April 28, 2026 — As the United States prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, soccer fans across Cobb Schools have turned their attention to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Soccer Championships. As is often the case, Cobb varsity teams are well represented with 10 boys and eight girls state-qualifying squads.
Twelve of Cobb’s 18 entries advanced to the 2nd Round. Of the six losses, two were in Cobb vs. Cobb matchups. Among the 12 wins were nine shutouts, four of which were dominant 10-0 outcomes. The twelve winning Cobb teams combined to surrender only three goals— a reflection of programs that are truly Built for Beyond. What follows are the highlights from each of the 1st Round Cobb games.
Class 4A Boys and Girls
Allatoona High School represented Cobb in both the boys and girls brackets and came away with mixed results. The Buccaneers boys lost a closely played match 3-2, while the ladies cruised to a 10-0 victory and sailed into the next round.
Class 5A Boys
In the boys 5A classification, the Mustangs of Kennesaw Mountain also overwhelmed their opponents with a 10-0 win. Senior Nathan Leveque tied and surpassed the school’s single-season goals record. His hat trick gave him 28 goals in the season, with more chances to come in the 2nd Round.
“It’s always nice to get a first-round playoff win,” Kennesaw Mountain boys soccer coach Daniel DePlanche noted, “but we are realistic and realize that the next round will be a much harder game.”
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The Mustangs 2nd Round opponent will be a familiar matchup, as they face a fellow Cobb squad in the Pope Greyhounds. The ‘Hounds also managed a clean sheet in their first-round matchup, a 3-0 victory. Senior Otis Hearn scored all three goals for his own hat trick, and sophomore goalkeeper Liam Mak not only secured the shutout in net, but he also assisted on the game’s first goal.
The Lassiter Trojans lost a heartbreaking first-round game, 1-0, despite controlling possession for most of the game and creating more than 20 shots on goal. Senior Evan Chen was great in the net with eight saves. The only score conceded in the game came on a deflection off a long throw-in.
“We knew this was going to be a difficult game,” Lassiter boys soccer coach David Penny said. “I thought we deserved more from the game and should have come away with a result to move on to Round Two, but it just was not our night."
Class 5A Girls
Lassiter’s girls team enjoyed a better outcome, winning 6-1 in the 1st Round. Sophomore Olivia Sullivan scored two goals and assisted on another.
“Playoffs matter and create a sense of excitement and pressure all at the same time,” Robbie Galvin, Lassiter’s girls soccer coach, said after the game. “Each round is a coveted opportunity to keep playing and showcase the best of Georgia high school soccer. We are glad to continue our journey.”
Pope’s girls notched the third of the 10-0 wins from Cobb Schools. Senior Lily Joswick and sophomore Becca Otto both netted hat tricks. Meanwhile, the Lady Greyhounds allowed only two shots on goal the entire game.
The Kennesaw Mountain girls team ended their season with a 3-1 loss. After being down 2-0 for much of the game, junior Kaidence Williams scored in the second half to cut into the lead, but the Mustangs were never able to pull even.
“The girls played hard and battled against a very good team in a back-and-forth game,” Kennesaw Mountain girls soccer coach Kevin Williams reported. “I want to thank our seniors for everything they have given to the program, and we wish them the best as they start their next chapter.”
Class 6A Boys
In the boys 6A classification, there were two Cobb vs. Cobb matchups in the 1st Round.
The Campbell Spartans defeated the Wheeler Wildcats 6-0, and the Walton Raiders outlasted the Osborne Cardinals 3-0.
For Campbell, senior Jacob Crane scored twice, and sophomore Trey Cline had two assists.
“This is the second time this season we have beaten Wheeler,” Campbell soccer coach Troy Connolly noted. “It’s never easy to beat a team twice in one year, but I’m very proud of how the boys approached the game from a mentality standpoint.”
For Walton, senior Blake Pittman led the charge with two of the Raiders’ three goals. Senior Jake Mundy stopped five shots in net.
“Osborne is a class program, and they were very good,” Walton boys soccer coach Bruce Wade said. “It's always tough in the playoffs, but our boys came through with a strong desire to win.”
Osborne boys soccer coach Aaron Foster was pleased with his team despite the loss.
"We grew up a lot tonight,” he said. “We started five sophomores and four juniors against one of the top teams in the state, and we found out at the end of the night that we can compete. I'm proud of how these guys battled all year, and I can't wait to see how far we can go next year with all these guys coming back."
In other Class 6A boys action, the Harrison Hoyas blanked their opponent 4-0 on the strength of five saves from junior keeper Shiven Shah. The Hoyas also enjoyed two goals from junior Jake Caslavka and a goal and two assists from senior Jonas Heiler. It was Heiler's 28th goal of the year.
"We played our most complete game of the season, creating great scoring chances and limiting our opponent to five shots on goal,” Harrison soccer coach Jonathan Gross stated. “Jonas Heiler continues to demonstrate why he is considered one of the best players in the state."
The Pebblebrook boys also won their first-round matchup, but the tension was much higher as they sweated out a 2-1 victory. Senior Christian Banfield and freshman Jonathan Delgado were the goal scorers.
“The key stat that determined the game for us was possession,” claimed Pebblebrook boys soccer coach Anton Banfield. “We controlled 70% of possession. We knew they would be a tough opponent after facing them earlier in the season. They have very strong attacking players, so our focus was on keeping them off the ball. By doing that, we were able to control the game and concentrate on finishing our opportunities.”
Class 6A Girls
Three of the four Cobb Class 6A girls teams won their first-round playoff game. The Lady Raiders of Walton had the fourth of Cobb’s 10-0 victories. Freshman Sydney Fahrner tallied three goals, and seniors Jordynn Gunn and Victorie Maselle each had two goals. Meanwhile, the Walton defense held their opponent to only one shot on goal.
Harrison’s girls also celebrated a hat trick from a Sydney of their own. Senior Sydney Snow’s three goals accounted for all the Hoyas’ scores in a 3-1 win and gave her 25 for the season. Junior Shelby Shaw assisted on two of the three goals. Senior keeper Ava Wells had four saves.
“Marietta was a very challenging opponent that was very organized defensively and scored an early goal to grab control of the game,” recalled Jonathan Gross, who coaches Harrison’s girls squad as well. “We demonstrated mental toughness and resilience to fight back after going down a goal. It was a great team effort."
In the Campbell girls 1st Round bracket win, Syrai Bryant and Cydney Harton posted the only scores of the game. The 2-0 final score was hard-fought and well-earned.
“Cherokee was a very good team,” admitted Troy Connolly, the coach of both the boys and girls teams at Campbell. “We were definitely the underdogs, but I’m really proud of how the girls showed up for the game.”
The Hillgrove Hawks girls lost a nail-biter in the First Round, 2-1, but girls soccer coach Shannon Center feels good about the future of their program. The team started five freshmen in this game, including center back Malia Mason, who was effective in limiting the touches of a Stanford-bound star on the other team.
“Some days, the ball doesn’t bounce your way,” the coach said, “but I’m not going to blame 80 minutes on 30 seconds. It’s one of those games that could’ve gone either way.”
MOVING ON
The 2nd Round of the GHSA State Soccer Championships will be played from April 28 through May 1. Be sure to go out and support our Cobb teams!
h/t Harrison photos provided by Kendra McCool Photography, Kennesaw Mountain photos provided by Reaction Images, Lassiter photos provided by David Williamson Photography, Pebblebrook photos provided by Pebblebrook High School
