St. Michael, Bayside Academy, Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort, Fairhope set for AHSAA State Soccer Championships

Toros in first-ever Final Four, Pirates’ first trip since 2015; four other teams making consecutive visits

BY COLE McNANNA
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 5/8/24

Only four teams remain in each state championship soccer bracket and five Baldwin County schools will be represented when AHSAA State Soccer semifinal action kicks off Wednesday afternoon at the John …

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St. Michael, Bayside Academy, Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort, Fairhope set for AHSAA State Soccer Championships

Toros in first-ever Final Four, Pirates’ first trip since 2015; four other teams making consecutive visits

Posted

Only four teams remain in each state championship soccer bracket and five Baldwin County schools will be represented when AHSAA State Soccer semifinal action kicks off Wednesday afternoon at the John Hunt Soccer Complex in Huntsville.

The St. Michael girls’ team and Bayside Academy boys’ team will play Class 4A state semifinals at 1 and 3 p.m., respectively, before the Gulf Shores Dolphins play consecutively in the Class 5A semifinals with the girls’ game at 5 p.m. and the boys’ game at 7 p.m.

All four teams advanced to the state finals last year where the Admirals from Bayside Academy collected their second straight state championship. The Cardinals and both Dolphin squads finished with Red Map trophies as state runners-up.

Boys’ teams from Spanish Fort (Class 6A) and Fairhope (Class 7A) are set for action on Thursday with the Toros scheduled to kickoff at 11 a.m. before the Pirates’ estimated 3 p.m. start. Both teams are also making historic appearances in the state semifinals where Spanish Fort is making the program’s first trip to the Final Four and Fairhope is making its first appearance since 2015.

Live stats are available here and stay tuned to gulfcoastmedia.com/sports for full coverage.

Class 4A

Oneonta Redskins at St. Michael Cardinals, 1 p.m.

The St. Michael girls’ team (18-2) punched its ticket back to the Final Four with a 4-1 win over Orange Beach (15-3-1) where senior Tatum Hoffman scored 2 goals. Senior Maddie Key and freshman Victoria Stopa each scored 1 goal for the Cardinals’ third win over the Makos this season.

St. Michael (No. 2) and Orange Beach (No. 4) both finished ranked in the top 5 of the final AHSAA Soccer Coaches state poll.

Oneonta Redskins at Bayside Academy, 3 p.m.

The two-time defending champion Bayside Academy boys’ team (8-4-2) delivered a 2-1 win over St. Michael (16-9) in the quarterfinals to avenge a pair of regular-season shutout losses. The Cardinals were also the top-ranked team in the last coaches poll.

Class 5A

Sylacauga Aggies at Gulf Shores Dolphins, 5 p.m.

The Gulf Shores girls’ team (19-5-4) has yet to allow a goal this postseason with wins over Eufaula (10-0) and Carroll (3-0) in the first two rounds pushing their goal differential to +81. Sylacauga (18-3) has only allowed 13 goals over its season and owns a +79 goal differential.

The Aggies finished three spots behind the sixth-ranked Dolphins in the final AHSAA Soccer Coaches poll at No. 9.

Tallassee Tigers at Gulf Shores Dolphins, 7 p.m.

The Gulf Shores boys’ team (19-7-1) owns a similarly impressive goal differential at +98 with 139 total goals on the season. The Dolphins only needed a pair to take down Faith Academy in the quarterfinals, 2-1, for their third win over the Rams this year.

Gulf Shores was the fifth-ranked team in the final coaches poll this season.

Class 6A

Northridge Jaguars at Spanish Fort Toros, May 9, 11 a.m.

Despite needing overtime, the Spanish Fort Toro boys’ team (11-9-2) survived and advanced to their first-ever state semifinal with a 1-0 win over Montgomery Academy. It marked the third shutout win this postseason with previous victories over Saraland (10-0) and Robertsdale (4-0).

Jacob Anderson provided the lone goal in the quarterfinals to set up a meeting with a Northridge team that finished ranked No. 5.

Class 7A

Auburn Tigers at Fairhope Pirates, May 9, 3 p.m.

For the second time in eight days, the Fairhope boys’ team (17-3-1) squared off with McGill-Toolen, this time it was in the state quarterfinals. Although the Yellow Jackets won the first meeting, the Pirates delivered a 2-1 win to clinch their first semifinal berth since 2015.

Fairhope ended the season ranked No. 7 in the Class 7A AHSAA Soccer Coaches poll with a goal differential of +47 where the regular-season loss to McGill-Toolen was one of only four games with multiple goals allowed.