BY ROB DAVIS | FOR THE OBSERVER
Unbreakable defense was on full display as Lee-Scott Academy’s girls and boys soccer teams both secured home playoff wins at Judd Scott Field Monday, April 27 to advance in the 1A-3A playoffs.
A.J. Spillman pulled the hat trick as the No. 3 Lady Warriors shut out the visitors from The Altamont School Lady Knights 4-0, and Warriors goalkeeper Eron Bridges recorded 17 saves in the 4-1 victory over the No. 5 ranked Tuscaloosa Academy Knights.
Girls Game
Spillman scored her first goal at the 27:56 mark in the first half. Sophomore Anniston King broke free on the left side of the pitch and delivered a brilliant assist inside the box to Spillman, who kicked a laser shot across the face of the goal and into the right side of the net to put the Lady Warriors up 1-0.
Lee-Scott got some breathing room at the 35th minute of the second half when Spillman broke through two Altamont defenders and dribbled into the box once again before striking the ball just past the outstretched arms of the keeper for her second score of the game.
Two minutes later, Altamont had an almost perfect shot on goal, but Lee-Scott goalkeeper Olivia Murchison dove to her right and corralled the ball before it crossed the goal line.
“This time of the season is crazy,” Lee-Scott Girls head coach Eric Faison said. “You win games you shouldn’t win and lose games you shouldn’t lose. We just came out prepared and fortunately got some to go into the net. We’ve just got a really good mid-field. I’ve coached soccer for about 23 years and we have the best back line I’ve ever coached.”
Spillman put the exclamation on her hat trick at the 14:49 mark when she broke through the Altamont defense and received another assist from Anniston King inside the box.
Drawing the keeper to the left side of the goal, Spillman punched the ball into the right side of the net to make the score 3-0.
“It’s always good to get the hatty in a playoff game,” Spillman said. “My coaches just told me to do the little things right and stay connected with my team. Coach said I’m going to get ten chances to score so finish at least three of them. We have a tendency to get stressed sometimes but we play our best when we go out there relaxed like we did tonight.”
The fourth and final goal for the Lady Warriors came with under five minutes remaining when instead of delivering an assist, King was the beneficiary of one.
It came from her sister, Julianne King, and King seized the opportunity with a quick shot from inside the goal area box to seal the 4-0 victory.
Boys Game
The Lee-Scott boys varsity soccer team proved to be up for the challenge Monday night against perennial power Tuscaloosa Academy.
Time and again the Warriors had to defend offensive attacks from the Knights before two late goals iced the 4-1 victory.
Bridges was resolute in goal, and Parks Meyers got the hat trick with three goals as the Warriors withstood everything the Knights threw at them to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
For most of the second half Tuscaloosa was on the Warriors side of the pitch attacking the goal from every angle. Bridges and the Warrior defenders continuously denied the Knights until their will seemed to break.
“Through teamwork and communication we just kept battling and battling,” Bridges said. “I felt a little bit of pressure but I have a lot of confidence in my teammates and I knew they had my back when it got crazy.”
The Warriors jumped in front early in the first half when Meyers broke past two defenders in the box and delivered a strike off the finger tips of the Knights keeper.
Meyers put the Warriors up 2-0 just before the half when he broke away from the Tuscaloosa defense and dribbled his way into the box before sending the ball into the left corner of the net.
Tuscaloosa got on the board early in the second half and continued to put pressure on the Warriors defense.
With their backs against the goal and the season on the line, the Warriors crowded the middle of the pitch in support of their keeper and time after time stopped the Knights from scoring.
Finally at the 8:42 mark, Meyers completed the hat trick off an in bounds pass. James Pace put the final touches on the victory with a goal of his own with under two minutes to play.
“We decided to play smart tonight,” Lee-Scott head coach Moses Ogunleye said. “It’s about concentration and for each game we have a theme. Today’s theme was heart. Have one, execute, all together, relentless and team. We knew we were going to be under constant attack. All thanks to God almighty himself who has given these boys the confidence to trust in each other and stick to our principles. And we have amazing fans to support us and encourage us. When you face challenges you can either back down or rise up and tonight we rose up to meet the challenge. “
