By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

MONTGOMERY – This week is the AHSAA Summer Conference and All-Star Sports week in Montgomery, and Tuesday, July 21 saw a number of All Star games played. One of which was the North-South girls soccer game, which had a number of Shelby County participants. Megan Young, from Chelsea, Rachel Motamed, from Indian Springs and Alexandra Dunn, from Oak Mountain all represented the North in the game, which was coached by Jonathan Hammett of Chelsea and Brandon Rice of West Morgan. The North won the game 5-2, and Dunn, who scored two goals, was named the game’s MVP.

For Hammett, it was the first time he had coached in the All-Star game, and was honored and surprised when he got the phone call while at school telling him he had the opportunity to do so.

“I was completely humbled by that (opportunity),” Hammett said. “It was out of the blue. A lot of colleagues I know have coached in that game, and it’s humbling to be in the same category as them. It’s an honor.”

In preparation for the actual game itself, the team only had about two hours of on-field practice time before kick off.

“You have to cram a months worth of stuff into two hours,” Hammett said. “But these girls are really good. You just have to let them do what they do best. It’s an honor to be there, you just have to let them have fun.”

Dunn, who helped lead Oak Mountain to the 7A state championship with 21 goals in the 2014-15 season, scored one goal in each half, both of which were quite impressive, David DiPiazza, her head coach, relayed.

“Both goals were unblockable,” DiPiazza said. “On the second one, she took a touch from the left corner of the 18 (yard box) and bent it into the upper corner on the far side. At that point I really thought she’d be the MVP.”

All of the girls in the game were juniors, and represented what will be some of the best talent in 2015-16. DiPiazza spoke about the ways in which Dunn affects the game.

“She’s a great dribbler,” he said. “You want your wing players to engage defenders, to beat the first player. She’s a 1-v-1 player and can stretch the defense to create shots.”