Les Puissantes - U-19 Girls
Win First Place in State Soccer Tournament

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Special to Arab Today by Melissa Black
It has been almost 10 years in the making, but Arab has done it again. Not since 1997, when John Bourne and Bruce Head coached the two Under 19 Girls teams has an AYSO season been so competitive. At that time both teams went first and second in State and so history repeats itself with both 2005 Under 19 Girls AYSO Arab Teams making it all the way to the State Tournament held in Cullman, November 19-20, 2005. And both teams made out well.

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The Les Puissantes team, coached by Nic Ashburn, Tammy Ashburn, and Kerry Vaughan fought long and hard to come out on top with 1st place . . . they had to play the team coached by Jason Guger (for the third time) to receive this honor.

Les Puissantes (French for “The Powerful Ones”) went into the tournament top seed after winning both the Region 778 and Area 5F tournaments. And both teams went into the final day of the State Tournament tied with 19 points apiece. The game was a long, hard fought one with emotions running high. These girls usually play on the same team during the high school season, so it was hard to play against each other. The regulation game ended with a score of zero to zero. This led to a PK Shootout; again ending in a tie, one to one. So, another PK Shootout, this time Les Puissantes won with a hard shot from Brooke Smith against opponent Goalie Meagan Spencer.

The Les Puissantes team members are Forwards Alexandra (Alex) Rocher, Amanda Lindsey (Al), and Beth Haney, Mid-Fielders Samantha (Sam) Alexander, Anna Meinert, Shaina Brown, Brooke Smith, Celeste Bradley, and Lauren Neal, Defenders Jessica Black, Meagan Vaughan, Alyssa Galvez, Krissy Lands, and Laura Coker, and Goalie Michelle Brown.

These girls went undefeated the whole season, which speaks volumes for the coaches. If this AYSO season is any indication, then the Arab Lady Knights will have one heck of team for the upcoming season.

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