Dalton boys' soccer team routs its way to state quarterfinals

Dalton's Domingo Granados, left, and Tony Saldana try to head the ball into the goal around Effingham County's Javier Mendoza during Wednesday's match at Harmon Field in Dalton, Ga. The Cats won 7-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAAA state playoffs.
Dalton's Domingo Granados, left, and Tony Saldana try to head the ball into the goal around Effingham County's Javier Mendoza during Wednesday's match at Harmon Field in Dalton, Ga. The Cats won 7-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAAA state playoffs.

DALTON, Ga. - No stranger to postseason success, Dalton was quick to make it clear which team would advance to the Class AAAAAA boys' soccer state quarterfinals from Wednesday night's match at Harmon Field.

The host Catamounts drubbed Effingham County 7-0 in the second round to continue their bid for the program's fifth state championship.

Region 6 champion Dalton (18-1) surged early to take a 4-0 lead into the locker room at halftime, which left little opportunity for the Rebels (12-8) - Region 2's No. 3 seed and a 5-4 winner over Forest Park in the first round - to even think about an upset.

"I think it has a lot to do with momentum," said coach Matt Cheaves, whose Cats lost in the second round of the playoffs last year after winning three straight state titles.

"The longer a game goes tied, the more it benefits some teams and hurts others. I think if the game tonight had stayed tied for a while, it would have built them up and put us down a little bit. The early goals really helped us take the game to them, press forward and not give them much to work with."

Midfielder Jose Boyzo led off with two goals before Omar Hernandez and Tony Saldana joined in the scoring as part of a dominant half that featured 21 shots for the Cats. Boyzo and Saldana did not score again, but Hernandez was just getting loose.

He added an assist in the second half with a long throw-in that landed at Domingo Granados' left foot for another score. Hernandez made it 6-0 in the 32nd minute, sliding a left-footed strike along the grass past the diving keeper.

A penalty kick with 1:32 to play netted the sophomore forward a hat trick.

"He really created a lot of chances," said Cheaves, who also coached Dalton to a share of a state title in 2003. "He's very creative with the ball and constantly took the attack forward."

Dalton scorched 17 more shots in the second half, and Effingham County had no answers, but it was not all smiles for the Cats. Several times early in the half, Cheaves called on his team to stop playing flat and get back into the flow of the game.

"It's just a matter of getting them to realize what's going on," he said. "We got up several goals, and they were just watching their teammates to see what they were doing when they need to keep moving and supporting them."

Relentless pressure on the defensive end and goalie Aaron Fraire's two saves preserved the clean sheet.

Dalton's onslaught kept Effingham County keeper Josh Ricord busy as he made 12 saves.

The Cats, who replicated their first-round score against Winder-Barrow, will host Cambridge on Saturday. Cambridge, Region 7's No. 3 seed, beat Greenbrier 4-3 on Wednesday. Greenbrier eliminated the Cats from the playoffs with a shootout victory last season.

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