3 soccer teams advance to state semifinals

By KYLE PARMLEY

High school soccer season has ended, with several of the schools in the 280 Living coverage area posting strong seasons.

Notably, Briarwood’s girls, Oak Mountain’s boys and Oak Mountain’s girls all advanced to the state semifinals. Each played in the state semifinals in Huntsville at John Hunt Park on May 11.

Briarwood’s fantastic season ended in a 2-1 loss to Montgomery Academy, as the Eagles won in penalty kicks in the Class 6A semifinals. Each team scored a goal in regulation, as Briarwood’s Taylor Leib scored the game’s first goal in the 52nd minute. Montgomery Academy tied the game seven minutes later, and the score remained that way through the remainder of regulation and a pair of overtime periods. Briarwood’s first two penalty kicks were stopped, and Montgomery Academy converted enough to take the win.

Briarwood finished the year with a 17-4-1 record. Before the semifinals, the Lions had not yielded a goal in any of their playoff games to that point, as they defeated Hueytown, Indian Springs and Northridge by combined scores of 22-0.

Jolee Giadrosich, Abigail Hoaglund, Piper Eighmy, Lindsey Weigant, Makayla Sato and Bradford Latta were seniors for the Lions this season.

Oak Mountain’s girls suffered a tough 1-0 loss to Sparkman in the 7A semifinals. Sparkman’s Chelsea Curtis scored 10 minutes into the second half to convert the game’s only goal.

Oak Mountain posted a 22-4 mark on the year. To get to the semifinals, the Eagles beat Hoover 2-1 and Spain Park 1-0. Kate Murray, Gabriella Plaia, Lily Ann Neumann, Kathleen Matuszak, Juliet Williams and Kierson

McDonald were the team’s seniors.

Oak Mountain’s boys took a 1-0 loss to Huntsville in the semifinals as well. Huntsville’s Caleb Alldredge scored in the 16th minute, notching the game’s only goal. Oak Mountain outshot the Panthers 15-2 in the game, but the three on goal were turned away by Huntsville’s goalkeeper.

The Eagles finished with a 22-3-2 record after defeating Vestavia Hills 4-1 and beating Hoover 3-1 in the previous playoff rounds. Seniors for the Eagles were Joey Schneider, Adam Alemond, Garrett Murphy, Tripp Whitehurst and Caleb Smith.