Bob Jones, Whitesburg Christian advance to soccer state championship games

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — It was a night and day difference at John Hunt Park Thursday.

Out was the rain and storms from Wednesday, in beautiful skies and sunshine. The soccer heated up as well.

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Starting the morning, the Athens Golden Eagles girls’ soccer team fell 2-1 to Homewood. Charleigh Maxson scored for Athens, but the team couldn’t find an equalizer, and their season ended in the state semifinals.

The next game featuring a North Alabama team was a thriller.

The Bob Jones Patriots took on Hewitt-Trussville. Bob Jones got a goal from Arnav Maskey in the first minute of the game. But the Huskies drew a penalty kick less than a minute later and tied the game.

Maskey drew a penalty of his own in the 41st minute to take the lead. Late in the game, it seemed as if the Patriots were heading to the championship.

However, the Huskies scored with less than 30 seconds left to tie the game.

After one overtime wasn’t enough, the game looked as if it was heading to a penalty shootout. But Bob Jones’ Zac McGee had other plans.

With less than 10 seconds to go in the second overtime, he hit a beautiful, upper-90 shot to send Bob Jones to the championship.

In 1A-3A girls’ action, the Whitesburg Christian Warriors took on Donoho. Whitesburg took the lead early in the game, but the Falcons tied it up.

Then, Donoho took the lead in the second half.

Whitesburg’s Abby Rose Smith dribbled through the entire Falcons defense and tied the game.

With just under four minutes left in the game, after multiple near misses, Kylie Lane netted the game-winner for Whitesburg. The Warriors will play for a state title on Friday.

Madison Academy also played in the soccer state semifinal. However, at the time of publishing this story, the game hasn’t gone final. It will be updated once it does.