After watching a good South Aiken battle it out last night against a resilient final, does anyone think they have a good chance of beating JL Mann, or frustrating them and staying in the game, on Saturday? Brady Francis along with SA's goalkeeper, #3 in the back, and #11 on the left wing are all quality players, but is this enough for them to have a chance against a stacked JL Mann squad with the likes of Ryan Hurst and compnay? JL Mann has a great attack and I think their defense is strong enough to hold off South Aiken with relative ease.
I say it maybe a similar scoreline to AAA Upperstate finals with JL Mann coming out on top 4-1 or 5-1. What do yall think?
Good locuk to both squads and congrats on making it to the state championship, a dream so many great players never realize.
South Aiken has a good squad, but if you look at how both teams handled their schedule, JL Mann definitely has the advantage. My prediction would be JL Mann 3 - South Aiken 1. It being the State Final, I think South Aiken will put up a good fight, but I just don't see them getting the win. Good luck to both teams though. Hopefully it will be an amazing game.
Its hard to tell since I've never seen South Aiken play but if you haven't seen Ryan from Mann play and you are close by you should treat yourself. The speed is amazing.
Hurst and Acree will have a battle for best hair-do at the state championship games this weekend.... that's what i'm looking forward to
This wont even be a fun game to watch. Mann is on another level than the lowerstate and the upperstate besides riverside. Mann walks all over SA 4-0.
Hopefully their defense has a bad day so its even though, it's unfortunate but many good players seem to have a bad day on a stage like this
One thing JL Mann does well is counter attack. They are extremely fast and everyone gets on the counter full throttle. The "hair" kid is a nuisance in every manner of the word but a real threat at all times. Couple of kids are really full gear fast and can turn on a dime. They like to possess but they've put up goals all year and I think that will continue.
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This wont even be a fun game to watch. Mann is on another level than the lowerstate and the upperstate besides riverside. Mann walks all over SA 4-0.
I agree that Mann will be the favorite, but don't count out SA! They won the 4A in '05 and last year in '09, so they've got some experience at this level. NO SA team will be like us in '05, but hey, few teams are 
South Aiken were lucky to not be cut out by Herbert on a few occasions last night. Their defense will need to step if what Always Right is saying about this potent and quick strike force from Mann. That is one thing SA was not able to cope with last night, I think, SPEED!
Don't get me wrong, I don't like any team is in my region or that my team loses to, but I do remember around this time of year last year, when people were saying that Region 5 AAA was awful and Lower State was a joke and SA had no chance against the US U-18 national team that was Eastside, hyperbole, they seem to have done alright for themselves though....
This Mann team is better than Eastside last year. Mann should have beat Eastside last year in Upperstate but the game was forced into ot with 3 minutes left. Mann didnt get the chance to get the job done last year but this year its a lock
I hope they do it, because I would hate to see SA win back-to-back titles, when I think they could have had the two worst squads to represent the lowerstate in the AAA final, since they changed to the current format. (just my opinion SA fans, don't hate me)
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This wont even be a fun game to watch. Mann is on another level than the lowerstate and the upperstate besides riverside. Mann walks all over SA 4-0.
funny how you can talk all this smack and either not have made it to the state game. or out of high school then in which case your really cool for grillin kids younger than you. and if it wont be a good game to watch. dont come. let them play and then you can talk about it after the game
maybe he is a bench player for Mann that never gets to play
I say sa comes out harder in the beginning and I'll peg down Brady Francis to squeeze in an early goal and Mann to respond by settling in and pulling it out with their superior speed and ball movent. 3-1 Mann
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There's your famous GSE!
Would this be the same as "Let's go f-ing mental"?
If so, how about some originality for you soarers?
I think it's "We're so f-ing mental" and I was refering to the poster above mes name "WheresYourPapers"
Mann: 4, South Aiken: 0.
S.A.'s defense is strong, but i do not believe that they can hold Mann's fast outside midfielders all night. Once Mann scores the goals will start flying in. South Aiken will have trouble scoring on Mann, centerback is FAST and GOOD.
JL Mann
Woodmont 14-0
Blue Ridge 5-1
A C Flora 4-0
Eastside 5-1
Holy crap!!!!! Achmed must ask the question:
Is Mann a man among men?
SA has weak outside backs so Mann should have fun with their pace attacking that.
SmallSodaMan, SA beat Swansea 2-0 and 4-0, that is a potent offense too! hehe
I hope it is far better than last year's state final. I couldn't believe that those were the two best AAA teams, it looked like a JV game.
