Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

In what is traditionally the strongest sport in Shelby County, the North All-Star soccer team will be full of local talent during this year’s North-South All-Star soccer game.

Taking place during All-Star Week in Montgomery July 18-22, there will be eight local soccer players taking place in the game this year as members of the All-Star team, including four girls and four boys.

The girls team will be represented by athletes from Spain Park, Thompson, Briarwood and Oak Mountain, while the boys will have representation from Oak Mountain, Thompson, Pelham and Indian Springs.

In the girls game, Thompson’s Georgia Cousins, Spain Park’s Madie Davis, Briarwood’s Abigail Hoaglund and Oak Mountain’s Kierson McDonald will be four of the 18 players on the North team this summer.

Cousins was Thompson’s leader this season with 10 goals and 14 assists as a captain and starter for the Warriors for the last four years.

Davis, a forward, totaled five goals and six assists for the Jaguars en route to their state championship this season.

Hoaglund had identical numbers as a leader for the Lions, as the Mississippi State recruit totaled five goals and six assists.

McDonald was also key this season for her team, as she helped the Eagles maintain the No. 1 ranking for the majority of the season. Not only that, she was one of the top goal-scorers in the state with 35 and added 23 assists.

In the boys game, Oak Mountain’s Garret Murphy, Thompson’s Joshua Owens, Pelham’s Kevin Garcia-Hernandez and Indian Springs’ Gus Colvin were all named to the North team.

One of the most balanced players in the county this year, Murphy totaled six goals and one assist for Oak Mountain, while also making life difficult for opponents.

Owens was a leader for Thompson as an All-State player in the 7A classification after helping the Warriors put together another special season.

Garcia, who battled a late injury in the season, was the offensive leader and MVP for Pelham after totaling 13 goals and six assists while playing every midfield position.

A defender for Indian Springs, Colvin not only locked down opposing offenses but totaled 13 assists and six goals.

The North All-Stars swept last summer’s North-South soccer competition winning 6-1 in the girls’ match and 3-0 in the boys’ match. The North boys lead the series 13-4-1 while the North girls hold a 16-3-1 edge over the South. The series was first played in 1997.