Paideia Boys, Girls Sweep Mt. Pisgah

boys’ soccer team, ranked third in the state coaches’ poll, improved to 10-1 and 5-1 in Class A following a 4-1 victory over the Mt. Pisgah Patriots, Tuesday.

Due to the heavy rain storms over the past few days, Paideia's field was ruled unplayable, and the game was relocated to Mt. Pisgah's Savior Field in John’s Creek. 

Midway through the first half, the Pythons asserted their offensive power when Alex Kirsch scored the first of his two goals on an assist from Malcolm Singleton. 

With 8:42 remaining in the first half, the Patriots scored the equalizer, marking just the fourth time this season the Pythons have allowed a score in region play. However, Mt. Pisgah’s joy was short-lived after Paideia's Robert Hines put the Pythons up for good with a bending corner kick.

"He was our steadiest player tonight," Thomas said. "He did all the ugly work. He was the real deal." 

Kirsch landed his second goal with 3:24 left in the half, giving the Pythons a commanding 3-1 edge. The Kirsch goal was set up by forward Gustavo Martinez's quick footwork as he dribbled through traffic before finding the open man. 

Martinez flashed even more of his talent in the second half, scoring a goal with twenty seconds remaining in the contest. 

While the Pythons only scored the one goal in the second half, Thomas felt his squad played their best soccer in the final frame. They produced eight shots-on-goal, including a near-miss by Eli Kenner that bounced off the post. Paideia’s defensive front only allowed one shot-on-goal in the second half.

"We were better in the second half even though we scored more in the first," Thomas said. "We were on our heels in the first half, but we can play better. I'm pleased with the second half."

Paideia 6, Mt. Pisgah 0 (Girls)

Just like their male counterparts, the Paideia girls, who also are ranked No. 3 in the state polls, were victorious over No. 8-ranked Mt. Pisgah, blanking the opposition 6-0 in a battle of top-10 schools.

The Lady Pythons’ record now stands at 10-4 and 4-2 Class A.

Three different Lady Pythons, Kate Hines, Madison Hafitz and Rose Sleppy, scored goals in the first half, setting the tone for Tuesday’s lopsided win.

Paideia’s defense was paced by fullback Emily Mast, who helped keep the Patriots out of scoring position for much of the game. 

"Today was our best performance," said girls' head coach Carl Rosenbaum. "We finished all our chances and played a great game. Mt. Pisgah has played some people tough this year. "I expected a tight performance. I'm really happy about the way we played today."

In the second half, Meghan Herman continued the scoring party with a goal to put her squad up 4-0. Later, Hafitz netted a shot on an acrobatic play with 22:14 on the clock for her second goal of the game. Danielle Williams added the game's sixth goal with 17:25 remaining.

Paideia looks to continue its strong performance when it plays at Wesleyan on Friday. The boys are seeking to clinch their fourth consecutive win and the girls have their eyes set on five-straight victories.