DeKalb Schools Soccer: Tucker Advances to State Quarterfinals

The No. 8 ranked Tucker Tigers (15-4-1) scored with 14:58 to play to slip past unranked Dutchtown (10-5-0) 1-0 and advance to the quarterfinal round of Class AAAA Boys’ State Soccer Championships.

Dutchtown negated Tucker’s speed for most of the game and both teams were limited to one quality shot on goal in a scoreless first half.

Tucker looked to be figuring things out a bit late in the first half and early in the second half only to have Dutchtown get loose for a pair of opportunities.

Tucker’s Josiah Saydee, a senior defender, probably made the play of the game for the Tiger’s as he headed off a sure score right in front of the goal as Dutchtown’s pressure broke the defense and pulled Tucker goalie Steven Duffy away from the net.

Saydee’s defensive stop got Tucker’s momentum back and they went on the
offensive firing the ball into the Dutchtown side of the field putting the pressure back on their opponent’s defense.

As the clock ticked under 15:00, Tucker’s Solomon Roberts, a junior forward, picked off a rebound and flipped it just across the plane of the goal for a score at the 14:58 mark of the second half.

Tucker did not let up putting the ball back into Dutchtown territory time and again and just missed a put away goal on an outstanding save by the Dutchtown goalie with 5:35.

It was a matter of playing keep away for the final five minutes as the Tigers ran out the clock on Dutchtown’s season.

Tucker advances to the quarterfinal round for the first time in school history and must travel to No. 4 ranked Greenbrier (18-1-0) which defeated Chattahoochee 2-0 to advance into the third round.

Lakeside did not fare as well on their side of the bracket as No. 2 McIntosh (17-2-1) shut out the Vikings 4-0 to end their season. The Vikings went into the game ranked No. 9 and finish with a record of 13-4-2.

CLASS AAAA BOYS’ STATE SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Tuesday, May 8
Tucker (15-4-1) 1, Dutchtown (10-5-0) 0
McIntosh (17-2-1) 4, Lakeside (13-4-2) 0

Friday, May 11
Tucker (15-4-1) at Greenbrier (18-1-0), TBA



Mark Brock is the Statistician/Information Officer/Web Manager for DeKalb County Schools Athletics