The 2026 season ended for the Gatewood girls soccer team on May 13 with a 2-0 loss to Central Fellowship Christian Academy in the GIAA Class 2A Elite Eight in Macon.
Gatewood closed the year with a 7-9 overall record and finished 4-2 in region play, capping what head coach Tracy Harper described as a strong season against a difficult schedule.
“It was a tough loss. We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Harper said. “But the girls came in, and they gave a good fight literally till the last second of the game.”
Central Fellowship scored late in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime before adding another goal in the second half.
Harper credited the Lancers’ talent and ability to capitalize on opportunities while Gatewood struggled to finish offensively.
“Our girls battled hard against a top team,” Harper said. “They’ve got some good players on their team, and they were just able to capitalize. We just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
Although the season ended one win shy of the Final Four, Harper said she believes the Lady Gators made major strides throughout the year, especially considering the level of competition they faced.
“We had a great season,” she said. “We had a tough schedule this year, and I think it really helped prepare the girls. The record didn’t clearly show how great a season I felt like we had.”
Gatewood faced several high-level opponents during the season, including multiple GIAA Class 4A teams, but Harper said her players never backed down from the challenge.
“They put up some good fights against some top teams. It was good to see them, through the tough schedule, keep fighting and wanting to get better,” she said.
The Lady Gators will have to replace seven seniors next season, including four starters. Harper said the graduating class leaves behind a major impact on the program.
Gatewood’s seniors included Ellie McMillian, Lily Huskins, Anna Pulliam, Miley Sills, Natalie Sills, Kim Mendez, and Riley Justice.
“That’s a big loss,” Harper said. “Just seven great girls, and that’s really going to impact the team next year.”
With Gatewood being a smaller school, Harper said many of the Gators quickly transition into other sports once soccer season ends.
“All our girls are pretty much multi-sport athletes,” Harper said. “They play volleyball, basketball, and softball, so they’ll kind of be working out throughout the [school] year and then pick back up in the spring with soccer.”