How the Islands boys soccer team broke through to win its first state title

DULUTH — Islands soccer coach Justin Brantley knew his team's potential before the season even started and let his players know that every moment of practice and every game they played was to prepare them for a run at a state title. Brantley set up a rugged early season schedule to get his team battle-tested and his attention to detail rubbed off on his players, who took pride in doing all the little things right from the start of the season — to the glorious finish the Sharks celebrated on Tuesday night. Islands won its first state championship in dominating fashion as the Sharks rolled to a 6-0 win over East Hall at Duluth High.

Islands became the first public school in Savannah history to win a boys soccer state championship, and the Sharks were the first to win a team state crown in any sport at Islands. The Sharks finished the year with a 22-2 record. The Shark defense had a spectacular run through the playoffs as Islands didn't allow a goal in five of their postseason matches.

"We beat three potential state champions in our last three games, so I was very, very confident in my guys because I know we don't concede goals very easily," said Brantley, in his fifth season leading the program. "We had that confidence in our back line and we just played a fantastic game — it was our best match of the year. There had been so many games when we just didn't finish with our chances, and I told the guys to keep playing those balls and those shots are going to drop — and they did tonight with four goals in the first half.

" The Sharks took control from the start. Freshman Colt Lawhorn had a few strong runs down the right side of the field and cashed in quickly in the sixth minute with a cross to Andrew McLaughlin that the sophomore slotted into the left side of the net. Ten minutes later, senior JJ Stein was the man on the spot when East Hall tried to clear a ball out of its own end.