Jags goalie named Gatorade Player of Year

HOOVER — Spain Park’s Lauren Arnold became the second goalkeeper to ever be named Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama when the award was announced Tuesday.

Arnold found out about the honor at Tuesday night’s sports banquet.

“I was so excited,” Arnold said. “Not a lot of juniors get it. I didn’t think I was going to get it this year. I was surprised.”

Arnold collected 11 shutouts this season to help lead Spain Park to the Class 6A girls’ soccer championship May 9. One of the games that helped set her apart from the rest of the players in the state was a 3-0 shutout of No. 2 Grissom in the state semifinal May 1. Arnold considers the win the closest thing she has had to a perfect game, as she collected eight saves, including two that she tipped over the crossbar.

“What helps her stand out above all of the other keepers is her ability to make the big saves,” Spain Park head coach Jonathan Weimer said. “She’s definitely a big part of the reason we are state champions.”

Arnold said defending the Jaguars’ goal this season was easy because of the defense she had to work with and called the team the best to ever go through Spain Park. more

Auburn High shuts out Northview in sub-state

AHSAA GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS: Auburn High shuts out Northview in sub-state Auburn High’s girls rarely gave the Northview defense time to breathe Tuesday night.

The Tigers were in a seemingly constant attack mode in their 3-0 win over the Cougars in the first round of the AHSAA soccer playoffs at Duck Samford Stadium.

Auburn (16-3-1) outshot Northview 25-3 on the night.

“This is as good of attacking soccer as I’ve ever seen them play,” coach Mac Matthews said. “Because I give Northview credit. They were an organized team in what they were doing and they were hard to break down. I was very pleased with that.”

The Tigers shook off a relatively slow start and got on the board in the 20th minute. Christine Schwartz found Kristin Boydston at the top of the Cougars’ box and the senior rifled it in off the crossbar.

Auburn added another goal three minutes later, with Briana Hunsberger finding the upper left corner of the net on a corner kick to send the Tigers into the half up 2-0. more