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It is hard to call unseeded Whitman's 1-0 overtime win at No. 4 Gaithersburg on Friday in the first round of the Class 4A West Region girls soccer tournament an upset. The defending regional finalist won the state tournament in 2004 and was runner-up in 2005.

But that is what makes the 4A West the state's toughest region; its champion has made it to the state final in six of the past seven years and won the whole thing three times.

The Vikings (7-6-0) were without four-year starter Kat Barth, on crutches after hurting her foot in practice the day before. Tessa Morrison knocked in the game's only goal in the 84th minute.

Gaithersburg (7-5-0) also fell 1-0 to Whitman in the first round of last year's tournament, also at home, also as the fourth seed.

For the most part, though, this week's early-round games played out true to form.

- Just a couple of weeks after scraping by Richard Montgomery, 2-1 in overtime, Walter Johnson set up a quarterfinal matchup at third-seeded Blair with a 4-0 romp over the Rockets on Saturday.

Freshman Sydney Calas broke a scoreless tie in the 25th minute. Catherine Madden, Caroline Hagerty and Chaucia Sydnor all found the back of the net in the second half.

Northwest (7-7-0) backed up its 2-1 overtime win over Sherwood on Oct. 22 with a 1-0 first round win over the Warriors. Senior Johanna Kadam moved up top from the middle and knocked in the game's only goal.

- In the 3A West Region, fourth-seeded Seneca Valley survived Einstein 2-0 Saturday despite playing without three-year starting midfielder Jasmine Sampson, who was away for her monthly practice with the Trinidad & Tobago U-17 National team.

Sampson is the focal point of Seneca Valley's attack, but of the Screaming Eagles' 19 varsity players, 12 have scored at least one goal. Besides Sampson, three have scored at least three goals apiece: junior Denise Gatcham (6), freshman Breanna Henderson (4) and junior Bailey Roman (3).

Roman put Seneca Valley up 1-0 at halftime and Henderson added the insurance goal with 3 minutes left in regulation.

- Tuesday's quarterfinal games finished too late to be included in this week's editions. See www.gazette.net/montsports for daily, up-to-date coverage.