Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor
Southside High’s Isaac Franklin and Westbrook Christian’s Jai’Shawn Cattling and Will Edwards recently were named to the Alabama Soccer Coaches Association’s 2020 all-state boys soccer team.
Franklin was selected to the Class 4A/5A team, while Cattling and Edwards were named to the Class 1A-3A team.
A senior striker, Franklin finished with 28 goals, 14 assists and 62 steals while helping the Panthers to an 11-1-2 record and a No. 1 state ranking in Class 4A-5A before the coronavirus shutdown.
Franklin, who recently signed with Shorter University in Rome, Ga., finished with 108 goals and 85 assists for his high school career.
A senior forward, Cattling (pictured above) finished the abbreviated 2020 season with 21 goals and nine assists for the Warriors.
A senior midfielder, Edwards contributed nine goals 16 assists.
Southside senior defender Cade Thompson, who came up with 126 steals, was named to the 4A/5A second team.
Several local players earned honorable mention recognition, including senior midfielder Carter Huffstutler and senior forward Kevin Laby from Southside and senior forward Daniel Sparks, senior midfielder Will Partridge, junior midfielder Jesse Kantzler and senior defenders Brandon Buchanon and Garrett Keck from Gadsden City.
A number of local girls make all-state honorable mention.
Named from Gadsden City were senior midfielder Riley Kerr, senior forward Haley Swafford, sophomore defender Amelia Ryan, sophomore forward Hartley Reynolds and freshman midfielder Holly Swafford.
Selected from Southside were senior defender Makayla Moore, senior goalkeeper Bliss Brown, junior midfielder Grasyn Car-ter and sophomore midfielders Camryn Davis, Alana Morton and Laney Bishop.
Picked from Westbrook were senior defender Kinsley Gupta, senior goalkeeper Kirsi Gupta and sophomore forward Anna Cate Edwards.