Bucs Win State Soccer Championship

HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Hoover High School boys soccer team won its first state championship in more than a decade over the weekend in the AHSAA tournament in Huntsville. The Bucs defeated Enterprise 3-2 in dramatic fashion to capture the 7A crown.

Hoover senior Finn Dowdey scored the winning goal in a shootout to secure the win, the school's first since 2003. The game went to overtime after Enterprise's Andre Mazariegos tied the game 2-2 with only 25 seconds left in regulation. The Bucs won the penalty kick shootout 5-3 behind clutch shots from Sam Bauder, Richard Ujueta, Nicholas Ibanez, Igor Rudolph and Dowdey.

"We've got really good soccer players," said head coach Keplinger to the Hoover Sun. "These kids have been playing soccer all their lives."

The Bucs fell behind 1-0 in the first half but Ujueta, a junior who was named the tournament MVP, tied the game with a goal shortly after. Ujueta scored Hoover's second goal as well with fewer than 10 minutes remaining in the second half.

Hoover advanced to the final by beating Florence 2-1 in Friday's semifinal. Lawson Shaw scored a long goal in double overtime, converting a shot from about 30 yards away. Hoover also fell behind in that game but equalized in the second half on a Seth Davis goal.