Morgan County’s historic postseason run concluded last week in the Final Four in Savannah.
The No. 3 seed Savannah Arts Academy defeated the No. 7 Lady Dogs 3-2 to advance to the Class AA state title game.
After a two-hour rain delay, the match finally began, and it didn’t take long for the Lady Panthers to score. Amelia Tvrdy buried the ball in the back of the net off a pass from Abigail Smith.
Morgan County finally scored late in the first half, and the score was tied at the break.
However, SAA scored the next two goals of the match to establish a 3-1 lead. Jordan Gunn scored from a free kick to put the Lady Panthers ahead, and about 10 minutes later, Amelia Reci successfully executed a corner kick.
SAA employed a tight defensive formation, effectively keeping Lady Dog scorers like Jaden Young, Mia McClain, Chloe Cook, and Brayden Burke in check. They struggled to break through the formation and create scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, it cost them in the end against the Lady Panthers.
Morgan County scored a goal with about seven minutes remaining in the match, but SAA held on to advance to the state title game, where it will face top-seed Pike County in Macon for a chance to win it all.
The Lady Pirates, who are the favorite to win the state title, defeated the Lady Dogs twice already this season in region play. They head into the state championship game with a 12-game winning streak.
As of press time, the Lake Oconee News reached out to Morgan County head coach Anne Stamps for comment on the game and the team’s run to the Final Four, but did not receive a response.
Morgan County’s season ended with a 14-6 overall record. The Lady Dogs had a successful season by advancing to the Final Four round of the state playoffs for the first time in program history.
Morgan County will lose seven seniors, including McClain, Young, Abigail Benoff, Ella Garner, Ari Paine, Lily Peters, and Kate Reynolds. However, the Lady Dogs will return a strong core, ensuring a bright future.