LFO girls return to state after five-year absence
The LFO Lady Warriors saw their hopes for a possible region championship come to an end with a loss to North Murray this past Thursday, but the Red-andWhite would take out their frustrations on region champion Adairsville one night later to go into the Class AAA state playoffs with a nice dose of momentum
The Lady Warriors began last week with a 4-0 road victory at Rockmart on Tuesday. LFO got goals from Emma Leverrett, Brooklyn Carter, Anesa Merdzo and Piper Piatt, while Leverrett, Merdzo, Sydnee Brown and Bailey Sullivan all picked up assists. Joanna Matute collected nine saves and Makenna Redmond was named as a defensive standout.
The Lady Warriors would get tripped up in Chatsworth two nights later as North Murray stunned LFO, 1-0, giving them two region losses and dropping them to third place in the region standings behind Adairsville and Ringgold.
However, LFO played with a chip on its shoulder at home against Adairsville the following night and scored a big 2-0 win, handing the Lady Tigers just their second loss of the season and their only loss in Region 6-AAA. Individual scoring had not been provided as of press time.
Friday’s victory secured the No. 3 seed from Region 6 and set up a first-round match at Region 7 runnerup Cherokee Bluff on Tuesday. It will be the Lady Warriors’ first playoff appearance since 2015.
LFO boys falls short of state
The Warriors scored 20 goals in two victories last week and ended their year with a
7-8 overall record. However, the goals allowed tiebreaker would end up keeping LFO out of the postseason.
LFO began last week with a 13-3 dismantling of Rockmart as Stiven Galicia had one of the biggest individual nights in program history with seven goals and three assists. Anson Blansit found the net twice. Jalen PerezGlover had a goal and two assists, while Bryson Sullivan, Enis Keserovic and Cooper Kirk each added a goal. Cesar Gomez was the top assist man with four, while Belmin Kojic recorded one.
However, the Warriors would run into a tougher opponent on Thursday as the region’s No. 2 seed stuck
the Red-and-White with a 5-1 loss. Cooper Kirk scored the lone goal for LFO off an assist from Stiven Galicia.
In what turned out to be the final match of the season, LFO ended things on a high note with a 7-1 thumping of Adairsville to send the seniors out as winners.
Bryson Sullivan netted a hat trick and recorded an assist. Raul Castaneda had a goal and an assist. Galicia, Enis Keserovic and Heber Sosa-Trejo had one goal apiece, while Antonio Barazarte-Navarrete recorded an assist.
LFO finished 5-3 in region play, along with Ringgold and Murray County. The Indians would ultimately get the No. 4 seed.