The Morgan County girls’ soccer team punched its ticket to the second round of the Georgia High School Association’s Class AAA state playoffs after crushing Crisp County 10-0 last Tuesday.
The No. 2 seed Lady Dogs played well as a team, controlled the tempo and sent the No. 4 seed Lady Cougars home early with the lopsided mercy-rule victory. They improved to 8-6 overall on the year.
“I was pleased with our effort tonight. We had multiple players scoring goals, which is always exciting,” Morgan County head coach Anne Stamps said after the win. “Mia McClain had a great night.”
Crisp County had no answer for McClain, who netted a season-high five goals in the win. The junior striker was an offensive juggernaut on the pitch, scoring almost every time she touched the ball.
Freshman wing Chloe Cook also had a productive performance, knocking two goals through the back of the net. Molly Mockaitis, Ella Garner, and Campbell Stamps all scored one goal each as well.
“Every player on the roster was able to contribute to tonight’s win,” Stamps added.
Morgan County got to play its reserves against the Lady Cougars, who ended the season with a 7-11 record. The Lady Dogs’ backup players got valuable experience and more playing time on Tuesday.
Those reserve players also gave Morgan County’s starters time to rest heading into the second round. The Lady Dogs are going to need plenty of it if they want to make another deep playoff run.
Against Crisp County, Morgan County made timely passes, and its players communicated well with each other. The Lady Dogs are going to need that morale boost heading into the second round.
Next week, Morgan County will likely face Savannah Country Day, one of Class AAA’s best teams. The Lady Hornets, who are ranked No. 2, have to get past Upson-Lee for that matchup to happen.
Either way, Morgan County’s senior class is looking to help lead the program back to the Elite Eight. The Lady Dogs have reached the quarterfinals the past two seasons and want to get back.
It’s all about surviving and advancing, and Stamps knows how to motivate her team in the playoffs.
“We look forward to moving on to the Sweet 16 next week,” Stamps said.
If No. 1 seed Savannah Country Day wins, Morgan County will have to travel since it’s the No. 2 seed. If Upson-Lee pulls off the upset, the Lady Dogs will host the second-round matchup next week.