Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor
As evidenced by his production, Southside High’s Camren Thompson made a habit of putting opposing defenders back on their collective heels this past season.
In 29 soccer matches, the junior forward scored 52 goals for an average of 1.7 per game while adding 15 assists. He scored three or more goals seven times, providing the Panthers with much-needed cushions while competing in the rugged Class 5A, Area 6. Thompson’s high-water mark was five goals against Lincoln on April 23.
Thompson’s sharpshooting was recognized following the season, as he was named to the Super-All-State team and Class 5A All-State first team. In addition, he was selected to participate in North/South All-Star soccer match this month in Montgomery.
Thompson (pictured at left) has one additional item to place in his 2024 scrapbook – the All-Gadsden Merto Team Player of the Year.
Earning Coach of the Year honors was Southside’s Randy Vice, who guided the Panthers to a 25-3-1 record, a final regular season ranking of No. 1 in the Class 5A coaches’ poll and a berth in the Final Four in Huntsville, where Southside lost to Guntersville by a 1-0 score. Vice’s Panthers also won the first-ever Etowah County Soccer Tournament.
All-Gadsden Metro boys soccer
Player of the Year: Camren Thompson, Southside
Coach of the Year: Randy Vice, Southside
First team
Southside
Camren Thompson, junior forward: 52 goals, 15 assists.
Hayes Cosby, junior goalkeeper: 94 saves with only 20 goals allowed; 12 shutouts; selected to Super All-State team, Class 5A All-State team.
Ouzeiph Toumiba, senior centerback: 10 goals, nine assists.
Gadsden City
Bladimir Cervantes, junior center-midfielder: 30 goals, 15 assists; selected to Super All-State team and Class 6A All-State team.
Brandon Cervantes, senior defender: seven goals, three assists; selected to Super All-State team and Class 6A All-State team.
Julio Lake, senior goalkeeper: 70 saves, 10 shutouts; selected to Class 6A All-State team.
Westbrook Christian
J.D. Berndt, junior forward: 16 goals, 13 assists; selected to Class 4A All-State first team.
Ethan Daffron, senior midfielder: nine goals, 14 assists; team MVP; selected to Class 4A All-State team.
Daniel Rohlfs, senior defender: four goals; team Defensive MVP.
Hokes Bluff
Allen Cox, freshman forward: 21 goals, three assists; Team Offensive Player of the Year; selected to Class 1A/3A All-State team.
Brayden Fox, junior midfield: 16 goals, 14 assists; selected to Class 1A/3A All-State second team.
Chandler Clements, junior goalkeeper: 149 saves.
Glencoe
Aiden Cornutt, senior forward: 43 goals; finished in fifth place in AHSAA history with most career goals at 153; finished first in AHSAA history with most career hat tricks at 23; six-time all-area selection and four-time Team MVP; selected to Super All-State team and Class 1A/3A All-State team.
Ian McClantoc, senior centerback: team captain and three-time Team Defensive MVP; set AHSAA record for longest-ever goal this past season at 65 yards.
Robert Edgar, senior goalkeeper: 121 saves; set AHSAA record for fourth most career saves with 354; five-year Gold Glove Award winner; three-year all-area selection; selected to Class 1A/3A All-State team.
Coosa Christian
Joseph East, sophomore forward.
Etowah
Joah Christian, sophomore forward.
Ashville
Walker Griffith, senior goalkeeper:108 saves; set AHSAA record with 539 career saves; selected to Class 4A All-State second team.
Garrett Spears, senior defender: selected to Class 4A All-State honorable mention team.
Second team
Southside
Caleb Ogle, senior, fullback: 12 goals, four assists; selected to Super-All-State team and Class 5A All-State team.
Sigurd Eik, senior centerback: one goal, six assists; selected to Class 5A All-State first team.
Trek Gardner, sophomore midfielder: selected to Super All-State team and Class 5A All-State team.
Gadsden City
Dimitri Guerrero, junior striker: 20 goals, 15 assists; selected to Class 6A All-State team.
Zakorian Shack, sophomore defender: three goals, five assists; selected to Class 6A All-State second team.
Byron Felix, junior forward: eight goals, eight assists.
Westbrook Christian
Brayden Boulware, senior midfield/forward: 14 goals, two assists; team captain.
Ryder Megois, junior forward: 11 goals, five assists.
Hokes Bluff
Peyton Abercrombie, junior centerback: Team captain and Team MVP.
John Taylor, senior fullback: two goals, five assists, five saves; Team Defensive MVP.
Glencoe
Conner Montgomery, junior midfielder: eight hat tricks, 11th all-time in AHSAA history with career assists with 47; selected to Class 1A/3A All-State team.
Etowah
Brayden McClain, sophomore midfielder.
Coosa Christian
Benjamin Wright, senior defender.
Honorable mention
Hokes Bluff: Haylen Stanley
Westbrook Christian: Toren Cantrell, Jake Edwards
Southside: Alex Mullins, Will Argo, Jackson Greene, Will Martin, Grant Vice
Coosa Christian: Alex Nunez
Glencoe: Lance Cochran
