SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — After overcoming a slow offensive start, the Social Circle Lady Redskins proceeded to cruise to a 10-0 win over Irwin County in the Sweet Sixteen of the Class A-Public playoffs. Social Circle has now recorded 20 wins this season, 15 of which resulted in shutout victories. 

Though the Lady Redskins won in dominating fashion, it took their offense a little while to break through for their first goal. 

In the first 16 minutes of game time, Social Circle put up 10 shots and had three corner kicks. None of the opportunities yielded points, though. That was until freshman Alana Ferguson found the back of the net. 

Ferguson’s goal with 23:54 remaining in the first half seemed to take the lid off the goal for the Lady Redskins, according to head coach Heather Richardson. 

“We started to take the ball wide and cross it in,” Richardson said. “We finished some really pretty goals tonight. [Irwin County] had five or six people in the back and I could just tell that was their game plan. And that definitely is frustrating for a team, like us, that likes to move the ball and pass it around. Sometimes it’s hard to get a goal but, when you finally do and stretch everything out, it makes it easier to score.” 

Sophomore Peyton Brooks proceeded to score three goals within a minute to stretch her team’s lead to 4-0. Olivia Cross contributed a goal to give Social Circle a 5-0 advantage five minutes after Brooks recorded her hat trick. 

Thirty-three seconds later, the Lady Redskins’ edge grew to 6-0 courtesy of a Tess Preston goal. 

Another scoring spurt ensued. 

With 11:31 remaining in the opening half, Kaylee Connell netted a goal that was followed by Ferguson’s second goal of the match 32 seconds later. Brooks added to her goal total with 10:04 left in the half. 

Tess Preston closed the scoring when she converted on a penalty kick with 5:33 left. 

Both teams finished out the remaining time with neither team scoring but, when halftime arrived, the officials called the game off due to the mercy rule. 

Preston finished with a team-high three assists while Brooks, Ferguson and Anna White contributed two assists apiece. Connell had one assist, too. 

Following Monday’s win, the Lady Redskins are on to the Elite Eight of the Class A-Public playoffs. They’ll face Metter High School out of Metter, Georgia on April 25 at home. 

The Lady Tigers, a No. 4 seed from Region 3A-Public, are 7-7 overall with a 5-5 region record. After receiving a first round bye, Metter enjoyed a 5-1 win over two-seeded Crawford County in the second round. 

Richardson and Social Circle are planning to learn from their contest on Monday, though, and use to keep working on themselves ahead of April 25’s home matchup. 

“We just want to keep working on the things we’re doing well,” Richardson said. “There’s a couple of things that I noticed tonight that I want to work on. But we just want to take it a day at a time and keep our fitness up.”