Soccer rankings: Wesleyan girls edge Holy Innocents’ in penalty kicks

In a Region 6-AA showdown at Holy Innocents on Tuesday night, the Wesleyan girls outlasted the Golden Bears 5-4 in penalty kicks. Despite surrendering four goals in a fast-paced, high-scoring battle, Wesleyan goalie Carolina Cannon came up big from start to finish. The senior made 21 saves, including one on Holy Innocents final penalty kick. The Wolves got a pair of goals from Regan Lochmandy, while Talor Panther and T.J. Anderson also found the back of the net. A 4-4 tie at the end of regulation held up through the overtime periods before the shootout had to decide it. Wesleyan converted its first five kicks and Holy Innocents capitalized on its first four attempts before Cannon made the clinching save.

For a while the Wesleyan vs. Holy Innocents boys showdown appeared to be on its way to a similar destination. A 3-3 tie, however, was erased by the Wolves swiftly and decisively. Wesleyan scored five unanswered goals to run away with an 8-3 win. Chandler Marsh and Bryce Cooke scored two goals apiece for the Wolves, who also got five assists from Luke Hedrick and one goal each by William Delk, Nick Eversbusch and Grant Sauer.

The Central Gwinnett boys secured the top seed in the state playoffs out of Region 8-AAAAAA by winning at Grayson 4-2 on Tuesday. Jorge Romero notched a pair of goals to lift the Black Knights and Diego Godinez and Eric Garcia each scored once. They can wrap up the outright region title with a victory at South Gwinnett on Friday. Central Gwinnett holds a one-game lead over Parkview, which it defeated 2-1 on March 31. Head coach Cory Morgans squad is led by Godinez (nine goals on the season), Joel Dominguez (team leader in assists) and goalkeeper Rickie Ortizan all-Gwinnett County selection last year.

One of the most impressive turnarounds since the 2014-15 campaign has been engineered by the Cedartown girls. After going winless last season, the Bulldogs have been led by new head coach Randall McDowell to a 5-3 record in Region 5-AAA. They maintained position to qualify for the state playoffs by hammering Pepperell 10-0 on Tuesday. Cedartown has clearly benefited from the return of senior Adilene Campos, who missed all of her junior year because of a broken leg. Campos scored 33 goals as a freshman, added 20 as a sophomore and has already surpassed the 30-goal mark this season.

BOYS
Class AAAAAA

1. Chattahoochee
2. Campbell
3. Duluth
4. Roswell
5. Brookwood
6. Walton
7. Lambert
8. Marietta
9. Harrison
10. Habersham Central

Class AAAAA

1. Dalton
2. Greenbrier
3. Houston County
4. Gainesville
5. Riverwood
6. Sequoyah
7. Glynn Academy
8. Starrs Mill
9. Heritage-Conyers
10. McIntosh

Class AAAA

1. St. Pius X
2. Woodward Academy
3. North Oconee
4. Whitewater
5. Johnson
6. LaGrange
7. Jonesboro
8. Southeast Whitfield
9. Northwest Whitfield
10. Buford

Class AAA

1. Westminster
2. Calhoun
3. West Hall
4. Jackson
5. Dawson County
6. Islands
7. Blessed Trinity
8. East Hall
9. North Murray
10. Decatur

Class AA

1. Greater Atlanta Christian
2. Thomasville
3. Riverside Military
4. Pace Academy
5. Benedictine
6. Holy Innocents
7. Wesleyan
8. Lovett
9. Union County
10. Long County

Class A

1. Stratford Academy
2. Atlanta International School
3. Savannah Christian
4. Fellowship Christian
5. Paideia
6. Athens Academy
7. Mount Paran Christian
8. Aquinas
9. Hebron Christian Academy
10. St. Anne Pacelli

GIRLS

Class AAAAAA

1. Harrison
2. Lassiter
3. Grayson
4. South Forsyth
5. Walton
6. East Coweta
7. Pope
8. Lambert
9. Parkview
10. Peachtree Ridge

Class AAAAA

1. McIntosh
2. Northgate
3. Starrs Mill
4. Columbus
5. Gainesville
6. Alexander
7. Rome
8. Richmond Hill
9. North Atlanta
10. Greenbrier

Class AAAA

1. Marist
2. St. Pius X
3. Woodward Academy
4. Veterans
5. Buford
6. Spalding
7. Pike County
8. Whitewater
9. Mary Persons
10. Ola

Class AAA

1. Westminster
2. Blessed Trinity
3. Dawson County
4. Lumpkin County
5. Adairsville
6. Calhoun
7. Decatur
8. Savannah Arts
9. Oconee County
10. Jefferson

Class AA

1. Greater Atlanta Christian
2. Lovett
3. Wesleyan
4. St. Vincents
5. East Laurens
6. Holy Innocents
7. Bremen
8. Pace Academy
9. Fitzgerald
10. Lamar County

Class A

1. Fellowship Christian
2. Atlanta International School
3. First Presbyterian Day
4. Paideia
5. Athens Academy
6. Aquinas
7. Stratford Academy
8. Savannah Christian
9. Walker
10. Hebron Christian Academy