Three BCRD soccer teams finish as GRPA state runners-up

Three Bartow County Recreation Department soccer teams finished as Georgia Parks and Recreation Association (GRPA) state runners-up this past weekend in the 2019 state tournament played at Nix Complex Vining Field and Braoddus/Durkin Soccer Complex Friday and Saturday.

The Bartow U10 Girls, U12 Girls, and U12 Boys teams all reached their championship matches before falling. Two other Bartow U8 teams also reached the state tournament but lost their opening matches.

The Bartow U10 Girls defeated Walton County 4-1 in the state semifinals Saturday. Braylynn Martin and Addi Jerauld scored two goals each for the locals.

In the U10 state championship later in the day, Columbia County scored the only goal of the game with about nine minutes remaining to edge Bartow U10, 1-0.

The U12 Bartow girls beat Walton County 4-0 Friday night in the state quarterfinals. Ella Edwards, Carly Edwards, Ava Alston, and Emma Edwards scored one goal each for Bartow.

In Saturday’s U12 semifinals, Ella Edwards scored the game’s only goal as Bartow edged Long County, 1-0, before the local team lost in the championship game 3-0 to Jackson County.

The Bartow County U12 Boys reached their state championship game with a 3-0 victory over Dalton. They lost in the championship match, 1-0, to Rome.

The two Bartow County U8 teams both lost opening round games at the state tournament.

Idah Banda scored the only goal for U8 Bartow Rogers in a 6-1 loss to Dalton II.

U8 Bartow Castro lost to Dalton II on Saturday, 7-1.