They were not the two best teams Unlucky, that is why it was so dissapointing! But in JL Mann we have a really talented squad and in SA we have a scrappy squad who can grind out a win, I'm excited!
I am taking Mann on this one just think they are to powerful for South Aiken
I heard the coach at SA picks his starting line up by drawing names out of a hat. Any truth to that? And what is with that loud Cajun guy who yells at their games? He gets on my nerves.
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SA has weak outside backs so Mann should have fun with their pace attacking that.
SmallSodaMan, SA beat Swansea 2-0 and 4-0, that is a potent offense too! hehe
i would disagree with the weak SA outside backs. the defense as a whole is good. center back is consistent all around, left back is strong and fast, right back has ball control and smart. and keeper makes amazing saves.
thats my impression. if youve seen otherwise then this can be completely worthless posting and nothing can be said to determine the outcome except to wait and watch the game.
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I heard the coach at SA picks his starting line up by drawing names out of a hat. Any truth to that? And what is with that loud Cajun guy who yells at their games? He gets on my nerves.
and what does that say about the teams who lost to SA
blinkdogo2, I completely agree on your assesment of their center backs, especially #3 who is very solid and #21 scored a great game winning goal against BC to get here. I also agree with you that their goalkeeper is solid, I think I overheard he is from Germany? Correct me if im wrong. But I have not been impressed with their outside backs and from what I have seen it looks like they have had trouble with pacy players this season
i think you are right. which is why they play the middle back as a sweeper to cover the sides if necesary. in the lower state final, bc relentlessly went up the left (i feel bad for the SA right defense for working so hard stopping those runs) BC had veryyyy close crosses through the box on the ground to their number 10 in overtime. surprised 10 never finished to tie 2-2
I don't think there is anyone that will claim that this is a matchup of the best two AAA teams in the state. Mann and Riverside are far and away the top two teams in the state. There is a real drop-off after those two.
Here's to hoping SA can at least make it an interesting game.
I don't know what South Aiken has in their water but that school has some incredible athletes all around. Second year in a row the girls and guys soccer team has made it to the state championship and this year the baseball team is following them there as well.
I believe J.L.Mann will probably win this game by at least 2 goals but I do not doubt that South Aiken will be able to put at least 1 in the back of the net late in the game.
South Aiken's defense is not bad in anyway, every single defender on that team gives something positive to the team, whether it be strength, intelligence, or speed they all have the ability to do great work and keep goal scoring opportunities from happening.
I believe this will be an alright game with J.L. Mann dominating almost the whole thing. Can't wait til Saturday at 4:30 to find out whos right after all of this arguing.
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I don't know what South Aiken has in their water but that school has some incredible athletes all around. Second year in a row the girls and guys soccer team has made it to the state championship and this year the baseball team is following them there as well.
I believe J.L.Mann will probably win this game by at least 2 goals but I do not doubt that South Aiken will be able to put at least 1 in the back of the net late in the game.
South Aiken's defense is not bad in anyway, every single defender on that team gives something positive to the team, whether it be strength, intelligence, or speed they all have the ability to do great work and keep goal scoring opportunities from happening.
I believe this will be an alright game with J.L. Mann dominating almost the whole thing. Can't wait til Saturday at 4:30 to find out whos right after all of this arguing.
I agree with you! Our (Eastside) boys thought that once we got past JL Mann last year that the Lower State team would just fall to the mighty Upper State - like they had always done in the AAA title game. However, South Aiken was a very determined group and ended up the victors. They are back this year and apparently red-hot and in-form. One thing to note though is that Eastside will rule the roost in the Upper State the next two years as JL Mann and Riverside bolt for AAAA. South Aiken leaves too so that means the AAA State Championship is a prelude to next year and beyond. Should be an interesting game.
Would "4A genes" be enough to qualify the special recipe of success for South Aiken???
It has to be that or horse tranquilizers!!!
Actually Mann has those 4A genes too.
And Riverside...I see a trend!
Mann 4- SA 0
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One thing to note though is that Eastside will rule the roost in the Upper State the next two years as JL Mann and Riverside bolt for AAAA. ....
Hmmmm.... I think you should not dust off the trophy shelf just yet, Greenville will likely want to discuss your "rule" with you and then there is the matter of a couple of former 4A teams coming to 3A one of whom is very very hungry after playing behind the best 4A team in SC (and the Nation for at least one of those years) for the last few years. Should make for an interesting couple of years in the upstate actually have 3A size school competing for the titles. Good luck.