Lake Oconee Academy boys soccer sits at a great spot with the regular season ending next week.
The Titans are 10-2 overall and 4-1 in Class A Division II Region 8 play. They’ll head into the final week of the season on a four-game winning streak, with a chance to add two more victories as well.
Lake Oconee Academy’s last loss was to top-ranked GMC Prep, a 5-2 decision in favor of the Bulldogs on March 12. However, the No. 2-ranked Titans responded with a four-game winning streak since the loss. They’ve outscored their opponents 26-0 since that loss to GMC Prep last month.
“We want to be playing our best soccer by the end of the season,” Lake Oconee Academy head coach Conner Domaleski told the Lake Oconee News earlier this year. “We don’t want to peak early.”
The first of those wins came when Lake Oconee Academy beat Towns County 4-0.
At the half, the score was knotted at zero, but the Titans came out swinging in the second half. They scored all four of their goals in the last 20 minutes to secure the big region victory over the Indians.
The next time Domaleski’s squad hit the pitch, it faced Lincoln County, beating the Red Devils handily.
Lake Oconee Academy scored seven goals in the first 20 minutes, including two within 30 seconds of each other. Juniors Palmer Larkin and Julio Arriza-Reyes played a big role in the fast start.
The two players combined for five of the first seven goals to give LOA a big 7-0 lead heading into halftime. The Titans had two more hit the back of the net in the second half and won the game 9-0.
Lake Oconee Academy traveled to face Washington-Wilkes on March 22. The Titans scored nine times in the first 40 minutes. After the half, they scored one more time to force a mercy-rule win.
On March 26, Lake Oconee Academy defeated Aquinas 3-0 for its fourth consecutive win. The Titans played well against the Fighting Irish but were limited on offense, unlike the previous few matches.
Lake Oconee Academy has its sights set on making a run in the Class A Division II state playoffs. The Titans will enter the postseason later this month as the No. 2 seed behind GMC Prep.
“Our first goal, above anything else, is just to win the region title. We haven’t won the region since I have been here as an assistant or head coach,” Domaleski said. “So, that is the most achievable goal right now. And we genuinely feel like we can win the state championship this year. That’s another main goal for us.”
Domaleski’s squad has a few more non-region matches to play next week before the playoffs start.
Lake Oconee Academy will return to the pitch on April 9, following spring break, with a home match against Prince Avenue Christian. Earlier in the year, the Titans beat the Wolverines 2-1 and are looking to sweep the series. Their final match will be against ACE in Macon on April 10.