Wolves, Tigers have tough times at home

Rome and Darlington come up short in the Sweet Sixteen.

In a game decided by one or two goals, soccer can be a game of inches.

Two local teams had frustrating evenings on the pitch in the Sweet Sixteen of the GHSA state playoffs. The Rome High boys’ team fell to a surging Grady squad, 5-3, at Barron Stadium on Wednesday, while Darlington’s boys lost 3-1 to Fellowship Christian on its home turf.

Rome held a 2-1 lead at halftime of its Class 5A match after recovering from an early Grady goal in the third minute of the match. The Wolves (14-4) didn’t score again until seven seconds were left in the game, by which time the visiting Knights had built a 5-2 advantage.

Eduardo Zavala scored twice for Rome, while Sergio Garcia had the team’s third goal. Zavala had several close chances for a goal in the first half, including one that deflected off the left post, but wouldn’t get his first goal until the 33rd minute.

Garcia’s goal came in the 40th minute with just 33 seconds left after Cristian Fonseca sent a free kick into the box and Garcia worked it inside and into the net.

TOUGH Jeremy Stewart / Rome High’s Alex Cornejo (right) tries to get the ball around a Grady player during the Class 5A Sweet Sixteen on Wednesday. Jeremy Stewart / RN-T RN-T

Rome High’s Carlos Jimenez (left) pushes the ball to the outside against Grady during the Class 5A Sweet Sixteen.