By Robert Griffin

Sports Writer

The Lagrange Grangers came into Callaway Stadium on Thursday night like a person coming off of a hunger strike.

The Grangers entered their first game of the Class AAA state playoffs hungry for a win, and they got it, beating the Thomson Bulldogs 9-0.

“My kids were hungry today and it showed,” Granger head coach Keita Placide said. “It showed that we punched the ticket to the next round. It showed that we were on that level to do what we needed to do to win, and that’s important.”

The Grangers started their scoring early.

Five minutes into the first half of the game, senior Gavin Wood used some fancy footwork and kicked the ball past the goal keeper to get the first goal of the game.

A few minutes Nolan Free scored making, extending the lead to 2-0, a lead the Grangers would hold going into the half.

From the opening minutes of the second half, the crowd could tell the Grangers were playing like they wanted to put the game away.

Senior mid-fielder Kevin Folsom pushed the Granger lead to 3-0 scoring on a penalty kick.

Folsom would go on to score once again in the game a few minutes later, and came close to getting a hat trick, but he saw the ball ricochet off the top crossbar.

Luckily for Folsom, junior Paul Hutton was there to get the rebound and headed the ball into the goal for a 5-0 Granger lead.

Hutton added another goal as well in the game, Evan Diaz scored a pair of goals, and senior Everett Quintana scored as well.

“We played tough out there,” Placide said. “The team we played was tough and played with a lot of heart and that’s what you expect in the playoffs. We showed that we can play at the next level. We want it. We’re hungry, and that’s why I’m proud of my players today.”

The Grangers will continue their quest for the AAA title next week against either Woodward Academy or Peach County.