By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
A total of four players from Searcy and three from Sylvan Hills topped the list of local All-State soccer honorees. The three-time Class 6A champion Lions had Jarod Harriman, Steven Seitz, Jacob Shourd and Brandon West all make the final list after Searcy claimed its third-straight state title with a 3-0 win over Mountain Home in the championship game two weeks ago in Fayetteville.
Chloe Birdwell, Jaime Lancaster and Caleigh Woodruff all made the 6A All State list for the 2009 state runners-up Lady Lions.
There was also one other local selection for 6A with Jacksonville’s Christian Alvidrez earning all-state honors on the boys side.
The Sylvan Hills soccer team was also rewarded for an outstanding season with three All-State selections. Aaron Maxey, Jacob Persson and Joshua Persson all made the final cut, as did North Pulaski’s Spencer Johnston. Stephanie Alvis and Claire Crews were both selected to All-State for the Lady Falcons, while Sylvan Hills senior Ashley English and Jessica Pfeil made All State for the Lady Bears.
In 7A, Cabot seniors Matt Zendejas and Carrie Leiblong were both selected to All State.
Making the boys’ All-Tournament teams were Michael Eckhart of Cabot, Alvidrez of Jacksonville, Matt Ingersoll of North Pulaski, Sylvan Hills’ Joshua Persson and West, Shourd and Isai Garcia of Searcy. The girls’ All-Tournament team includes North Pulaski’s Ellen Weld, Sylvan Hills’ Ashley English and Woodruff, Melanie Frazier and McKenzie Clark of Searcy.
