The Forsyth Central girls set up a winner-take-all Region 6-7A championship game against Denmark by knocking off two-time defending state champion West Forsyth Friday on the road.
Brielle LaBerge scored twice and Avery Berryman found the back of the net once for the Bulldogs in the 3-1 victory.
With the result, fifth-ranked Forsyth Central improved to 4-0 in the region and 10-2 overall, bouncing back from a 5-0 defeat Tuesday at No. 8 Mill Creek.
Seventh-ranked Denmark is currently 3-0 in the region, but even a loss to West Forsyth in its final league game wouldn't be enough to take the title away from the Danes if they earn a March 24 away win over the Bulldogs.
As for the Wolverines (4-7, 1-2), they currently sit in fourth place. On the same night Forsyth Central and Denmark are set to meet for the region title, West Forsyth will travel to Lambert, needing a win to qualify for the playoffs.
Boys: Forsyth Central 2, West Forsyth 1
A pair of goals from Lucas Oliveira — one in each half — kept Forsyth Central firmly in the Region 6-7A playoff race, as the Bulldogs earned a 2-1 win Friday at West Forsyth.
The narrow victory snapped a three-game losing skid for the Bulldogs (5-6-1, 1-3).
On the flip side, the Wolverines (2-8-1, 0-3) missed out on a chance to thrust themselves into the postseason picture.
West Forsyth hasn't been eliminated from playoff contention, but the Wolverines would need to beat Lambert and Denmark in their final two region games, plus have the Bulldogs beat the Danes, to qualify for the Class 7A state tournament.
Lambert boys win OT thriller
Lambert's boys soccer team rallied back to top Milton, 2-1 in overtime, during a key Region 6-7A matchup Friday at home.
After the Eagles took the lead prior to the midway point of the first half, the Longhorns tied things up barely five minutes later. Cannon Pulliam scored for Lambert off a Mason Keith corner kick.
Neither side could sneak ahead again through the end of regulation or the first overtime period.
However, the second-ranked Longhorns (10-1-1) found the breakthrough during the final 10-minute extra session, as Keith took matters onto his own feet and found the back of the net.
The result — coupled with South Forsyth's 1-0 victory over Denmark — helped set up a three-way tie atop the region standings. Lambert, Milton and South Forsyth are all 3-1 in the region.
Due to owning the head-to-head tiebreaker against both the Eagles and War Eagles — who will face each other to end the region schedule — the Longhorns only need to beat West Forsyth to secure the league crown.
In Friday's girls contest, Lambert dropped a hard-fought battle against Milton by a 1-0 final score.
The narrow setback drops the Longhorns to fifth in the region standings, but Lambert needs only to beat West Forsyth — a big ask, nonetheless — to earn a state playoff bid.
Raiders split with Panthers
The North Forsyth boys took care of business against Jackson County with a 3-1 victory in Region 8-6A action Friday at home.
It marked the sixth straight match in which the Raiders (8-6, 6-3) produced multiple goals, with five wins coming in that span.
Facing a Jackson County team that is ranked No. 10 in Class 6A and boasts an undefeated region record, North Forsyth dropped a 6-0 decision ahead of a massive clash against Lanier.
The Raiders (4-8-2, 4-5) currently sit a half-game up on the Longhorns in the region standings. North Forsyth won the first meeting 3-0 at home, and completing a season sweep of the Longhorns would almost certainly be enough to send the Raiders to the state tournament.