The Dawson County High School varsity Tigers boys' soccer team dropped a hotly contested match to visiting West Hall last week.

With the loss the Tigers dropped from No. 1 in the rankings to No. 3 in Class AAA.

Coach Jed Lacey's team rebounded on Friday night with a 7-0 win at Banks County.

Dawson County is currently 7-2-2 overall and 2-1 in Region 7-AAA play.

The March 24 game against West Hall (7-1-2) was a match-up of two of the best teams in AAA in the state.

The game was fast-paced, physical and exciting.

The Spartans scored first with 30 minutes left before halftime to take a 1-0 lead.

Dawson County responded on a pass from Josh Sage to the foot of senior Sal Mendoza with 2:12 remaining before halftime to tie the score.

West Hall took the lead back at the 36:23 mark to lead 2-1. Less than three minutes later Brandon Lund tied the score.

The goal was Lund's seventh of the season.

Both teams battled until the final whistle, sending the game into overtime tied 2-2.

The overtime period consisted of two, five minute halves.

The Spartans scored twice, once in each period to come away with the 4-2 win.

"Losing this game does not change a thing," Lacey said. "Our plans are to win state and that is what we are going after. I love how this team came back twice tonight against a very good West Hall team. We gave up goals we usually would not have and then the goals in overtime came because our starters' tanks were just empty."

Dawson County came back with a big region win at Banks County (3-6) on Friday.

The Tigers took control early with a goal less than two minutes into the game by David Velasquez on a pass from Lund.

Mendoza extended the Tigers lead at the 22:48 mark with a goal on an assist from Lund.

The Tigers final goal of the half was by Randy Schultz just eight minutes before the half.

The goal was the third of the season for Schultz.

Lacey's team poured on the offense in the second half and scored four more goals to come away with the seven-goal victory.

Scoring for the Tigers were Dennis Pyetsukh (39:21), Jonathan Steele (24:36), Lund (21:36), and Mendoza on a penalty kick (6:23).

Velasquez and Mendoza currently each have nine goals this season.

Ty Anglin recorded the shutout in goal for the Tigers.

"Now that is soccer. We put a new formation in and ran it to perfection. Our guys possessed the ball the entire game. I was really impressed with the play of Rigo Jansen for stepping up tonight. We knew Rigo could be successful and he proved it this evening. I think our players did a good job bouncing back from a heart breaking loss in overtime three days ago and now we are back on track," Lacey said.

The Tigers played at Lumpkin County (5-8) yesterday in a Region 7-AAA match.

Scores were unavailable at press time.