BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — Lee County’s high school soccer programs were well represented at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s All-Star Week in Montgomery.
In total, five girls and boys players and one coach appeared in the games, which were held at the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex on Wednesday, July 22.
On the girls’ side, four rising seniors who have spent their high school careers facing one another set aside their rivalries to participate in the AHSAA’s North-South All-Star Game.
Smiths Station High School’s Finley Downey, Opelika High School’s Maelee Story and Auburn High School teammates Paige Martin and Lindsey Anniuk were selected to the South roster.
For the boys, AHS forward Knox Heisler and OHS head boys soccer coach Derek Hovell were also selected to the South roster as a player and assistant coach, respectively.
In the first match of the evening, Downey, Story, Martin and Anniuk were successful as the South team closed out a cagey 2-0 win over the North team by scoring two goals in the final six minutes.
Each one of them described the selection as something that belonged to their respective high school programs as much as to them.
“It really means a lot to me that I was picked to represent Smiths Station,” Downey said. “My team means so much to me, and being able to represent them out here just means a lot.”
According to Downey, the week amounted to a crash course.
“I feel like I learned a lot,” Downey said. “I was really grateful to be able to play with some really amazing girls and really challenge myself to step up to their level as well.”
Story arrived with more varsity mileage than most. By the time her senior campaign begins next winter, it will be her sixth season with the Lady Bulldogs.
She said the invitation carried weight in part because so few of OHS’s girls soccer players have received one in recent years.
“I think that I’ve just grown a really strong connection with Opelika soccer specifically, so it means a lot to come out here and represent them,” Story said. “It was pretty special just to get picked, because the last person who got picked was about two years ago.”
Story added that one of her favorite aspects of the experience was how fast the roster stopped feeling like a collection of rivals and strangers.
“My favorite part was getting to know other players that I haven’t played, or I haven’t actually met before, and then everybody just being so kind and becoming one big team,” Story said.
For Martin and Anniuk, the experience capped off junior campaigns that saw them help lead the Lady Tigers to a 7A state championship.
However, both had played little competitive soccer since then, and Martin said the mid-July timing made the week an honest test of adaptability.
“We’re a little bit rusty and a little bit out of shape, but it definitely taught me a lot about working well with people on the fly,” Martin said. “None of us really knew each other coming in, so we learned people’s names, their nicknames and their positions, and then how to work well together.”
Martin said those new relationships will continue even after her all-star teammates return home.
“I just made 25 new friends, and I’m excited to keep those friendships going,” Martin said.
Anniuk’s path to Montgomery was the longest of the four. Coming off a return from an ACL injury, AHS’s rock-solid defender said she had waited years for the invitation.
“I had dreamed of this for so long, so to be able to come out here and play and represent Auburn means a great deal,” Anniuk said. “When I first came out here, I was super nervous, but every single girl was super inviting. You couldn’t even tell that we haven’t played for two months with our clubs or schools.”
Like Downey, Story and Martin, Anniuk said her favorite part of all-star week was meeting her new momentary teammates.
“I honestly will keep in touch with every single one,” Anniuk said. “I got their numbers, and I have a million pictures.”
While the girls experienced the sweet joy of victory, the boys on the South team fought to a disappointing 2-2 draw with the North team in a game they mostly controlled.
Like AHS classmates Martin and Anniuk, Heisler himself entered the event coming off a state championship victory.
As the only Tiger chosen to participate in the event, Heisler said the opportunity to represent the defending 7A champions was an honor.
“It feels really good to be the one guy to represent Auburn, the state champs, at the All-Star Game, and I’m really proud of myself for being able to do it,” Heisler said.
In a similar fashion to the girls, Heisler said his favorite aspect of the experience was interacting with players from around the state.
“It’s been really fun for me getting to meet some guys I’ve only gotten to play against, and being surrounded by a bunch of good players has also been really fun,” Heisler said.
After leading the Bulldogs to a playoff berth this past season, Hovell said his selection as one of just eight non-administrative coaches to lead either the girls or boys teams was an honor that mostly belonged to his OHS players.
“Coming from two rough years in 2024 and 2025 to be able to turn around in 2026, it says a lot about the boys and the program, not as much about me because they’re the ones who were on the field getting the results,” Hovell said. “But obviously, I take great pride in being able to represent them out here tonight.”
After working with the South team players in the lead up to last Wednesday’s game, Hovell said he would carry the bonds he built with them into next season.
“I will say that it was honestly awesome because I don’t get to do that, [work with] kids from Montgomery Academy, Auburn, people that we’re playing against throughout the year,” Hovell said. “You develop a relationship with them. I know in games this upcoming season we’re going to shake hands, ask each other how we’re doing, all that stuff. So it’s really cool to be able to create that relationship and that bond that quickly.”
