Gilmer High was tasked with facing an Atlanta private school to start the Class 3A soccer state playoffs.
The GHS Bobcats made the trip last Wednesday to Westminster, and the Wildcats proved to be a formidable opponent. Westminster’s speedy three-pronged attack took a three-goal lead into the half, and they continued to score over the match’s final 40 minutes for an 8-0 win.
While the No. 2 seeded Wildcats (9-7-3) entered the round one matchup with seven losses, they all came against top-tier competition. GHS was seeded No. 3 from Region 7-3A, and the Bobcats were greeted by some opulent surroundings upon arrival.
“I think most of the boys were nervous and slightly overwhelmed by the school and the facilities,” GHS head coach Simon Phipps noted. “It is something that they do not really ever get to see and experience playing in our region, and this definitely affected how they started the game.”
Phipps and assistant Taylor Johnstone scouted Westminster on video and in person and discussed the Wildcats’ strengths and how they planned to slow them.
“We watched a lot of film and had taken some in-depth notes on a game we went and watched them play. We knew it was going to be a tough game for us because they played with three forwards who all had a lot of pace, something we had not seen a lot of this season,” Phipps said.
“Our plan going in was to track the players we had identified as being their biggest threat and load the midfield to try to slow the play down a bit.”
The Wildcats struck quickly after the opening kickoff and they added two more goals for a 3-0 halftime advantage. Westminster continued to press forward in the second half and found the back of the net five more times.
“We conceded pretty early, and it was evident that the boys were shell-shocked. However, we recovered well and played some decent ball to finish out the first half,” Phipps said. “We came back on the field and conceded early again, which really got the boys’ heads down. The game finished 8-0 to them, which I think was probably not an accurate reflection on how we played.”
While Gilmer was hoping to advance beyond the first round, the loss did not diminish the best season in the program’s history. GHS finished with a 10-5-1 overall record, which is a new standard for wins.
Gilmer’s 5-2 region record was its best, as was its goal differential of +14 in those matches. The Cats’ third-place finish in the final region standings was its highest ever, and Gilmer’s trip to state was its fourth with Phipps at the helm.
GHS seniors reached the state playoffs three times. The only time they were denied was in 2020 when the season was canceled because of COVID-19.
“Taylor and I are incredibly proud of the way the boys played this year. We have seen some amazing football being played at The Huff, and there have been some truly memorable nights this year that I hope will stay with those young men for a while,” Phipps said.
“We are losing a lot of seniors, several of whom have been with us for the whole four years, and this will be a loss to the program. However, the middle school program is in good shape and some of those boys will transition to GHS this year.”