Submitted photo
The Spain Park High School girls soccer team defeated McAdory in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
HOOVER -- The Spain Park High School girls soccer team won its Class 6A first-round playoff game against McAdory, 10-0, on Thursday evening.
The Jags are currently No. 1 in Alabama as well as No. 9 in the nation by MaxPreps. After an early exit in the playoffs last year put an end to an unbeaten season, they are determined to not repeat history.
“They know that any day, any game now could be their last game," Spain Park head coach Robert Starr said.
Senior midfielder Addy Soehn's goal got the scoring started. Junior forward Reese Oldfield scored the next two goals, one of them a header. Junior defender Gianna Thornton scored on a long-range shot.
In the second half, the younger Jags stepped up and played with good intensity. Freshman midfielder Cadence Leemon ended the game, scoring both the ninth and 10th goals. The Jags’ back line and defense managed to shut out the Yellow Jackets, allowing no shots on goal.
The standout from the night was Soehn. She scored three of the 10 goals. As a senior who witnessed the close loss from last year, she was more than motivated.
“This year, anything can happen, so we have to give it our all,” she said.
She also said the team had to come to terms with taking each game one by one. They know that games are not handed to them, so they have to motivate and push each other toward their next win.
In the second round of the playoffs, the Jaguars will be playing against either Briarwood or Helena early next week.
Daniela Marie Sollano is a student journalist for the Starnes Media Creator Collective. She is a junior at Spain Park High School.
