Brown, Story lead comeback win for Opelika

Amiya Brown's two goals helped the Opelika girls soccer team to a 6-4 victory over Russell County on March 14. (Photo by Eamon Smith, the Auburn Advance)

Down two goals at halftime, Opelika needed a jolt.

Enter Amiya Brown and Maelee Story.

The Bulldogs’ striker duo netted five of their six goals, with Story posting a hat trick and Brown netting the tying and go-ahead goals, to lead Opelika to a 6-4 win over Russell County on Tuesday.

“We just had that fight in us,” said Opelika Coach Jaclyn Button. “We knew that we weren’t gonna get down and give up to a team that we know we can beat and so we just had to kind of get ourselves together, pick our teammates up and really just turn it on and play Opelika soccer.”

After netting the go-ahead goal, Brown, who is primarily a striker, dropped back and defended to ensure that Opelika’s lead stayed intact.

“Really, I think it was to just hold it down,” Brown said. “I felt like it was good for me to just go back there and maintain the lead and I think that’s what we did at the end.”

Brown having the versatility to drop back and defend when needed is a massive reason for Opelika’s success and part of what has made her invaluable to the Bulldogs.

“It’s such an asset to our team that when we do get up we can put Amiya in the back because we know her speed,” Button said.“We know she’s gonna handle it back there for us.”

Brown, Opelika’s all-time leading goal scorer, has opened her final season with 12 goals in the Bulldogs’ first nine games.

After this season wraps up, she will be playing college ball, “preferably” in the state of Alabama.

She has offers from Southern Union, Huntington, Auburn Montgomery and has been in contact with Troy. As of right now, everything is open for her.

“It's everywhere right now for me,” Brown said. “I’m still exploring my options. I’ve gotten a couple of offers, I’m still looking into them.”

Overall, Brown’s impact on Opelika’s program can’t be understated. She has set the standard for future Opelika players.

“I definitely think her being all-time leading scorer, it’s just really set the bar for some younger girls as well," Button said. "I just think starting out strong and continuing to be strong, that’s hard to do all the way through. And stay healthy, I mean, she’s had some injuries, some setbacks, but she’s come back even stronger.”

— By Henry Patton