The coaches met before the game, chatting about the forecast for whichever one was lucky enough to survive what promised to be an even girls soccer match between old region rivals Aquinas and Athens Academy.

"We said, 'Hey, you either win or you lose,' " Aquinas coach Tommy Garcia said.

That was the carefree approach both these young teams (combined seniors: two) took, because what awaited the winner in the second round of the Georgia High School Association Class A/AA state playoffs was top-ranked Walker School (Marietta).

Both teams had moments to build on Thursday, when Athens Academy's two second-half goals proved the difference in its 3-1 victory. The Spartans advanced to next week's second round. Aquinas ended its season 12-3-1.

Aquinas might have managed just one goal -- on a Kelsey Davis penalty kick five minutes into the second half -- but it certainly wasn't toothless on offense.

"We were trying to believe," Garcia said. "I think we had two, at least two, great chances after (the penalty kick) and we just didn't finish."

With the game tied, Garcia wanted to build his attack along one flank with Davis (138 career goals) or let junior Anne Marie Velky launch long shots at the Athens Academy goalkeeper, who was forced to stare into the sun for the final 40 minutes.

Davis' penalty kick, a call which brought moans and groans from the Athens Academy sideline, failed to recharge the Irish.

Athens Academy forward Emily O'Rear scored an easy goal 18 minutes after Aquinas' score for what proved to be the winning strike. A Samantha Nickerson goal sucked all the drama out of the last dozen minutes when she galloped down the field and finished a one-on-one opportunity with 11:16 left.

Both second-half goals came on breakaways, when the Aquinas offsides trap proved too aggressive, particularly on the final goal.

"You live and die by that," Athens Academy coach Steve Stewart said.