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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Lady Bucs react after falling to Auburn 1-0 in the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover head coach Nick Smith accepts the Class 7A runner-up trophy after falling to Auburn 1-0 in the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover poses with the Class 7A runner-up trophy after falling to Auburn 1-0 in the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Lane Morton (0) blocks a shot at the goal during the Class 7A girls championship game against Auburn at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Lane Morton (0) blocks a shot at the goal during the Class 7A girls championship game against Auburn at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Sage Thomas (21) passes the ball during the Class 7A girls championship game against Auburn at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Sage Thomas (21) passes the ball during the Class 7A girls championship game against Auburn at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Ella Kappler (6) is consoled by a coach following the Lady Bucs’ loss to Auburn during the Class 6A, 7A girls/boys championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Hoover fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Casey Knerr (22) dribbles the ball guarded by Auburn’s Samantha Reitz (4) during the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Casey Knerr (22) dribbles the ball guarded by Auburn’s Samantha Reitz (4) during the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
during the Class 6A, 7A girls/boys championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Homewood defeated Spanish Fort 3-1. Hoover fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Lady Bucs react after falling to Auburn 1-0 in the Class 7A girls championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover’s Lane Morton (0) blocks a shot at the goal during the Class 7A girls championship game against Auburn at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The Bucs fell to Auburn 1-0. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
HOOVER -- The Hoover High School girls soccer program has often played second fiddle to some of the more tradition-rich programs in the Birmingham area.
That changed this year, as the Bucs made a run to the Class 7A state championship. Hoover fell to Auburn 1-0 in the state final Saturday morning at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, the Bucs first runner-up finish since 1999.
“All credit to Auburn, their back line was incredible,” Hoover head coach Nick Smith said. “Our girls left it all out there. We outshot them, we just couldn’t get one to go.”
Hoover outshot Auburn 12-5 in the final Saturday, but Auburn’s Peyton Bishop scored the game’s only goal in the 26th minute of the first half, after a ball got away from the Hoover defense. The Bucs had a few high-danger chances, but Auburn (20-3-1) had enough to claim its first state championship in program history.
“It just wasn’t our day,” Smith said.
Hoover, led by second-year coach Smith, put together a season and a playoff run to remember. The Bucs posted a record of 21-5-2 and shut out the likes of Oak Mountain, Vestavia Hills and Huntsville on the way to the state championship game.
“First and foremost, they’re really good soccer players. They’re talented girls and they play for each other,” Smith said. “That’s been our mantra the last two years. Above all else, be a good teammate. They buy into that and love playing with each other and for each other.”
The semifinal game was played Thursday, with the Bucs beating Huntsville 3-0. Dee Dee Udeh, Nneka Udeh and Elise Marquardt scored the goals, with Lane Morton keeping the clean sheet in goal.
Smith said he knew the Bucs were capable of putting together a strong playoff run, although they continued focusing on each match individually.
“It was magical and I hope, as we get away from it, we can be proud of it and this season we had,” he said.
Holly Kenes, Brooke Nettles, Abby Leader, Nneka Udeh, Sage Thomas, Lola Clark and Brooklyn Gernenz were the Bucs’ seniors this season.
