Class 3A blog: Top teams and longshots hit the pitch for first round of GHSA Soccer Playoffs

Northwest Whitfields boys and Jeffersons girls will enter the GHSA Class 3A playoff fray Thursday (girls) and Friday (boys) for the opening rounds of the postseason and each are five victories away from an elusive state championship.

On the boys side, Columbus won the programs first-ever title in Class 3A and is now the top-ranked team in Class 2A this season following reclassification. Theres one meeting between ranked teams in the first round when No. 9 Chestatee travels to No. 8 West Laurens.

On the girls side, No. 7 Oconee County enters the tournament as the two-time, back-to-back defending champions and will host Johnson-Gainesville in the first round. No. 6 Lumpkin County opened the playoffs with a 5-1 victory against No. 9 Southeast Bulloch.

Follow the link to the prep scoreboard or the boys and girls brackets to keep up with the action.

See the pre-playoff rankings and schedule below

Class 3A Boys Top 10 First-Round Soccer Schedule (Friday)

1. Northwest Whitfield vs. Sandy Creek

2. Oconee County vs. Luella

3. Whitewater vs. Dougherty

4. Johnson-Gainesville vs. Groves

5. Mary Persons vs. Heritage-Catoosa

6. Islands vs. Dawson County

7. Richmond Academy vs. East Hall

8. West Laurens vs. No. 9 Chestatee

9. Chestatee at No. 8 West Laurens

10. Gilmer vs. Cairo

Class 3A Girls Top 10 First-Round Soccer Schedule (Thursday)

1. Jefferson vs. East Hall

2. Harlem vs. North Clayton

3. Dawson County vs. LaGrange

4. Richmond Academy vs. Calhoun

5. Sandy Creek vs. Baldwin

6. Lumpkin County beat No. 9 Southeast Bulloch 5-1

7. Oconee County vs. Johnson-Gainesville

8. Long County vs. Upson-Lee

9. Southeast Bulloch lost to No. 6 Lumpkin County 5-1

10. Whitewater vs. Westover