-1), 6 p.m.
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Cedar Grove (10-6) at Cherokee Bluff (15-3), TBA
Wednesday, April 13
AWAY GAMES
CLASS 5A BOYS
Cross Keys (10-8) at Cartersville (8-8-1), 6:30 p.m.
CLASS 7A BOYS
Dunwoody (14-4-1) at Milton (10-5-1), 7:55 p.m.
Thursday, April 14
ADAMS STADIUM
CLASS 6A GIRLS
South Effingham (11-5) vs. Lakeside (12-3), 6 p.m.
Madison Co. (8-6) vs. Druid Hills (4-9-1), 8 p.m.
AWAY GAMES
CLASS 6A GIRLS
Tucker (9-8) at Glynn Academy (13-2), 5:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Arabia Mountain (3-8-2) at North Oconee (18-1), TBA
Friday, April 15
ADAMS STADIUM
CLASS 6A BOYS
Brunswick () at Lakeside (15-0-1), 6 p.m.
East Hall (9-8-1) at Druid Hills (8-9), 8 p.m.
AWAY GAMES
CLASS 2A BOYS
Towers (5-5-1) at Rabun (7-5), TBA
CLASS 4A BOYS
Stephenson (6-6-1) at Jefferson (10-5-2), TBA
CLASS 6A BOYS
Tucker (8-7-3) at Statesboro (9-8), 6 p.m.
Mark Brock is the athletics specialist for the DeKalb County School District (DCSD).