Written by Russ Gordon
To those who have questions
The Hartselle junior varsity boys soccer team finished the season with a record of 10-0-3. They beat Decatur 3-2 and Randolph 2-0. In the men's varsity game, the Tigers lost 1-0 to the visiting Decatur Red Raiders and tied 2-2 with Randolph. The women's national team lost 3-2 to regional rival Cullman.
JV Boys
Hartselle 3, Decatur 2
Their last game in Decatur ended in a 0-0 tie, but the Junior Tigers weren't going to settle for another draw. Decatur took the lead midway through the first half, but Rhett Spivey's goal at the 9:15 mark tied the score at 1-1. Decatur then converted a penalty kick with four minutes left in the second half to take a 2-1 advantage into the first half. Warren Payton tied the game early in the second half and scored the winning goal with 12 minutes left on an assist from Elliott Burns.
Hartsell 2, Randolph 0
Elliott Burns scored a goal in the first half and Rhett Spivey added another point in the second for a 2-0 victory over the visiting Randolph Raiders.
Representative boys
Hartselle 0, Decatur 1
Despite outscoring Decatur 15-2 in the last two games this season. It was a very physical game, with the game score tied at halftime, while Decatur had a 3-0 advantage on yellow cards. Hartselle scored at the 33:21 mark, but the referee disallowed the goal because a Hartselle player hit the ball with part of his arm just before the ball went into the goal. Decatur scored a goal midway through the second period, which was the game-winner.
Hartsell 2, Randolph 2
Luke Minnon provided a picture-perfect assist for Owen Bennic's goal, tying the game three-quarters into the first period. Five minutes into the second half, Luke Vinson assisted on sophomore Andrew O'Leary's first goal of the year for a 2-1 lead. For a questionable foul in the box, Randolph converted a penalty kick at 19:15, 2-2.
women's national team
Heartsel 2, Karman 3
In their final game at Area 14, the girls suffered a heartbreaking loss to the visiting Cullman Bearcats. Karla Beth Nelson's goal put Hartselle up 1-0, but Cullman tied it at 1-1 at halftime seven minutes later. Maggie Smith gave the Lady Tigers the lead again, but Cullman responded with another goal, keeping the game tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation play. There were two five-minute overtime periods, but they were unable to break the deadlock. The match was decided in a penalty shootout. Sam Watson had one blocked shot, but Cullman made the final four shots, Hartsell missed one and had one blocked, giving Cullman a pyrrhic victory.
JV Girls
Hartsell 3, Karman 3
Jaylee Browning scored and an own goal gave the Hartselle girls a 2-1 lead at the half. Brelyn Morse scored in the second half, but Cullman scored twice to tie the score. The team is 7-3-1 on the season with one game remaining.
On April 22, both the men's and women's national teams play a home game against Colombia, concluding the regular season. Postseason play for the Area 14 Champion Girls State Playoffs first round begins April 25 against Fort Martin at 5 p.m. pain. Area 14 champion boys take on Gadsden City Friday at 7 p.m. Both games will be played at Gruber Field.
