There will be no three-peat.
After forcing overtime with a stunning late goal, Southeast Whitfield High School fell 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs at Atlanta’s Westminster Thursday night.
Southeast, which won the 2021 and 2022 state championships, had its hopes for a third straight title ended by the Wildcats in a gut-wrenching defeat.
Southeast trailed 1-0 for the majority of the night before a late goal tied it. Southeast took the lead in overtime before a late Westminster goal forced a round of PKs.
Westminster made four straight penalty kicks, and two straight saves after Southeast opened with two makes won the Wildcats the five-shot round. Westminster plays LaGrange in the state Elite 8.
In what turned out to be his final game as a Raider, Angel Garcia was the hero at the end of regulation.
Southeast played 79 minutes and 32 seconds without scoring a goal, but Garcia kept the Raiders’ hope for a third-straight title alive for the moment by blasting in a goal on a free kick to tie the game with just 28 seconds left to force extra time.
The stunning equalizer came in a similar situation and a similar spot on the field to a tying, last-minute free kick Garcia hit last season to force a tie with rival Dalton.
The first 10-minute overtime period passed without either team scoring. Then, the Raiders took their first lead a minute into the second overtime.
A handball was called inside the penalty box, awarding a penalty kick to Southeast. Jerry Favela took it and sent it beneath a diving keeper.
The Raiders kept Westminster off the board until another dramatic goal forced the round of penalty kicks.
A penalty in the box was whistled on Southeast with just 1:52 remaining in the second overtime period. The ensuing penalty shot was good, and Westminster shocked Southeast in the shootout.