Foard, Lake Norman Charter also
earn home matches to start postseason
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
The state girls’ soccer championship playoffs begin on Monday with eight teams from Greater Hickory area conferences – four in 2A, three in 3A and one in 4A – in the chase.
There are three postseason playing dates this week, with the second round on Wednesday and the third round on Friday.
COMPLETE STATE BRACKETS: www.nchsaa.org, click on sports, click on soccer
Thirty-two teams in each classification qualified for the postseason, playing for a spot in the state championships on May 15.
The highest-seeded area team is South Fork 2A champ Lake Norman Charter (14-0-0), seeded No. 7 in the West bracket and at home Monday against No. 10 Hibriten (12-1-1) at 6 p.m.
Hickory (12-1-0), the Northwestern 3A-4A champ, is the No. 2 West seed in 3A. The Red Tornadoes play No. 15 Marvin Ridge (10-3-1) at Hickory on Monday at 6 p.m.
Two other 3A teams in the Northwestern 3A-4A got in, St. Stephens as a No. 12 seed and Watauga as a No. 16.
The Indians (10-3-0) play Monday at No. 5 Southwest Guilford while the Pioneers (9-4-0) go to No. 1 Crest (12-1-0).
The 2A bracket includes Northwestern Foothills 2A champ Fred T. Foard and South Fork 2A runner-up East Lincoln.
Foard (12-0-1), seeded No. 8, meets No. 9 Hendersonville (12-0-1) at Foard on Monday at 7 p.m.
East Lincoln (11-3-0) opens at No. 5 North Davidson (11-1-0).
In 4A, South Caldwell (4-8-0) grabbed the Northwestern 3A-4A’s only 4A bid by finishing higher in the standings than the other 4A school, McDowell.
The Spartans finished fifth in the conference but were seeded as a league champion and gained No. 2 and a home opener against No. 15 Greensboro Page (9-3-0).
AREA TEAMS IN STATE GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
(First round games are Monday, times TBA)
2A
West
No. 9 Hendersonville (12-0-1) at No. 8 FRED T. FOARD (12-0-1), 7 p.m.: Winner faces No. 16 Central Davidson or No. 1 South Point.
No. 12 E. LINCOLN (11-3-0) at No. 5 N. Davidson (11-1-0: Winner faces No. 13 Forbush or No. 4 Central Academy.
No. 10 HIBRITEN (12-1-1) at No. 7 LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (14-0-0), 6 p.m.: Winner faces No. 15 Canton Pisgah or No. 2 Wilkes Central.
3A
West
No. 16 WATAUGA (9-4-0) at No. 1 Crest (12-1-0): Winner faces No. 9 Asheville or No. 8 NW Cabarrus.
No. 12 ST. STEPHENS (10-3-0) at No. 5 SW Guilford (11-1-2): Winner faces No. 13 Carson or No. 4 A.C. Reynolds.
No. 15 Marvin Ridge (10-3-1) at No. 2 HICKORY (12-1-0), 6 p.m.: Winner faces No. 10 Forestview or No. 7 Charlotte Catholic.
4A
West
No. 15 Greensboro Page (9-3-0) at No. 2 S. CALDWELL (4-8-0): Winner faces No. 10 Lake Norman or No. 7 S. Mecklenburg.
