Alexander High School’s girls soccer team has built a reputation as a perennial state playoff contender.
The Lady Cougars went 7-0 in Region 5-6A to win the region title and took a 10-game winning streak and 15-3 overall record into their second round playoff match with Lassister last night.
Senior forward Aliyah Lowe had 42 goals going into last night’s game and 105 for her career, both of which fifth-year Alexander Coach Jason Cann believes are school records. Freshman Emory Pitts is second on the team with 26 goals and sophomore Brielle Delgado is third with 21.
“I was telling our athletic director this earlier today — she’s the kid after every game who’s sending me a message asking: ‘Coach, what can I do better?’ I’m like, ‘Aliyah, you scored three goals and had two assists.’ She’s like, ‘I know, but there’s got to be something. Tell me what I can do better.’ It shows. She’s just gotten better and better each year,” Cann said of Lowe.
In addition to his top three scorers, Cann also spotlighted the play of senior Madi Thomas and junior Mia Showalter.
Showalter has stepped up in her role as a center back and “just been outstanding for us there,” Cann said. The coach said he has nicknamed Thomas “Elmer” because “she kind of holds everything we do together.”
Four members of the team have signed to play soccer at the college level: Lowe (Young Harris), midfielder Savannah Wolff (Jacksonville State), goalkeeper Katrina Buckelew (Albany State) and midfielder Casey Leatherwood (Gordon State).
Cann said the Lady Cougars’ success this year is even more impressive because it has been achieved with three starters injured for most or all of the season, including Wolff.
“It’s been a good program for a long time,” Cann said. He added: “We’re definitely losing a lot this year but we have a lot of talent coming back as well.”