MADISON — His team down 2-0 with about 16 minutes to play in the first half and playing with little fire, Southeast Bulloch High boys soccer coach Bob Massee remained confident his team would find its spark.
    “We’re like a shark in the water,” Massee said. “It’s like we were circling, waiting for that little taste of blood, and then we go.”
    The little taste happened at the 15:45 mark when junior Sean Healy headed in a throw in from senior Drew Ware to get the Yellow Jackets on the board. The SEB “sharks” then feasted behind a hat trick by Doug Flott to defeat Morgan County, 5-2, in the first round of the Class AA State playoffs Thursday night.
    Southeast Bulloch now faces Blessed Trinity, the top-ranked team in AA, on Tuesday in Atlanta in the second round of the playoffs. Blessed Trinity is 16-1-2 on the season and defeated Jordan High, 10-0, in its first-round game Thursday. It was Trinity’s 12th shutout of the season. The Titans have allowed more than one goal in a game only once this season, giving up two in their only loss in 2012, 2-0, to Greater Atlanta Christian, the state’s second-ranked AA team.
    “(Playing the top-ranked team) I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Massee said. “We know the challenge we face and the opportunity we have. They are a great team and we will have to play great to have a chance to beat them.”
    Thursday’s game didn’t start like SEB would be making travel plans for Atlanta. Morgan County dominated action and scored off a low shot 10 minutes into the game. The Bulldogs made it 2-0 16:16 before halftime off a brilliant free kick that found the upper left corner of the goal.
    But then the sharks started circling. About 45 seconds after Morgan County’s second goal, Ware launched one of his long throw ins and Healy was able to knife through the Bulldogs defense to head the ball into the right side of the goal.
    SEB kept up the pressure and Flott tied it at 2 at the 12:26 mark before halftime with a perfectly placed right-footed shot over the Morgan goalie.
    But the sharks weren’t done before halftime. Earning a corner kick late in the half, senior Cam Duncan headed home the boot from Healy with 17 seconds to play, giving SEB a 3-2 lead at the half.
    “We are confident with our set pieces,” Massee said. “We were the more physical team in the goal area and it paid off today.”
    The Yellow Jackets didn’t waste much time building on their halftime advantage, as Flott took a perfect pass from fellow striker James Jones and blasted another right-footed shot past the keeper six minutes into the half for a 4-2 lead.
    Morgan County began pushing more players forward in an attempt to get back in the game and peppered goalie Riley Dinkins with several close-in shots. Dinkins turned them all away, including a point-blank shot from the left side with a split-second reaction save.
    Flott completed his hat trick and sealed the game with about eight minutes to play, following up his own shot that was saved by the Bulldogs goalie with another right-footed goal. Jones again set up Flott’s attack with a well-placed pass.
    “(James and Doug) worked on that pass all week in practice,” Massee said. “We counterattacked very well and James and Doug worked together very well.”
    After scoring 23 goals last season, Flott had not kept nearly the same pace, scoring 10 heading into Thursday’s game.
    “I felt great out there today and props to James Jones for setting me up,” Flott said. “It’s a great win for the team and we’re ready for next week.”
    Massee said the team will enjoy the win and watch the girls team play its first-round playoff game at 5:30 p.m. today at Statesboro High.
    “I’m so proud of them,” Massee said. “They work so hard and they’re not satisfied. What a great test it will be Tuesday. We’ll be ready.”
   
    James Healy may be reached at (912) 489-9402.