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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HOOVER – The Spain Park Jaguars boys and girls soccer teams entered their first area match against the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies in different situations but ended the night the same way: on top.

Spain Park rolled to a 3-0 win in the varsity girls game to keep its undefeated season alive before the varsity boys held off the Huskies in a penalty shootout to win 2-1 on Friday, March 1 at Spain Park High School.

Before the match, Spain Park’s varsity girls entered with a 9-0 record and were flying high after a strong recent string of results.

The Jags came off victories over 6A No. 1 Mountain Brook and 7A’s then-No. 1 squad Vestavia Hills in their last two matches in search of another top 10 win over Hewitt-Trussville.

Spain Park continued its solid form on both ends of the field in the victory to kick off area play.

On defense, the Jags held the Huskies scoreless throughout the match to post their eighth clean sheet in 10 matches to start the year.

Spain Park then capitalized on offense by scoring three goals to earn the 3-0 victory and remain perfect.

With the win, the Jags ensured their spot as the No. 1 team in the Class 7A girls soccer coaches poll when the rankings released on March 3.

The varsity boys followed them, and Spain Park came into the match in need of a confidence-boosting win.

The Jags were winless in their previous three matches after losing to Briarwood Christian and Westminster OM and drawing with Leeds.

Spain Park turned around the ship to start off area play, but it wasn’t easy.

Neither team found the back of the net in the first half as both goalkeepers earned a shutout in the opening 40 minutes. As a result, the Jags and Huskies remained tied at 0-0 going into the halftime locker room.

The second half saw more action on offense, but the teams remained tightly matched. Both Spain Park and Hewitt-Trussville scored a goal in the second half to tie up the game once again at 1-1.

As full time approached, regulation couldn’t separate the two sides and the area foes went into overtime.

As the match hung in the balance, neither team could break through in either of the two five-minute extra periods. After 90 minutes of play, the Jags and Huskies went to a penalty shootout in search of a winner.

Spain Park got the better of Hewitt in the shootout and earned the victory to start area play 1-1.

The win also improves the Jags to 4-5-1 on the 2024 season.

Both varsity teams will be in action next on Tuesday, March 5 as Spain Park battles Springville at home, with the girls playing at 5 p.m. and the boys starting at 7 p.m.