By Lee Davis
Almost all high school students get excited about spring break. But the Spain Park boys soccer team might be just as excited about going back to school.
That’s because as the break arrived, the Jaguars were playing their best soccer of the season.
Spain Park entered the vacation period with an impressive 4-1 win over cross-town rival Hoover. The victory moved the Jags’ record to 9-5-2 and earned them the number three spot in the Class 7A polls.
The team may not have a head-turning record, but that doesn’t tell the full story.
“We believe in playing a difficult schedule,” Spain Park coach Matt Hall said. “Consistently facing strong opposition prepares a team for the post-season. I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made overall.”
A solid defensive effort has been a big reason for the Jags’ early successes. They are giving up fewer than two goals per game, and their two goalkeepers – freshman Trevor Bernier and junior Cole Oberst – already have 81 saves between them. Bernier earned six saves in the victory over Hoover and 60 overall.
Depth on offense has been another early key for Spain Park, as no fewer than six players had scored at least three goals through March. The leader is sophomore Cameron Sumpter with nine goals. Senior Victor Ibanez and junior Dylan Bradley each have six goals for the Jaguars. Sophomore Reece Eberhardt follows with five goals.
“Our goal scoring has been diversified throughout the year,” Hall said. “We’re getting a lot of contributions from many different players in scoring, assists and overall play. Currently, we’re starting five seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and a freshman, with plenty of other guys playing important roles.”
Sumpter’s fast start doesn’t surprise Hall.
“Cameron has done very well for us,” the coach said. “He’s a very athletic player, an excellent dribbler and a really good finisher.”
His older brother Tyler, a senior, plays fullback in soccer and is an outstanding kicker for the Jag football team.
Spain Park’s depth is also illustrated by its unselfishness. Tyler Sumpter and sophomore Adrian Castro each have three assists, while six other players have two assists each.
Another leader for the Jaguars has been senior captain Parker Strum, a center back who has committed to play at Birmingham Southern College next fall. Strum’s best moment of the season may have come in the Hoover game, when his goal in the second half gave Spain Park a 2-1 advantage that it never relinquished.
“Parker is a terrific leader and very good in one-on-one battles,” Hall said.
Junior Liam Condone has seen action at both center back and midfielder.
“He’s excelled in both positions,” Hall said. “He’s a physically tough kid who is good in the air and reads the game on the field very well. Liam is also a very good distributor of the ball when we are in possession.”
Other key contributors include seniors Evan Boykin and Davis Osborne and junior Gersain Leon.
Hall, who became head coach of the Jaguars in 2014, spent 10 years at Spain Park as an assistant coach. Previously he served as head coach at Pleasant Grove. He said the explosion of interest in soccer in Alabama – and particularly in the Over the Mountain area – during the past decade has been unprecedented.
“The quality of play is better than ever,” he said. “The kids start at an early age in the youth programs and start getting good coaching from the very beginning. We’re blessed to be in an area with great athletes, good facilities and strong support from the administration and parents. There are a lot of positives for our program.”
As play resumes in April, Hall is optimistic that Spain Park can be a contender for what would be the school’s first-ever Class 7A boys title.
“We’re just thinking about the next step, and that’s to try to improve every day,” he said. “If we continue to work hard and have the same attitude that we had in the first part of the season, we’ve got a chance to have a very good year.”
And that prospect should make the Jaguars excited about getting back to school.
