GSHS boys win state soccer title.Women advance to championship match
During the Class 5A Boys State Soccer Championship Final in Huntsville in May, Gulf Shores High School senior Taran Galvan was hit by teammate Jerome Morgan at the 2:53 mark of the second overtime period. He made the pass and the Dolphins won 3-2 over Guntersville. 9. The soccer title is the first in school history. Gulf Shores, coached by Danny Norton, finished the season with a 21-7-2 record. The Dolphins, who advanced to the Final Four by defeating Faith Academy 2-1, lost to John Carroll in last year's championship game.
The Dolphins fell behind by two points early in the final, but Noah Guthrie converted a feed from Brian Nunez to bring the Dolphins within 2-1 early in the second half.
Fourteen minutes later, Galvan, the Dolphins' all-time leading scorer and Finals MVP, scored on a penalty kick to tie the game. After a scoreless first overtime period, Galvan ended the contest with the championship-clinching goal. Galvan's performance was rated his second most impressive of the entire tournament by Mike Perrin al.com. The Dolphins' defense only allowed three shots on goal.
The Dolphins won the title by defeating Tallassee 2-1 in the semifinals, which was postponed due to rain. Senior forward Matheus Siqueira took the winning kick 58 minutes into the second half.
The game was stopped with 27 minutes, 42 seconds left tied at 1-1 when Dolphins sof Nathan Duell tied it just 30 seconds after Tallassee's first goal. Goaltender Taylor Barkley made two saves.
“We had lost before and we knew we had to keep fighting. We were in the opposition's half quite early but couldn't get through. We were patient and We had to knock the ball around and find our chances,” Norton told al.com after the game.
“We felt like we were going to win this game. After we got the first one back, the fighting spirit went up. They didn't give up all year and they deserved it. Taran is a really good player and I think he's going to be great. We knew we were going to make up for the (penalty kick) and tie it up,” Norton added.
Dolphin girls advance to state finals
The Gulf Shores girls varsity soccer team also advanced to the state championship game, defeating Sylacauga 2-0 in the semifinals on May 8 in Huntsville. Kylie Halliday scored at 22:13 of the first half to give head coach Chad Harrelson's Dolphins an early lead. Jocelyn Marde intercepted a keeper kick from 22 yards out and put it into the net for her second goal at 33:34. The Dolphins' defense did not allow Sylacauga a shot on goal.
In the final on May 10, top-ranked Springville (22-1) defeated the sixth-place Dolphins 5-2. Ansley Warner scored for the Dolphins. GS' second goal came when a Springville player accidentally kicked the ball into the Dolphins' goal. Warner's goal put Gulf Shores ahead in the first half, Avery Daniel tied it at 60:50, then Audrey Duckworth's goal put the Tigers ahead.