MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The North-South and soccer teams split the annual All-Star soccer games in Montgomery on Tuesday during All-Star Sports Week festivities.

The South boys rode their defense to victory in a weather-shortened match after the North girls grabbed a win in the opener of the All-Star Sports Week soccer doubleheader Tuesday night at the Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex

Alma Bryant High School midfielder Mike Finamore scored a goal with 18:44 gone in the first half and the South defense did the rest in the second match of the evening.

The boys contest, which was delayed in starting due to lightning, was called at halftime due to more lightning in the area.

The South win was its fourth in the 11-match series. The North now holds a 6-4-1 edge overall.

Finamore, named the South MVP, had three shots on goal, including his game winner which was set up by an assist from Auburn’s Tim Harbison. North MVP Jack Hopkins of Vestavia Hills had his team’s only two shots on goal.

Coaching the South team were Chad Harrelson of St. Paul’s and Bo Morrissey of Auburn. North coaches were Sean Gibson of Altamont and Ron Oakley of Athens.

Lans Stallings and Jacob Ard of Fairhope and Spanish Fort’s John Jaegge were members of the South team.

Girls

North 2, South 1

The North All-Star girls soccer team scored the winning goal with just 4:35 remaining Tuesday night to post a thrilling comeback win over the South in the opener of the doubleheader.

North MVP Haley Gerken of Oak Mountain shot a rebound from Madison Academy’s Jessica Hill into the back of the net for the winning goal to break a 1-1 tie as time was winding down in the second half.

The two teams battled to a scoreless tie in the first half with South goalkeeper Josie Byard of Northview making a spectacular stop on a first-half North shot on goal. Sophie Simantel of Gulf Shores then put the South ahead 1-0 12 minutes into the second half with an unassisted header from a cross delivered by Tori Fowler of UMS-Wright.

The North tied the match at 1-1 at the 66:05 mark when Bailee Harnett scored with the help of her Oak Mountain teammate Gerken.

North keepers Leslie Parrish of Madison Academy and Kacey Paul of Sparkman each had three saves. Morgan Harlan also had two saves and Byard had three for the South.

The North, coached by Samantha Corker of Gadsden City and Marvin Chou of Randolph, now holds an 8-2-1 edge in the series. The South was coached by Joseph Moody of Mary Montgomery and Ryan Strong of Prattville. All players are rising seniors.

Fairhope’s Anne Baumhower, Daphne’s Jamie Breitweiser and Foley’s Kasey Fowler joined Simantel on the South roster.