May 6, 2026 — As the 2026 Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Soccer State Championship tournament winds down, four Cobb County School District teams are still alive and advancing to the semifinals.
In the Class 5A bracket, Pope’s Lady Greyhounds rallied for a 3-2 win on the road against Milton to advance to the semifinals.
“The game Monday night was what playoff soccer is all about,” Pope girls soccer coach Paul Dahlhauser said. “It was a great atmosphere and two great teams fighting for a spot in the final four. Our girls were down 1-0 at halftime when we made some adjustments. The girls trusted the coaching staff and netted three goals in the second half to win the game.”
Just three minutes into the second half, freshman Bella Markus tied the game at 1-1 off a throw-in from sophomore Pasha Clayton. Six minutes later, senior Lily Joswick scored on a corner kick from senior Claire Huebecker for a 2-1 lead. Later, with the score tied 2-2, senior Elle Palmer’s free kick from 35 yards out hit the crossbar, but junior Elizabeth Kelly was there for the rebound and the game-winning goal.
Pope’s girls face Greenbrier next with a spot in the Class 5A final on the line.
The remaining three Cobb teams that still have a chance for a championship trophy are from the 6A classification. Two of those are girls teams, the Harrison Hoyas and the Walton Raiders. These two Built for Beyond squads will face each other in the semifinals, ensuring that one Cobb team will take the pitch in the finals.
Harrison’s girls also survived a tight game on an opponent’s turf to reach the final four. Down 1-0 to Richmond Hill for much of the game, the Hoyas never gave up, scoring the tying goal with three minutes left in regulation. Junior Shelby Shaw sent a cross in front of the net, and junior Natalie Young eventually drove it home for a late 1-1 tie. In the first overtime, Harrison took the lead when junior Addison Cronemeyer took senior Logan Torrenti’s pass behind the opponent’s back line and put the eventual game-winner in the back of the net. Senior Ava Wells was stellar in goal for the Hoyas, turning back 10 shots on goal in the game.
"The girls demonstrated an incredible amount of resilience and heart to battle back and punch a ticket to the final four,” Harrison soccer coach Jonathan Gross reported. “It would have been easy to lose belief in the moment, but we never wavered. It is a privilege to be their coach."
Next up for Harrison is the defending Class 6A Girls Soccer Champion Walton Raiders. The Walton girls had the privilege of home-field advantage in the quarterfinals and used it to secure a 2-1 victory.
The game was scoreless throughout the first half, but sophomore Brooklyn Mulberry removed the clean sheet with her goal in the 55th minute, assisted by junior Ava Zarrilli. The Raiders surrendered a tying goal, however, with just 10 minutes left in regulation. In the tense final moments of a high-pressure game, freshman Sydney Fahrner scored her sixth goal of the playoffs for the deciding tally.
“We survived against a tough and athletic North Gwinnett team,” Walton girls soccer coach Jason Page admitted. “I was proud of how our athletes managed the match, especially after the equalizer late in the second half. When we moved the ball quickly, had good off-the-ball movement, and kept possession, we were good and managed to dictate the match. Now we have to reset and focus on a strong Harrison team that we know will test our ability.”
This is the sixth straight trip to the final four for the Walton girls soccer program.
The lone remaining Cobb boys soccer team is also from Walton High School. The Raiders guys went on the road to Buford and eked out a 2-1 nail-biter win of their own. Senior Trent Messana scored just two minutes into the match, and senior Jawad Khalil put one in off a corner kick eight minutes later. The Walton backline defended the lead for the remainder of the game, with senior keeper Jake Mundy preventing five shots on goal.
“Buford was a hostile environment,” Walton boys soccer coach Bruce Wade said, “and the boys stuck to the game plan to come through with the win. Our boys made the semifinals in 2023, so after a two-year absence, it’s good to get back to the final four and make a good run at the state championship. The senior class is showing great leadership and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.”
So, four Cobb teams advance and still have a chance to bring home the Championship Cup. Catch these teams in action while you can. They are Built for Beyond.
h/t Harrison photo provided by Coach Gross, Walton photos provided by @mikezphotos
