Head Coach Jed Lacey and his varsity boys’ soccer team ended their bid for a return to the state playoffs with a 3-0 loss to Area 15 Champion Union County last Tuesday.

It was also the last home game for 11 Tiger seniors, as Lacey and his staff honored them between the girls’ and boys’ games.

Union County and Riverside Military Academy will represent Area 15 in the playoffs this week.

“We really messed it up for ourselves,” commented Lacey. “We played our worst against two teams that we had to beat.”

The Tigers rebounded for a 5-0 win over Towns County last Friday.

Scoring for Dawson was Alex Cote, Mauricio Escobar with two goals, TJ Byrd and Seth Stowers. Dawson jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead at halftime.

Dawson finished the season with an 11-5 overall record and a 5-2 record in Area

15.

According to Lacey, the Tigers set five school records which include; winning 21 games over the last two years, 48 goals scored this year were the most in a single season, defensively they only gave up 30 goals which is the least in a season, goalie Dane Trosterud had six shutouts, and they had the least amount of losses with only five.

Lacey said about his team: “We should have gone to state, but overall I’m satisfied with the way we played. Our program is on the map. When we step off the bus now other teams take notice. We have gone from nobody’s to somebody’s.

“We have graduated 19 seniors over the last two years. Next year we will be young with only one senior. I’m excited about what we have coming into our program. Our players will start playing club ball and we should see a great improvement.”

The team will hold its banquet at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7 at the Dawsonville Municipal Complex, 415 Hwy. 53 East, Dawsonville.

E-mail Pam Jacobs at sports@dawsonnews.com.