Southside Wins Overtime Thriller Over Gardendale Sending Panthers to Class 6A Boys Soccer Finals 

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Southside-Gadsden’s boys’ soccer team seized a golden opportunity in overtime to secure a dramatic victory over the Gardendale Rockets in the Class 6A State Soccer semifinals at John Hunt Soccer Park. 

Senior forward Camren Thompson was the star of the match, putting Southside ahead early with a goal just 18 minutes into the first half. He doubled the lead with another strike at the 54:53 mark, setting the tone for the Panthers. 

Gardendale, however, refused to back down. Mikey Pribyl delivered two clutch goals for the Rockets, the second coming in the final moments of the second half to push the game into overtime. 

The extra period belonged to Thompson, who made an electrifying play on the right side of the field. With two sharp moves, he left the Gardendale defense behind, switched to his right foot, and drilled the golden goal past the Rockets’ keeper into the left corner of the net. The decisive shot brought an explosive end to the match, highlighting an unforgettable day of championship action. 

The semifinals featured intense competition in Classes 6A and 7A, where three matches went to overtime and two were decided by shootouts. 

Finals Await in Class 6A Boys’ Soccer 

Southside (21-5-1), coached by Randy Vice, advances to Saturday’s Class 6A boys’ championship to face Spanish Fort, who defeated Chelsea 2-1. Both teams are in pursuit of their first state title in boys’ soccer. 

Head coach Miller Wood’s Rockets (20-4-2) closed out the most successful season in school history. Gardendale showed grit throughout the match, with goalkeeper Cooper Thomas recording five saves and the offense taking 11 shots on goal while limiting Southside to seven attempts. 

Championship Weekend Overview 

The AHSAA’s 34th State Soccer Championships continue with the Class 1A/3A, 4A, and 5A finals set for Friday. The Class 6A and 7A championship matches will bring the competition to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday. 

Southside and Spanish Fort will now aim to make history as they compete for their first-ever boys’ soccer title. Stay tuned for more coverage of the AHSAA Soccer Championships.

FEATURED IMAGE: Southside senior Camren Thompson (10) scores the Panthers’ ‘Golden Goal” in OT to give his team a 3-2 win over Gardendale. (AHSAA PHOTO | David Holtsford)