It’s not an easy life in Area 6-7A where three of the top-five boys soccer teams in the state compete – No. 1 South Forsyth, No. 2 Lambert and No. 5 Milton. An Area meeting between two of those programs highlights the weekend, when No. 2 Lambert hosts No. 5 Milton on Friday.
Lambert enters the game at 10-1-1; Milton is 10-1-0. Both are tied at 2-1 in the Area standings behind top-ranked South Forsyth (10-1-1, 3-0). The Longhorns’ only loss was to No. 1 South Forsyth on March 8 in penalty kicks, 5-3. Since, Lambert beat Forsyth Central 4-0 and Apalachee 3-1.
Milton’s loss was to unranked West Forsyth (6-5-3, 1-2) 5-4 in penalty kicks on March 1 and since, the Eagles have beaten Pope 1-0, Forsyth Central 1-0, Denmark 4-1 and Norcross 3-0. Milton hosts South Forsyth on March 28 to help determine the league pecking order.
South Forsyth’s 2-1 loss to Duluth (7-5, 2-1) on Feb. 23 sparked a five-match winning streak with victories against Dunwoody 3-1, Forsyth Central 5-0, Lambert in penalty kicks, Fellowship Christian 6-1 and Area 6 West Forsyth 3-1.
Team Spotlight – Class 2A No. 9 Putnam County -- Putnam County is 10-1 overall and 7-0 in Area 4-2A and ranked No. 9 in the class. Much of the success can be traced to junior defender and goalkeeper Emmanuel Meraz and senior forward Bryan Canales. The Eagles have won 10 consecutive matches since the 4-1 loss in the season-opener against Class A Division II No. 2 Lake Oconee Academy on Feb. 13.
Since, the team has allowed just three goals – one to Rutland in a 10-1 victory and two to Baldwin in a 7-2 victory. Meraz has scored 30 goals with seven assists, and Canales has nine goals and 24 assists. Sophomore midfielder Angel Sanchez adds nine goals with 11 assists. Freshman goalie Alexander Jimenez has faced 47 shots on goal and allowed five. Putnam is coming off a 6-0 victory against Thomson and will host Josey (7-1, 7-1) in an Area 4 match Monday.
Class 7A
1. South Forsyth
2. Lambert
3. Discovery
4. Hillgrove
5. Milton
6. Grayson
7. Pebblebrook
8. Archer
9. Collins Hill
10. Peachtree Ridge
Class 6A
1. River Ridge
2. Johns Creek
3. North Atlanta
4. Blessed Trinity
5. Lassiter
6. Sprayberry
7. North Forsyth
8. Sequoyah
9. Marist
10. Veterans
Class 5A
1. McIntosh
2. Clarke Central
3. Dalton
4. Cass
5. Centennial
6. Greenbrier
7. Kell
8. Woodland-Cartersville
9. Chattahoochee
10. Jefferson
Class 4A
1. Johnson-Gainesville
2. Westminster
3. Cedar Shoals
4. Whitewater
5. Starr’s Mill
6. Druid Hills
7. East Hall
8. Pace Academy
9. Chestatee
10. Clarkston
Class 3A
1. Savannah Country Day
2. Columbus
3. Wesleyan
4. Hebron Christian
5. Oconee County
6. Bremen
7. Coahulla Creek
8. Pike County
9. Richmond Academy
10. Peach County
Class 2A
1. Union County
2. Model
3. Toombs County
4. Walker
5. Tattnall County
6. Jeff Davis
7. Pierce County
8. Callaway
9. Putnam County
10. Gordon Central
Class A Division I
1. Atlanta International
2. Tallulah Falls
3. Paideia
4. Whitefield Academy
5. Dalton Academy
6. East Laurens
7. Metter
8. Mount Vernon
9. Rabun County
10. Woodville-Tompkins
Class A Division II
1. Georgia Military
2. Lake Oconee Academy
3. Atkinson County
4. Dooly County
5. Aquinas
6. Atlanta Classical
7. Christian Heritage
8. Macon County
9. Portal
10. Lincoln County
