Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor
Camryn Davis is making a name for herself in local soccer circles.
The Southside High rising senior midfielder finished with18 goals and 22 assists this past season to help the 2021 Lady Panthers to a 15-2 record, an area championship and a berth in the Class 6A Final Four. Davis (pictured above) scored two goals and distributed seven assists as Southside outscored the opposition 14 to 4 in the first three rounds of the state playoffs. She was selected to Class 6A All-State second team following the season.
In May, Davis was selected to participate in the Alabama High School Athletic Association North/South girls all-star soccer games on July 21 in Montgomery. In December, she verbally committed to Jacksonville State University.
To top it all off, and against some stiff competition, Davis was named the Player of the Year for the 2021 All-Greater Gadsden Area girls soccer team as voted on by local coaches and media outlets.
Joining Davis from Southside on the all-area first team were forward Alana Morton (20 goals, three assists) and goaltender Anna Kate Welch (83 saves).
Glencoe, which went 18-2 and was ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 for most of the regular season in Class 3A, had four players make the team in forward Laney Bishop (team captain, 30 goals 11 assists), Morgan Lasseter (four-year team captain), goaltender Daijah Hammond (95 saves) and centerback Taylor Russell (team captain, anchored a defense that only allowed 13 goals in 20 games).
Named from Westbrook Christian, which went 11-4-1, won the area title and made it to the third round of the postseason, were center attacking midfielder Ella Keene (nine goals, seven assists) and midfielder Sarah Guffey (seven goals, two assists).
Gadsden City selections included defender Amelia Ryan and striker Hartley Reynolds.
The inaugural Hokes Bluff girls team included Madalyn Sims and Emily Bonds.
In its first full season of competition, Ashville won six games. Forward Callie Stewart (team captain, 11 goals, 10 assists), forward Kathleen McCarthy (eight goals, seven assists) and
center midfielder Meghan McCarthy (team captain, four goals, 10 assists) represented the Lady Bulldogs.
Tiffany Cargill was voted Coach of the Year after guiding Southside to its fourth straight Final Four appearance.
The second team features Ziniah Hardy, Madison Ashley and Kinsey Carter from Southside; Katie Giles and Linsey Smith from Glencoe; Aislyn Godfrey, Allie Blevin and Madelon Machen from Westbrook; Kinleigh Shefield, Holly Swafford and Mikenlee Brook from Gadsden City;
Shaylyn Mink and Katie Marsh from Hokes Bluff; and Kayla Simpson and Emma Drinkard from Ashville.