MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
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Six Mary Pers0ns
soccer stars
named first-team
all'regi0n
Four Mary Persons
girls soccer players
were named Friday as
first-team, all-region
selections in 2018.
Sophomore striker
Taylor Buffmgton,
junior midfielder
Annie Giles, freshman
midfielder Lauren
Hamm and senior de-
fender Kennedy Finch
were all named Region
2-AAAA first-team
selections as chosen by
the region's coaches.
Three other Lady
Dogs were also
honored. Sophomore
striker Abbie Davis
was named a second-
team, all-region choice
while junior defender
Sidney Briner and
junior midfielder
Morgan Lawson were
named all-region hon-
orable mention.
Davis was a first-
team all-region choice
in 2017 while Buffing-
ton, Giles and Finch
were all second-team
all-region selections in
2017.
Spalding's Alex
Chapman was named
the Region 2-AAAA
Offensive Player of the
Year while West Lau-
tens' Hannah Woods
was honored as the
Region 2-AAA
Defensive Player of
the Year. Perry's Alex
Dady was also recog-
nized as the Region
2-AAAA Coach of the
Year.
On the boys side,
two Bulldogs' team
members were
named Friday as 2018
first-team all-region
selections.
Senior striker Daw-
son Daniel and senior
midfielder Alex Rivera
were both named Re-
gion 2-AAA first-
team selections. Six
other Bulldogs were
also honored. Senior
striker Jacob Anthony
and sophomore striker
Julian Rivera were
named second-team
Davis' quintet of'goals
leads to 6-3 MP win
By Will Davis
pubhsher@mymcr.net
The Mary Persons gifts
soccer team played Wood-
ward Academy in Round
2 of the state playoffs on
Tuesday after beating Cairo
in Round 1 last Thursday
on the strength of five
goals from sophomore Ab-
bie Davis.
The gifts improved to
12-5-1 by outlasting the
Syrupmaids -- yes the Syr-
upmaids -- by a 6-3 score.
The Lady Dogs got on
the board first with 20:39
left in the first half when
freshman Lauren Hamm
perfectly threaded a pass
' keeper's fingertips and into with another big boot and has been overthinking
the goal. MP's 2-1 lead held it was 4-3 with 22:08 to go things this season when
until halftime, in a score-test, she's one on one with
Cairo wasn't done But Davis wasn't done defenders and just needs
though. Hand looped either. With 17:20 to go, the confidence that she can
another high shot fromshe beat a defender to the beat them.
beyond the box over ball, streaked left past the Cairo finished the season
Smith's head to tie it again rushing keeper, then re- 9-8.
through three Cairo de- at 2-2 with 35:10 left in the versed back to the middle ]-he Lady Dogs advanced
fenders that rolled right in contest, to score in the open net to the Sweet 16 to face
front of a sprinting Taylor Nine minutes later MP and it was 5-3. Davis added the War Eagles in College
Buffington, who drilled it would re-take the leada fifth and final goal with Park. The Woodward gifts
into the left corner of the when Davis used her left 20 seconds left to give MP are the No. 1 seed from
net. foot to score offa Buffing- a 6-3 win. Region 4-AAAA, having
But Cairo didn't drive ton corner kick. Coach Dallas Hall saidgone 5-0 in region. But the
three hours to roll over. Davis expanded the MP his team, which was miss- War Eagles haven't done as
Thirteen minutes later, lead two minutes later by ing starter Naomi Sanders well outside their region,
with just 7 minutes left in taking a through ball to the to a play performance,playing a tough schedule
the half, Cairo star Ashley house to make it 4-2, and could've played betterthat left them with an over-
Hand drilled a free kick giving Davis the hat trick, defensively, but said Davis all record of6-10. Results
from beyond the box that Cairo fans squealed that had a very good game of- of the game were not avail-
rainbowed over the head the assistant referee flagged fensively, able at press time.
of keeper Lori Smith to tie Davis for offsides, but the "It's about time she If the girls won, they
it at 1-1. head referee had ruled that showed up," said Hall, not- would advance to the Elite
The tie didn't last long. the defender touched the ing Davis scored more as a 8 and would likely play at
With 5:51 left in the half, ball first, freshman than she has this St. Pius on Friday. St. Pius
Abbie Davis booted a long Still, Cairo would not go year. "She looked like last ended the girls playoff run
ball from well outside away. Hand got her third year's Abbie." last year in Round 2 by a
the box that sailed off the goal just two minutes later Hall said he thinks Davis 5-0 score.
all-region choices
while senior keeper
Brock Hulse); senior
midfielder Matt Miller,
senior defender Beau
Watson and senior
midfielder Jakob Cox
were named all-region
honorable mention.
Daniel and Hulsey
were named honor-
able mention choices
in 2017 while Alex Ri-
vera and Julian Rivera
were each second-
team all-region selec-
tions a year ago.
Chase Winters was
named the Region
2-AAAA Offensive
Player of the Year for
thesecond straight
while Perry's
Tyler Knowles was
honored as the Region
2-AAAA Defensive
Player of the Year for
the second consecutive
year as well. Perry's
Nathan Dooley was
also recognized as
the Region 2-AAAA
Coach of the Year.
(At left) Steve McArthur of Forsyth competed in the 2018 Boston Marathon
on April 16, finishing in four hours and 29 minutes despite enduring some
of the worst weather in the history of the race. (Below) McArthur's family,
including daughter Kelly, braved the Patriots' Day weather as well, which
included 32-degree conditions, pouring rain and 25 mile-per-hour winds.
(Photo/Kelly McArthur Junqberq)