The annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week Soccer Game brought together some of the best high school soccer players from across the state, with both girls and boys showcasing their skill, sportsmanship and teamwork.
This highly anticipated event, held at the Emory Vollmer YMCA Soccer Complex, showcased the prowess of young athletes who have spent countless hours perfecting their skills on the field. The girls' match kicked off the day, with both the North and South teams showcasing exceptional technique and strategic play. Standout players such as Montgomery Academy's Sophia Cho and Mary Elizabeth Cole, and St. James' Hasana Shuford showed the crowd why they earned a place in this annual competition.
Cho had four shots on goal and Cole three as the South tried to beat the North, but it ended in a 4-1 victory for the North, extending their winning streak against the South to 14 games. The North leads the series with 19 wins, 3 losses and one tie since the sport became part of All-Star Sports Week in 1998.
Ameera Edwards scored the South's lone goal to tie the game at 1-1, before Langston Lilly scored with an assist from Taylor Live and Addison Thorne added another goal for the North.
The boys' match played out in a similar fashion, with Ethan Spooler scoring for the South team to tie the score at 1-1, but the North team won 4-1 with three points from Camren Thompson, one goal and one assist.
“It's really an honor to represent Montgomery in this all-star game,” said Trinity's Beau Stewart, the sole representative from the Capital City Conference. “Tonight's game is the best of the north and the best of the south.”
North Korea's victory was their 16th in 21 meetings with South Korea since 1998.
Soccer is just one of three sports Stewart plays at Trinity, along with football and basketball, and he says playing multiple sports helps him stay busy and avoids slacking off.
“These kids are all athletes,” he said. “They all have speed, they all have all kinds of athletic ability. Football definitely helps them a lot. Without sports they would be lazy. Playing sports keeps them busy all year round.”
