By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
DECATUR - Austin scored four times in a shootout to beat Hartselle 4-2 Saturday in the finals of the 2009 Morgan County Soccer Tournament at the Jack Allen Recreational Complex.
The Austin win was the second in three days over Hartselle, the No. 5 ranked team in Class 5A.
Bad weather washed out Friday’s play in the tournament, but the schedule was reworked to keep the championship on track for Saturday night.
Stephen Owen and Bruce Lott scored Hartselle’s only shootout goals in the loss to Austin in the finals.
Hartselle dropped to 12-7-1 overall after winning six of their last eight games.
The Tigers scored 15 goals in the tournament, including the shootout goals by Owen and Lott, finishing with wins over Decatur, Brewer, Danville, Priceville and West Morgan.
Austin beat Hartselle 1-0 Thursday with a second-half goal from Jay Boyd.
Hartselle’s Robert Sharp was tagged for the four shootout goals after playing brilliantly through regulation play and two overtime periods.
Hartselle led the points standings heading into the finals after beating Priceville 3-2 with a pair of goals from Owen.
Lott added the Tigers’ other goal.
Priceville’s goals came from Jonathan Savoy and Dylan Wheeler.
The All-Morgan boys’ team included Owen, Zack Woodruff from Hartselle; Brewer’s Dylan McCaghren; Priceville’s Savoy; and Danville keeper Hunter Garnett.
Decatur defeated Austin 4-0 in the girls’ championship match.
The All-Morgan girls’ team included Hartselle’s Johanna McAnally and Nancy Canafax; Priceville’s Sydney Starkey; Chandler Barbee of Danville; and Brewer’s Brittany O’Driscoll.
Hartselle’s girls put themselves into position to reach the finals with a 3-0 win over Priceville.
Hollie Crabtree, JMcAnally and Canafax picked up goals in the win.
But a 2-0 loss to Austin knocked the Lady Tigers from championship contention, setting up a matchup between rivals Austin and Decatur.
Jamie Phillips and Lindsey Boonakat scored goals for the Lady Black Bears.
Hartselle is 7-6 after winning four matches in the county tournament.