GUYTON -- The South Effingham girls soccer team advanced to the second round of the Class AAAAA playoffs  with a wild 2-1 overtime win against Fayette County on Tuesday.

Katelyn Ladner booted a game-tying goal for the Lady Mustangs with 1:25 left in regulation play and, with 2:16 left in overtime, Cheyenne Ryan launched a long, soft shot that soared over the head of a pack of players and trickled into the net for the winning score.

It took awhile to figure out who kicked the decisive shot.

“We all fought pretty hard for it,” South Effingham head coach Amanda Johnson said. “From here, there was no clear shot of it.”

The shot set off a roar in the stadium and propelled the first-time Region 2-AAAAA champion Lady Mustangs to new heights.

“It started three years ago when we were growing,” Johnson said. “Our first game of the season, we all looked at each other and said this is the year we go all the way. We are very young, passionate and we are defining the meaning of teamwork.” 

The Lady Mustangs will return to action May 1 against either Eagles Landings or Warner Robins. 

See the April 30 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.