Upset in Lawrenceville Lifts Berkmar to Region Soccer Title

boys soccer coach Tracy Crouch called it a “distant shot,” his team’s chances to win the Region 8-AAAAA championship after Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to .

The Patriots missed the chance to win it outright Tuesday and were forced into a wait-and-see mode. Their only chance of winning the crown was for to upset Dacula on Wednesday.

Guess what happened?

Central, which knocked Berkmar out of playoff contention last season, helped Berkmar’s cause this time, beating Dacula 1-0 Wednesday in Lawrenceville. Central entered the game with only two region victories and was a heavy underdog to the Falcons, the defending region champions.

Central’s win gave Berkmar the region title—many believe that’s never happened before at the Lilburn school—and a No. 1 seeding for next week’s state Class AAAAA tournament. The Patriots (14-2-1), who earlier in the day looked like they would be the region’s third seed and play on the road in the first round, will now host West Forsyth next Wednesday night.

“It’s the ultimate definition of a roller coaster as far as emotions go,” Crouch said Wednesday after he received word of Central’s upset. “Yesterday, there were tears all around. Tonight, they’re all smiles.”

Berkmar won the region based on a tiebreaker with Brookwood. Both teams had 7-1 records, but Berkmar won the tiebreaker by virtue of its shootout victory at earlier in the season. Dacula finished 6-2 in the standings. The Falcons would have won a three-way tiebreaker for the region championship by beating Central.

“I’m so happy for my guys,” Crouch said. “I believe they fully deserve it. They’ve fought so hard this year and they battled and battled.”