AHS girls celebrate with the crowd after a 10-0 defeat of Opelika on
Thursday, March 16.
BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN —
The Auburn High girls soccer team is 7-4 and has pitched six shutouts already this season — the latest a 10-0 mercy rule defeat of Opelika last Thursday.
“They’ve been great,” said head coach Bill Ferguson after the win at Opelika. “They’re such a joy to coach because they come willing to listen, willing to work and they enjoy being around each other, which makes the energy so positive.”
That is the team’s second consecutive shutout after it left Lagrange, Georgia, with a 6-0 win, completing a scoreless week last week. It is yet to give up more than three goals in a game yet this season (3-1 loss to Oak Mountain), and it has only given up multiple goals in two contests (2-1 loss to Vestavia Hills).
But the offense went cold versus — and was shut out in a 1-0 loss to — Montgomery Academy, giving the Tigers their third loss of the season.
Despite only scoring two goals in its three losses, Auburn is outscoring opponents 46-7 throughout the season. With 10-0 wins over Central Phenix City and Opelika, it is 2-0 in region play.
“Their energy is now starting to reflect on some of the results they’re getting,” Ferguson raved. “They played some really good soccer tonight [against Opelika]. They started showing early and just kept the foot on the pedal and finished the game early. That was nice to see.”
While Ferguson said the team’s ultimate goal is simply to be the best team they can be at the end of the season regardless of how far they go, the girls are chasing their first state championship in program history. And their clean sheets are nothing new.
After pitching 11 shutouts last season before getting shut out in a round-of-eight loss to Fairhope, Auburn has displayed that same dominance on defense this season. Under the leadership of a veteran-filled team, including three senior defenders, the offense will need to catch up to the production of the defense if it is to make a deeper playoff push this season.