Aggie Soccer splits on the road; boys move on, girls’ season ends after strong run

SYLACAUGA, Ala. - A weather delay pushed Sylacauga's postseason schedule back a day, but by Wednesday night, April 29, both Aggie squads were back on the road with a trip to the Class 5A Quarterfinals on the line.

The boys delivered. The girls, despite another strong showing, saw their season come to a close.

Sylacauga's boys opened the night in Montgomery against Brewbaker Tech, meeting a Rams team they handled 1-0 in the season opener. This time, it was another hard-fought battle

Freshman Peyton Wheeler wasted little time setting the tone. Less than four minutes in, he struck from outside the 18-yard box, driving a left-footed shot off the right post and in for a 1-0 advantage.

The Aggies controlled much of the first half and caught a break late when a miscue by Brewbaker Tech's goalkeeper resulted in an own goal, pushing the lead to 2-0 with just over five minutes left before halftime. The Rams answered before the break, cutting it to 2-1 on a header from Marco Vasquez with 3:36 remaining.

That set up a tense second half.

For long stretches, neither side could break through until Jackson Carter created separation. The senior worked his way past a defender down the right side, cut into the box and fired into the net to make it 3-1 with 25 minutes to play. The goal continued Carter's recent run of form, giving him five goals over the last three matches.

Brewbaker Tech didn't go quietly. A late foul in the box gave the Rams a penalty opportunity, and Jeremiah Cochrane converted with 3:30 remaining to trim the margin to 3-2.

From there, Sylacauga held firm. The Aggies managed possession and turned away the final push, closing out the win.

Sylacauga will face Indian Springs in the Class 5A Quarterfinals on Friday night, May 1 with game time set for 7:30 p.m. The objective remains the same: get back to Huntsville and bring the blue map to Sylacauga.

On the girls side, the postseason run ended at Elmore County against a Panthers team that entered the match 18-2-1.

Sylacauga, which had consistently produced goals throughout the season, couldn't find a breakthrough this time. Elmore County capitalized on its chances and handed the Aggies a 2-0 loss.

While the result brings the season to a close, it does little to diminish what this senior class accomplished. K'La Tinsley, Mia Dennis, April Gardner, Maggie Forbus, La'zia Ware, Serenity Smith, Sha'niya Robinson, and Caitlin Patterson leave behind one of the most successful stretches in program history.

Over the seniors' careers, the group compiled a 22-2 record in area play and claimed four consecutive area titles. The only area losses during that run came against Marbury in 2023 and 2024. This spring, Sylacauga went a perfect 4-0 in area matches, including three wins decided by the mercy rule.

The foundation remains strong moving forward for the girls program. Leading scorer Natalie Perez returns alongside defensive leader GG Childress, midfield orchestrator Bailey Malone, and a deep group of key contributors and emerging talent, giving Sylacauga a solid core to build around next season.