GSHS boys win state soccer title; girls advance to championship game
Gulf Shores High School senior Talan Galvan converted a pass from teammate Jerome Morgan at 2:53 of the second overtime to give the Dolphins to a 3-2 victory over Guntersville in the finals of the Class 5A Boys’ State Soccer Championships in Huntsville on May 9. The soccer title is the first in school history. Gulf Shores, coached by Danny Norton, finished the season 21-7-2. The Dolphins, who beat Faith Academy 2-1 to advance to the Final Four, fell to John Carroll in last year’s championship game.
The Dolphins fell behind by two goals early in the final, but Noah Guthrie converted a feed from Bryan Nunez to bring the Dolphins to within 2-1 early in the second half.
Fourteen minutes later, Galvan, the Dolphins all-time leading scorer and finals MVP, scored on a penalty kick to tie the game. After a scoreless first overtime, Galvan ended the battle with his championship-clinching goal. Galvan’s performance was ranked the second most impressive in the entire tourney by Mike Perrin al.com. The Dolphin defense allowed just three shots on goal.
The Dolphins beat Tallassee 2-1 in a rain delayed semifinal to earn their title shot. Senior forward Matteus Siqueira delivered the winning kick at the 58-minute mark of second half.
Play was suspended with 27:42 remaining in a 1-1 tie, as Dolphin soph Nathan Duhel tied it up just 30 seconds after Tallassee’s first goal. Goalkeeper Taylor Barkley recorded two saves.
“We’ve been down before and we knew we had to keep fighting. We were in their half a lot early on but couldn’t finish. We had to be patient, knock the ball around and find our opportunities,” coach Norton told al.com after the match.
“I had a feeling we were going to win this game. Once we got that first one back, it raised our fighting spirit. These guys have not given up all year and they deserve it. Talan is such an incredible player and we knew he would bury that (penalty kick) to equalize it,” Norton added.
Dolphin girls advance to state final
The Gulf Shores girls’ varsity soccer team also advanced to the state championship game, beating Sylacauga 2-0 in the May 8 semifinbal in Huntsville. Kylie Halliday scored at 22:13 in the first half to give the Chad Harrelson coached Dolphins an early lead. Jocelyn Maldet intercepted a keeper kick from 22 yards out and boomed a goal back into the net for the second score at 33:34. The Dolphin defense did not allow Sylacauga a shot on goal.
Top ranked Springville (22-1) beat the sixth ranked Dolphins 5-2 in the May 10 final. Ansley Warner scored for the Dolphins. The second GS goal came when a Springville player accidentally kicked the ball into the Dolphins’ goal. Warner ‘s goal put Gulf Shores ahead at the half, and Avery Daniel tied the match at 60:50 and Audrey Duckworth put the Tigers ahead for good minutes later.
