Maxwell Donaldson Gadsden Times
Link to original article: https://www.gadsdentimes.com/story/sports/high-school/soccer/2024/02/27/southside-soccer-sweeps-first-etowah-county-tournament/72760477007/
The Southside Boys and Girls Soccer teams pose after sweeping the Etowah County Soccer Championships at the KIA SPORTSPLEX in Rainbow City. 2024
The Southside high boys and girls soccer teams swept the inaugural Etowah County soccer tournament over the weekend.
Both claimed titles with wins over Gadsden City in the finals on Saturday at the Kia Sportsplex in Rainbow City. The boys team picked up a 4-1 win over the Titans, with Camren Thompson scoring three goals and assisting on the other. Thompson had 10 goals in the four wins over Glencoe on Friday and Coosa Christian, Westbrook Christian and Gadsden City on Saturday.
"The championship game’s Gadsden City is a great opponent, great program, coach Coker is doing a great job over there. Anytime you can face them and come out on top, is a good result," Vice said.
The girls team picked up a win over Hokes Bluff on Friday before defeating Geraldine and Gadsden City on Saturday. The Panthers and Titans battled to a 1-1 tie in regulation sending the game to free kicks, where they won 2-1. Maddy Sprinkle had the regulation goal while Hannah Maddox had five saves in regulation.
"My team has gone through a lot over the course of the last two years, graduating strong senior classes and having to have young players step up," coach Tiffany Cargill said. "This weekend they were able to show that they can compete and they are coming into their own."
While other major county sports have had longstanding county tournaments, this was the first time that soccer had its own tournament after a few years of trying. This one was special as it involved all seven Etowah County soccer programs, not just the three that are in the county school system.
"It was something that was overdue, we've tried the last couple of years but scheduling in the spring is hectic," Vice said.
While this was only the first Etowah County tournament, the success of the weekend, that saw great attendance at the Kia Sportsplex in Rainbow City provides hope for the future that the tournament can grow even bigger with the room to add the three teams that don't currently play soccer in the county into the fold.
"It's really great, the growth of the sport in this area is definitely nice to see. I hope that we can get more county schools involved so the tournament can be bigger. We definitely enjoyed this past weekend."
