By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
July 11, 2002
Soccer All-Stars for Mississippi will begin heading to Clinton today to begin preparation for Saturday's doubleheader All-Star contests.
The seventh annual Coca-Cola All-Star soccer matches for both girls and boys will be played at Joe Renfroe Stadium on the campus of Hinds Community College in Raymond.
The North versus South All-Star girls match is slated for 5 p.m. at Renfroe Stadium. The All-Stars boys match will follow at 7 p.m. Admission will be $5 per person and will be good for both matches.
Lauderdale County has two players headed to the matches. Lindsey Key, a Meridian Community College signee, will play for the North All-Stars in the girls match.
Key overcame a serious neck injury from a jet ski accident in her junior season to play her senior year at Meridian High School. Considered a long-shot to even walk again, Key recovered to play well for the Lady Wildcats to earn the berth and get a scholarship to MCC.
On the boys side, West Lauderdale center Brandon Rodgers will suit up for the South All-Stars. Rodgers was the Knight's second-leading goal scorer and helped pace West Lauderdale to the Class 1A-3A State Championship match for a third straight year. The Knights won the title in Rodgers' sophomore season.
Rodgers has signed to play at MCC under his former high school coach in Alex George.
The South All-Star boys lead the series with the North by an 8-4-5 margin. The South won last year's match 1-0.
The North All-Star girls are unbeaten in its series with the South. The North girls hold a 5-0-1 mark which includes a 3-2 win in last year's match.
The South All-Star girls will be led coached by Clinton High's Thomas Bobo and Oak Grove's Clay Smith. The North team will be led by Montgomery Hinton of Northwest Rankin and Theron Wilkes of Winona.
The South All-Star boys will be coached by Brian Bennett of Starkville and David Wissel of St Joseph. Jay Harrison of Warren Central and Todd Smith of Pearl will coach the South.
Wissel's St. Joseph Bruin team beat West Lauderdale for the 1A-3A title.