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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia Hills’ Grace Ellis (16) takes a shot at the goal in a game against Oak Mountain on March 12.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia Hills’ Tony Shaw (50) dribbles the ball across midfield in a match against Hewitt-Trussville at Buddy Anderson Field on March 5. Shaw earned plenty of postseason accolades, including being named Alabama Gatorade State Player of the Year.
The 2020 high school soccer season was a short one, but players across the state were still able to make their marks.
The Vestavia Hills soccer teams were off to their typical strong starts, with the girls sitting with a 14-1 record when the season was halted. The boys posted a 5-2-1 record during the season.
Several players were named to postseason teams as a result. The all-metro and all-state teams were voted on by coaches across the area and state.
For the Rebels, their postseason accolades were headlined by Tony Shaw, who was named the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year. He scored three goals and posted five assists during his senior season, putting his career totals at 13 goals and a school-record 28 assists.
“If I’m buying stock in a student-athlete, it would be in Tony Shaw,” Vestavia Hills coach Leo Harlan said in a release. “He’s big, strong, fast, a leader and a student of the game. Syracuse is getting a great player with lots of upside.”
Shaw is also is a member of the Region 3 Olympic Development Program and helped the Gwinnett Soccer Academy to the Elite National Premier League 17U national final. He is ranked as the South’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2020 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
In addition to that award, Shaw was also named first team all-state and first team all-metro.
Here are the other Vestavia Hills players honored on postseason teams:
► Alex Holt: first team all-state, first team all-metro.
► Mitchell Register: honorable mention all-state, second team all-metro.
► Alex Sarabia: honorable mention all-state, second team all-metro.
► Andrew Tunnell: honorable mention all-metro.
► Isaac Obermiller: honorable mention all-metro.
► Kaylee Dressback: first team super all-state, first team Class 7A all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen Player of the Year.
► Madeline Bunch: honorable mention super all-state, Metro A-Division all-underclassmen.
► Arden Young: Metro A-Division honorable mention.
► Cristina Hernandez: second team super all-state, first team Class 7A all-state.
► Grace Ellis: second team super all-state, first team Class 7A all-state.
► Raleigh Robinson: second team super all-state, second team Class 7A all-state.
► Riley Vicinanzo: honorable mention super all-state.
► Brigid Meadow: large school state Coach of the Year.
