McIntosh gets payback win over Chamblee, advances to GHSA 5A quarterfinals
On Tuesday, the Georgia High School Association girls soccer state championship tournament resumed with second round action as the defending Class 5A champs, the Chamblee Bulldogs hosting the McIntosh Chiefs. Having familiarity with one another as the Bulldogs eliminated the Chiefs from the 2022 state title tournament, McIntosh came out in the first half showing immediate determination to put the defending champs on their heels early as their attacks would eventually lead to an early Elza Hoti goal to give the Chiefs the 1-0 lead.
As the half continued, the Chamblee backline would settle in to slow the Chiefs' attacks while offensively, the Bulldogs began to get more shots on goal of their own, nearly equalizing the match as a Ansley Harrison shot would just miss as the ball hit off the cross. And while the Bulldogs had been able to pick up on their attacks, control the pitch down the stretch of the half, they would not be able to place a shot into the net. As the second half got underway, the Chiefs looked to have returned to their aggressive ways as they picked up on their attacks with a few early shots on goal while defensively holding the Bulldogs shot less in the half to eventually pick up the 1-0 win.
"Just so, so proud of the team tonight," McIntosh head coach, Casey Kreitner, said of her girls' performance against the defending champions. "Chamblee is a powerhouse and they have been for several years and we knew that we were going to have to work really hard to walk away with this win," Kreitner added, praising her players for their "team effort" to pick up the win. And as the score indicated, the contest was close, but also physical and Kreitner said that she and her girls understand that that they cannot expect anything less in the postseason from any opponents.
"At this point in the season every single game is going to be a battle and we pretty much know that going forward, we're going to have to fight for every single ball. Every 50, 50 we haft to be all in so hopefully we'll be able to carry this momentum forward and continue to do that," Kreitner said. And as McIntosh prepares to move forward and take on the winner of Loganville and Northview, Kreitner said that the Chiefs will take the few practice days to focus on possession, "so that we're not having to fight to win the 50, 50's," in hopes that they'll put themselves in a more controlling situation throughout future matches.
The Chiefs will get to host the quarterfinals matchup on Monday.
