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Photo courtesy of Matt Hall.
Spain Park High School boys soccer team
The Spain Park High School boys soccer team took part in the preseason media day event at Carver High School on Jan. 7-8.
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Photo courtesy of Chelsea Boys Soccer.
Chelsea High School’s boys soccer team
Chelsea High School’s boys soccer team at the preseason media day.
The 2026 high school soccer season is right around the corner, and many teams took to the podium in early January to give their thoughts on what to expect.
Carver High School in Birmingham hosted a preseason media day, and several local teams used the opportunity to offer a glimpse into what’s ahead. Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park’s boys and girls teams bring unique strengths and emerging talent into the new season.
Briarwood Christian School’s boys return motivated after last season’s painful playoff loss to Chelsea, finishing with a record of 18-6. The roster shifts to a group with nine seniors and meaningful minutes from returning players, including two starters back to anchor the lineup.
The Lions emphasize a culture-first approach — heavy weight-room work and purposeful practices have been the focus all offseason — and younger players are stepping into larger roles.
Staff
Briarwood’s girls soccer team
Briarwood’s girls soccer team won the Class 6A state championship last spring.
Head coach Mike Bautista said, “For these boys in the culture that we’ve created over the last several years, it’s exciting to have this kind of new beginning. ... We want to write a new chapter, and it’s already showing in the weight room and practices.”
Expect a disciplined, role-driven team that values growth on and off the field and will lean on experience and depth to pursue a deeper postseason run.
The Chelsea boys enter the season following a deep run and a state final four appearance last spring, returning seven starters and a senior class of 12 that brings continuity and championship expectations.
With numerous all-county players and versatile threats across the field, the Hornets aim to control matches through depth and attacking variety while addressing consistency in their backline.
Head coach Lee Miller emphasized the group mindset, saying, “We have some seniors that have waited for their time. ... The honor we want is to be standing with the trophy. We have a lot of guys that can hurt you in different ways. The area we need to work most on is securing our backline.”
Staff
Spain Park’s Addison Bayne
Spain Park’s Addison Bayne is one of the Lady Jags’ top returners.
With experience, competition for minutes and high standards, Chelsea projects as a top contender in the area and a team built for a long postseason run.
The Chelsea girls blend upper-class leadership with promising youth as they enter another challenging schedule in a competitive region. Returning experience will help the Lady Hornets maintain their defensive identity while seeking more offensive consistency to turn tight games into wins.
Head coach Allison Gooch highlighted preparation and leadership.
“In preparation for the upcoming season, the Lady Hornets have been training hard,” she said. “We have experience with a lot of returning upper-class players that are great leaders. ... We are planning for a long playoff run.”
Coming off a 10-5-6 season, Chelsea’s disciplined structure and veteran presence should allow the team to grow through early tests and position itself for postseason success if it converts chances and maintains a defensive focus.
Oak Mountain’s boys aim to sustain the elite standard set by past squads after a 30-1 campaign and a long-winning tradition. The program graduated many seniors and now has a new head coach, Keegan McQueen, but promises continuity through culture and system-based play.
McQueen, a former standout now leading the program, stressed identity and daily work: “Classes come and go; we spent a lot of time bonding this offseason to grow as a team. I understand what it’s like to wear the jersey. ... Oak Mountain isn’t built on one particular player but on a system and a culture.”
With a strong senior leadership core, depth across the roster, and an emphasis on chemistry and disciplined play, the Eagles look to return to Huntsville and chase another deep postseason run.
The Oak Mountain girls enter the season as a consistently ranked Class 7A program coming off a 15-6-3 record and a solid statewide reputation. With seven seniors providing leadership and a deeper bench this year, the team is focusing on incremental growth, daily improvement and tight-knit chemistry.
“A successful season will be based on growth as a whole,” head coach Chris Blight said. “We’re focused on getting better each day, building team chemistry and competing together.”
Expect disciplined defending, a balanced attack and a team-first mentality that prizes development over immediate results. If Oak Mountain sustains its cohesion and leverages depth, the Lady Eagles are positioned to be a tough matchup in region play and postseason contests.
The Spain Park boys look to rebound from a difficult 4-15-2 season by leaning into senior leadership, improved possession play and a more physical, aggressive approach. Returning upperclassmen with years in the program will anchor the offensive effort and help the Jags control the tempo while a revamped defensive unit works through the inevitable learning curve.
Coach Matt Hall praised the group’s work ethic and leadership.
“From summer team camp to our weight sessions, I see the hunger and leadership of our seniors,” he said. “We have a whole new backline, so there will be some growing pains. We will have to find ways to support our backline.”
Briarwood’s girls are coming off a Class 6A state championship and are aiming for another strong campaign. The Spain Park girls have been one of the state’s top programs for many years and will look to continue that trend once again this spring.
