SOCCER: Patriots and Bulldogs advance to playoffs

By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Just a week after making school history with Brewer's first Morgan County championship, the Patriots made history again by becoming the first Brewer soccer team to advance to the postseason.
Brewer defeated Athens 2-0 Monday evening to give the Patriots a 6-2 record in Section 8 play, good enough for second place and a spot in the postseason. Cullman was the section champion.
The Patriots had to work for the school's first playoff berth as Brewer and Athens played to a scoreless tie at halftime. The game remained tied until 10 minutes into the second half, when Grant Pierce scored off an assist from Colton Stinson.
Brewer added a goal late in the second half when Jeremy Talley scored. Goalie Sawyer McLemore made five saves to earn the shutout.
Brewer will travel to Decatur in the opening round Tuesday.
Goal-differential rule puts Priceville in playoffs
Priceville also qualified for the soccer playoffs on the strength of a tiebreaker rule that gave the Bulldogs the edge over West Morgan. Priceville and West Morgan tied with 6-4 section records (as did Saint Bernard), but the Bulldogs' goal differential in section games against West Morgan and Saint Bernard was plus-2 while West Morgan's was just plus-1.
The Bulldogs will travel to Collinsville for the first round Tuesday.
Hartselle boys 2, Athens boys 1
Zach Woodruff scored twice for Hartselle as the Tigers defeated Athens Friday.
Hartselle broke onto the scoreboard with less than a minute left in the first half when Brad Galloway sent in a long ball and Woodruff headed it into the goal. The Tigers increased their lead to 2-0 about four minutes into the second half when Woodruff scored off an assist from Joey Johnson. The Tigers finished the game with five shots on goal.
Corey Steele was in net and finished with seven saves.