THOMASVILLE – Thomas County Central and Thomasville met for the second time this season on the soccer pitch with the Lady Jackets coming away with a hard fought 1-0 win and the Bulldogs pulling out a come from behind 3-1 victory. 

The girls game felt even and was locked in a 0-0 a stalemate after the first half. Thomas County Central began to push late and with 20 minutes left in the game, a perfect cross from senior Paige Parkerson set up the Lady Jackets for a goal to put them up 1-0. 

Thomasville began pushing hard and had several meaningful chances in the last few minutes of the match. However, they were unable to put the ball in the back of the net and Central took the win.  

The victory moves the Lady Jackets to 10-3 on the season. They are currently in a firm third place in the region, just behind 7-2 Veterans in second and 8-2 Houston County in first. 

The Lady Bulldogs are continuing their remarkable season, sitting at 12-2 and having already locked up the region championship. Thomasville’s only two losses on the year are to Thomas County Central. 

The boy’s game was seemingly just as interesting as the girls, albeit with a lot more scoring. Central took the lead early after multiple chances and went up 1-0. However, the Bulldogs one-two-punch of Farid Gonzalez and Gio Ulloa had other plans for their rivalry game. Gonzalez put two in the back of the net and Ulloa added another for good measure, leading the Bulldogs to a 3-1 victory over the rival Yellow Jackets. 

“It’s a rivalry game but it’s also a game that we just look forward to playing and it’s always a tough one,” said Thomasville head boys soccer coach Robert Peterson about the Bulldogs approach to the game. “Central does a good job of preparing so it’s just one of those games we try to approach like any other and not try to build it up as a rivalry.” 

This was a similar victory to Thomasville’s prior win over Brooks County that saw them lose the lead and face adversity with a goal in the final minutes for a 2-1 win. 

“I think we’re just trying to stay grounded and try to take it one game at a time, try not to look past anything and try to get in the playoff mindset that this could be the last game if we don’t have the result,” Peterson said about playoff preparations. “I think we’re in the right place and producing the right results so hopefully that translates.” 

Thomasville is 11-4 on the season with two wins over rival Thomas County Central. They are second in the region behind undefeated Jeff Davis. 

Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets have had a disappointing season. They are 3-12 on the year, having lost 11 of their last 12 and scoring no more than a single goal in a game in that stretch. They are sixth in the region.