The Gilmer Lady Cats laid the Trojans to waste and a 90-minute weather delay was not near enough to save them.
GHS was in Peach County (15-3) to begin the Class 3A state soccer playoffs last Thursday, and the Lady Cats played well above their No. 21 seed. The host Trojans, seeded No. 12, enjoyed a quick lead that was equalized and surpassed.
The Cats led by one headed into the half and hammered home five more goals in the second. Senior Yenifer Lopez netted four goals on the evening as the Cats rolled to a 7-1 win.
“I’m still kind of absorbing it,” head coach Adam Palmer said of the program’s first-ever playoff victory.
“I’m just so proud of them. For the seniors and for the players, we had people step up when we had problems. I’m just extremely proud of them, and it’s not over yet. We have another one next week so we’re just going to keep working to get better and focus on what we can control.”
A Trojan forward got between GHS center backs and to the ball before goalkeeper Amayah Jones just eight minutes into the game. The goal was one of the rare bright spots for Peach’s offense. But GHS soon answered.
“When we got down we just kept grinding and worked it out,” said Palmer. “Once we started scoring, they just kept coming. It was great. With the distractions and the waiting around and staying locked in and still being able to execute, I was very proud of them.”
GHS deployed a 4-2-3-1 with two holding midfielders. In the attack, Gilmer overlapped its fullbacks to morph into more of a 2-4-1-3 with a focus of maintaining width. When the Cats were countered they pushed the attack wide to recover in the middle.
“We put so much pressure on their forwards and defenders, that when they got the ball, they couldn’t string together a lot of passes to break us down in the midfield,” Palmer noted.
Senior captain Sofia Lykins attacked out of the middle and dropped back centrally on defense.
Lopez struck for her first goal on a breakaway in the latter part of the half.
“After we scored our first goal, which had never happened ever, there was such a weight lifted off the team,” Palmer said. “It felt like they were a lot more calm and executed what we had been practicing.”
With a minute on the clock, her nifty footwork forced a Trojan foul in the box. Lopez scored the penalty kick for a 2-1 lead at the break.
Joei Marshall assisted both of Lopez’s ensuing goals to begin the second half. GHS went ahead 3-1 when Marshall passed to Lopez on the left wing. The duo did the same 15 minutes later for a three-goal advantage.
Fullback Allison Hernandez was injured and sidelined as time ran out for the Trojans. Palmer set forward Calli Wise to fill her role, and Estephany Becerra joined Lopez in the attack.
Becerra responded with two goals, and both were under heavy duress. One came on a cross from Lopez, and Becerra needed one touch to find the back of the net.
“To me, it was the prettiest goal of the season,” Palmer praised.
Lykins also scored on a corner kick from Marshall. She found the ball in the box and added another goal to the Cats tally.
Ahead of the Cats’ seven-goal onslaught, Peach shut out eight opponents and only allowed eight goals in 17 matches. The win improved the Cats’ record to 11-5 on the season.
GHS travels to Bainbridge (13-3) Thursday for its Sweet 16 matchup set for 5:30 p.m.