Auburn soccer tramples the defending state champs

Playing defense against the No. 1 team in the state is tough. Playing defense against the No. 1 team coming off a 10-goal performance is tougher. Despite this, the Auburn girls soccer team put on a defensive masterclass against No. 1 Spain Park, defeating the Jaguars 4-1 this past Friday at Duck Samford Stadium.

“Our defense has been great all year,” said Auburn head coach Bill Ferg. “It’s led by two seniors that play center back and anchored by two juniors that play on the side of them, along with our goalie. The defense is the whole team, so we work well to get behind the ball.”

The Tigers defense is led by captain Hannah Arnall. The senior rallied her teammates in a total squad effort to stunt Spain Park's attack. Arnall also put in work on the offensive end, heading in two goals off corner kicks in the 65th and 82nd minutes.

“Hannah is definitely a leader on our field. She commands respect from everyone on the team and she always gives 100 percent effort,” said Auburn goalie Ragan Ellis. “We’ve been working on her headers all year in practice… she was really excited about that, and I was excited for her.”

Ellis played a big role in limiting Spain Park’s offense. She had a tough task ahead of her dealing with the Jaguar’s efficient attack, but she rose to the occasion – recording six saves while allowing only one goal.

“Ragan Ellis is a really fun athlete because she is just getting better,” Ferg said. “I think she’ll be confident after this game. She stopped one for sure that was going upper 90. As soon as it was hit, I thought it was a goal because of placement, but she came up and saved it. That’s the sign of a good keeper to make saves you don’t expect them to make. She did that tonight.”

The standout moment of the game came in the 23rd minute, with Ellis recording a remarkable diving save to set up a counterattack that led to the Tigers Scarlet Adams scoring the first goal of the game.

“I was really excited,” Ellis said. “When I saw it go end, I kind of didn’t believe it for a second. I was like ‘oh, okay.’ I thought it would be a little harder to get a goal in on them after that because they were all down on our side. It was really exciting.”

Auburn’s squad is young this year. Eighth grader Lulabelle Hammer put the Tigers ahead in the 37th minute with a strike from the top of the box. Arnall’s experience playing early on in high school helps her lead now.

“I was in varsity ninth grade, and being a captain in 12th grade makes me think of who I was and what type of player I was in ninth grade,” Arnall said. “I remember the seniors pouring into me and making me feel confident in whatever position I was playing. I kind of just want to do the same for them.”

It’s early in the season, but Auburn’s strong defensive showing against Spain Park has things looking up for the Tigers in 2023.

— By Donavan Weaver