The Gilmer Bobcats battled until the very end of their state soccer playoff match.
GHS was in Bainbridge (17-1 record) for the opening round of the Class 3A tournament April 22. The No. 29 seeded Cats took on the No. 4 Bearcats, and the home team needed a penalty shootout to secure its victory.
Gilmer got on the board with 11 minutes left in the opening half. Sophomore Ronald Cuz, the single-season record holder for goals, scored on a 35-yard free kick. He met the ball with his left foot from the left wing and smacked it off the bottom of the far post and into the net. The goal increased his seasonal record to 20.
Bainbridge evened the score with 10 minutes left in regulation, which ended in a 1-1 tie. Two 10-minute overtime periods followed, and BHS scored after five minutes of play.
In the second overtime, GHS tied the score as time ticked away. A ball was settled in the box by Carter Gearhart and scored by Kashane Perigo.
Penalty kicks were then used to decide a winner, and BHS netted five to the Cats’ three.
“We knew they had (three) very good players (who combined to score 95 of their 125 goals) that we wanted to keep out of the game as much as possible,” said head coach Taylor Johnstone. “We knew it would be a very tough task, however, I felt that our boys executed our game plan well.
“We played well and competed. The young players have matured over the course of the season, and this was evident when we played. We ended regular time with five freshmen on the field. Our team accepted the challenge of taking a six-hour drive to south Georgia to take on the No. 4 seed in the state. Gilmer County would be proud of their efforts.
“It is always great to make it to the playoffs. This year was special to me as our team overcame many obstacles throughout the year. We played with tremendous effort and grit all season, especially the second half. This year we were able to appear in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.”
GHS finished with an 8-10 overall record.