Cass boys win Region 7-5A championship
March 29, 2024
The Cass boys’ soccer team clinched the Region 7-5A championship and a No. 1 seed in the GHSA state playoffs Thursday night with a 4-2 victory at Calhoun.
Edgar Abeja put the Colonels on the scoreboard unassisted five minutes into the match. Melvin Velasquez scored from a Camden Hillhouse helper five minutes later for a 2-0 Cass lead.
Velasquez scored again unassisted in the 15th minute and the Colonels quickly held a 3-0 lead.
Calhoun scored late in the first half to make the score 3-1 at the intermission.
The Colonels’ two-goal advantage held until the 76th minute when Velasquez completed his hat trick with a goal that made the score 4-1.
The Yellow Jackets made it 4-2 just 45 seconds later but the scoring would end there.
Calhoun slipped to 9-5-2 overall and 3-2 in region play. The Yellow Jackets will be a 3-seed in the state playoffs that begin April 17.
Cass (11-2-1, 5-0), ranked 4th in Class 5A, will be a No. 1 seed and host the No. 4 seed from Region 6-5A on April 17 in the opening round.
After Spring Break, the Colonels will play at South Paulding on April 9 and host Sequoyah on April 11 in non-region matches.
CALHOUN 4, CASS GIRLS 0
The hosting Lady Jackets broke open a tight contest in the second half to beat the Cass girls, 4-0.
Calhoun (7-6, 2-3) led 1-0 at halftime.
Cass (3-9, 0-5) plays at South Paulding on April 9.
WOODLAND BOYS 1, HIRAM 0
The Wildcats qualified for the GHSA Class 5A state playoffs on Thursday night with a 1-0 region win at Hiram.
The Woodland victory secured the No. 4 seed from Region 7-5A.
Following a scoreless first half, Chris Sanchez scored the only goal of the night off an assist from David Hernandez in the 67th minute.
Woodland keeper Miguel Pineda had four saves to aid his defense in the shutout.
Hiram falls to 2-14-2 on the season and 0-5 in Region 7-5A.
Woodland (9-4, 2-3) has non-region regular season matches at North Paulding (5:30 p.m.) on April 11 and will host Bremen (7:30 p.m.) on April 12.
WOODLAND GIRLS 6, HIRAM 0
Three Lady Cats scored two goals each on Thursday night as the Woodland girls’ soccer team won at Hiram, 6-0.
Reagan Weightman, who finished the night with two goals and two assists, was first on the scoring sheet with a goal in the 14th minute. Carlie Forman assisted on the opening goal.
Seven minutes later, Ansley Burns made the score 2-0 off an assist from Reagan Weightman.
Up 2-0 at the intermission, Woodland scored four times in the second half to put the match away.
Libby Morgan scored in the 47th minute off a helper from Allie York. Burns got her second goal in the 49th minute off another feed from York. Maddie Weightman assisted Reagan Weightman’s second goal in the 53rd minute and Morgan’s second goal was from a Reagan Weightman feed in the 59th minute.
The loss dropped Hiram to 3-12 on the season and 1-4 in region play.
Woodland (9-2, 3-2) secured a No. 3 seed in the Class 5A state playoffs that begin April 16. The Lady Cats will play a road match at the No. 2 seed from Region 6-5A in the first round of the state playoffs.
Before then, Woodland will host Bremen (5:30 p.m.) on April 10 and visit Adairsville (5 p.m.) on April 11 in non-region, regular season matches.
