Bull Dog signee Eddy Named Georgia Gatorade Player Of The Year

ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia soccer signee Laura Eddy was named the 2009 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Georgia, as announced by the organization this week.

With being named the Georgia Player of the Year, Eddy, of Marist High School and an Atlanta native, is in the running for the National Player of the Year honors, which is scheduled to be announced next week.

Gatorade State Players of the Year are selected on the basis of outstanding athletic excellence accompanied by high standards of academic achievement and exemplary personal character demonstrated on and off the field.

“We are thrilled that Laura was recognized as the 2009 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, especially when you consider how many talented young ladies there are throughout the state,” Georgia head coach Patrick Baker said. “She and the Marist team had an amazing spring that concluded with another exciting state championship. Her game has matured throughout her senior year and we look forward to her joining us this fall. We feel very fortunate to have Laura as one of our newest Bulldogs.” more

Eddy named state's top player

Marist senior Laura Eddy, a Gwinnett resident, was named the Gatorade Georgia Girls Soccer Player of the Year on Tuesday.

Eddy, the War Eagles' three-time leading scorer, had 34 goals and 18 assists this season and scored the game-winning goal in a 4-3 state finals win over Whitewater. The Georgia signee also maintains a 3.49 GPA.

Parkview players had won the previous two Gatorade state awards - Ashley Baker in 2008 and Marah Falle in 2007.

Flowery Branch  fall to Spalding, finish playoff bid

GRIFFIN -- The Flowery Branch girls soccer team was defeated by Spalding 4-3 on Friday night in Griffin in the Class AAA quarterfinals. The loss finishes the Lady Falcons' playoff run.

Flowery Branch's head coach Katie Scali was happy her Lady Falcons made it so far.

"I told the girls after the game that no one expected us to be there, except us. We played well and I'm proud of them."

Spalding scored four minutes into the game. Flowery Branch's Cassidy Elrod tied things up six minutes later.

The scoring was back and forth, with another goal by Elrod. Spalding entered the second half leading 3-2. Lady Falcon Lindsay Porter tied the game again, six minuted into the second half. But one minute later Spalding scored on a long free kick and Flowery Branch was unable to regain a lead. more

Lady Falcons edged in quarterfinals

GRIFFIN — As quickly as the Flowery Branch girls soccer team gained momentum, they saw it slip away.

Trailing fifth-ranked Spalding 3-2 at halftime, Flowery Branch junior Lindsay Porter scored the equalizer just five minutes into the second half when she received a through pass from Cassidy Elrod.

One-on-one with the goalie, Porter fired a hard right-footed shot into the back of the net to tie the game 3-3.

But less than a minute later, Spalding (14-3) was awarded a free kick near midfield and capitalized.

With her teammates lining the penalty box, Spalding’s Lauren Barlow sent the ball in from 35-yards out and it bounced in front of
Flowery Branch’s goalie, richocheted off the crossbar and landing at Mira Fisher, who tapped in what would be the game-winner.

“We struggled with set plays all year long and I told the girls that it would eventually come back to bite us and it did,” Flowery Branch coach Kaite Scali said after her team’s 4-3 loss Friday in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA state soccer tournament. more