Patriots, Cavs soccer teams preview season at media day

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Homewood and John Carroll Catholic high school soccer teams were represented at the third annual Birmingham-area soccer media day event, held this year at Thompson High School on Jan. 25-26.

Homewood’s girls are coming off a Class 6A state championship, while John Carroll’s boys and girls are coming off quarterfinal appearances in Class 4A-5A.

The Homewood girls posted a 20-2-2 record last season and have a tough road ahead in their quest to earn another state championship. They did open the 2023 season as the top-ranked team in the Class 6A coaches poll, though.

“We’ve got a good returning bunch from last year and probably half of the team stepping up from [junior varsity],” Homewood head coach Sean McBride said. “Most of these guys returning play high-club ball.”

McBride was joined by senior captains Maddie Massie, Sunny Ferren and Mary Siena McBride at media day.

“It was a really good ending for us last year,” Massie said. “We worked really hard to get that. We’re all proud of that year, but it’s a new year and we’re working toward a new goal.”

Ferren acknowledged her team will have a “target on our back” as the defending champs, and McBride is aiming to make her senior year a special one.

“We’re going to be a team that works hard from the beginning,” Massie added. “We’re going to continue to work hard and have the mentality as a team that sticks together and has