Temperature’s topped out at 96 degrees and felt like 101 in the state’s capital city Monday.
It’ll be another scorcher today when the state’s best seniors-to-be take to the field for the annual exhibition played as part of the AHSAA All-Star Sports Week. Meteorologists have predicted a high of 91 degrees when the game begins at 5 p.m. at the Folmar YMCA.
“They play really fast-paced and everyone here is really good,” Davis said.
Davis and Jacksonville’s Sharon Osterbind were the only players from The Star’s coverage area selected to play in the game.
The 5-foot-3 Davis played defender while also seeing time in the midfield for the Lady Falcons this past season.
Her toughness and experience helped the Lady Falcons advance to the state playoffs for the first time in school history on her way to being named to The Star’s All-Calhoun County team.
Davis kept her skills sharp playing free-play matches at McClellan with the East Alabama Futbol Club.
She’ll have to make what she labeled a “huge adjustment” due to the defensive scheme the North squad implemented at practice Monday and plans to utilize in today’s game.
A defender since the eighth-grade, when she converted from forward, she roamed the midfield in Donoho coach Pete Eschrig’s system. Today, she’ll be expected to play more on the perimeter.
The 6-foot-1 Osterbind was selected as The Star’s Calhoun County Player of the Year for the second time in her already illustrious career.
She scored 18 goals to go along with four assists as she led the Lady Golden Eagles to the second round of the Class 1A-4A state playoffs.
Osterbind was also a second-team all-state selection in basketball after averaging close to a double-double in points and rebounds as the Lady Golden Eagles won the Class 4A state title.
She was originally chosen to play in the North-South basketball game as well , scheduled for a 6 p.m. tipoff at Alabama State University’s Acadome.
“They only allow you to play one. So, they made me choose, unfortunately,” Osterbind said.
She went with soccer simply because she knew many of the North team members. They play club ball together for the Birmingham United Soccer Association, she said.
Osterbind, who’s received interest from UT-Martin for her skills on the hardwood, didn’t play AAU this summer because she missed tryouts with a knee injury sustained during soccer season.
“I think it’ll be fun,” Osterbind said. “This is the first time I’ve ever done something like this and you get chosen for it. So, it’s a good thing.”
Nick Birdsong covers prep sports for The Star. He can be reached at 256-235-3575. Follow him on Twitter @birds_word.
