Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
Three local players and one area coach were recently selected to participate in the North/South All-Star soccer games in July in Montgomery.
Comprised of 2023 rising seniors, the teams were chosen by a special coaches committee from nominations received from AHSAA member school coaches.
Named to the North girls team were Westbrook Christian midfielder Ella Keene and Southside goalkeeper Anna Kate Welch. Keene finished with 14 goals and five assists as the Lady Warriors went 17-3-2 and made it to the Class 4A/5A state semifinals. Westbrook was ranked No. 8 in the final regular season poll. Welch (pictured above) recorded 167 saves with eight shutouts to help the Lady Panthers finish 18-4-3 and qualify for the Class 6A state semifinal for the fifth straight year, not counting the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. Southside finished as the fifth-ranked team in the final regular season poll.
Selected to the North boys roster was Southside centerback Ariq Chandra, who was picked for the All Classification Super Team second team and 6A first team. He had four goals and four assists this past season and was s named the Panthers’ Teams MVP and Defensive MVP.
Southside’s Randy Vice was named the North coach after guiding the Panthers to a fourth straight area title and qualifying for the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs for the third straight year, not counting the COVVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
