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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

In 2025, Shelby County proved once again why it is the soccer capital of Alabama.

The maximum amount of county teams made the boys soccer playoffs as many teams overcame difficult areas to reach the postseason. In addition, Briarwood and Calera made deep runs in the Central Region while Thompson and Montevallo made big statements by reaching the postseason, including a landmark first-round win for the Bulldogs.

Four teams represented Shelby County in Huntsville at the Final Four with Chelsea giving its all in its first Final Four trip since 2011, Indian Springs and Oak Mountain falling in the title game after valiant efforts and Westminster OM bringing home a blue map to the area.

With so many talented teams, the All-County player pool was naturally loaded with some of the best players in the entire state, as evidenced by multiple Super All-State selections.

In a change from last year, both the boys and girls All-County Teams will no longer have Third Team but instead have expanded First and Second Teams to honor the same number of players but maintain consistency with the All-State and All-Metro selections, which have two teams.

Here are the honorees for the 2025 All-County Team as we celebrate the best of the best from Shelby County boys soccer teams.

 

First Team

Forward: Sam Collins, senior, Oak Mountain. Collins was one of the most lethal goal-scorers in the entire state, powering the Eagles offense with 33 goals and 19 assists. The West Alabama signee, Super All-State First Team and All-Metro First Team selection averaged more than a goal during Oak Mountain’s record-setting run.

Forward: Aiden Gamble, senior, Westminster OM. Gamble’s clinical finishing touch led the Knights to a state championship in their first year in Class 4A. The UAH signee finished with 25 goals and 12 assists, including a brace in the state championship, while making the Super All-State and All-Metro First Teams.

Forward: Alex Hage, senior, Indian Springs. This year’s Shelby County Golden Boot winner as the county’s top goal-scorer spearheaded the Springs attack with 34 goals and 11 assists in 25 matches, including five goals in a game. He also received selections to the Super All-State Second Team, Class 5A All-State First Team and All-Metro Second Team.

Forward: Austin Lewis, senior, Helena. Lewis made his second All-County Team of the academic year thanks to his finishing power in an area championship season for the Huskies. While he’s bound for Troy as a football specialist, he proved electric on the pitch with 24 goals and seven assists to make the Class 6A All-State Second Team and All-Metro First Team.

Forward: Gerardo Rodriguez, senior, Oak Mountain. The man they call “G-Money” was right on the money throughout the year with 16 goals and 13 assists to cap his Eagles career. The Huntingdon signee made the Class 7A All-State Second Team in addition to the All-County squad.

Forward: Max Wever, senior, Chelsea. Wever deftly finished off chances for the Hornets all year and earned 21 goals and 13 assists on the road to the Final Four. He was also a Second Team selection to the Class 6A All-State and All-Metro teams.

Midfielder: Avery Biga, senior, Indian Springs. Before heading off to Belgium to play university ball for KU Leuven, he scored 12 goals and added 14 assists to earn spots on the Super All-State Second Team, Class 5A All-State First Team and All-Metro Honorable Mention list.

Midfielder: Gabe Capocci, senior, Oak Mountain. The West Alabama signee continued to create chances while finishing off a fair bit himself as well. He ended the year with 26 goals, including 20 from open play, and 14 assists while earning Super All-State and All-Metro First Team picks.

Midfielder: Matthew Doerfler, senior, Calera. Doerfler was one of the most impressive midfield talents in the entire region with how he held down the middle of the pitch while igniting the Eagles offense. The Super All-State and All-Metro First Team selection finished with 29 goals and 13 assists.

Midfielder: Alexis Lopez, junior, Montevallo. Lopez provided the spark plug for the Bulldogs attack in their path to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. He scored 23 goals in 22 matches while adding 16 assists to make the Class 5A All-State First Team and All-Metro Second Team.

Midfielder: Roy Soldevilla, senior, Oak Mountain. Effortlessly smooth in the midfield, Soldevilla’s finishing power manifested in 15 goals while he amassed 47 tackles and 35 interceptions to kickstart plays for the Eagles. He finished his career as a Class 7A All-State Second Team and All-Metro Honorable Mention selection.

Midfielder: Nate Taylor, senior, Oak Mountain. Taylor already turned heads with his long head of hair, but his on-ball prowess as a defensive midfielder made him an indispensable part of the Eagles. He racked up a county-high 93 tackles along with 31 interceptions, eight goals and seven assists while making the Super All-State Second Team, Class 7A All-State First Team and All-Metro First Team.

Defender: Luke Jovanovich, senior, Oak Mountain. The 2025 Shelby County Player of the Year was unstoppable on both ends of the pitch. He scored 13 goals as a left wingback while assisting on 25 more with his creation skills. The West Alabama signee also earned 58 tackles and 37 interceptions on defense while making the Super All-State and All-Metro First Teams.

Defender: Cameron Harrington, senior, Briarwood Christian. Harrington’s defensive skills helped the Lions secure clean sheets in 10 of their 25 matches, and he also secured four goals and two assists.

Defender: Erik Ledvina, senior, Indian Springs. The Cal-Tech signee held down the fort for Springs on their road to the state championship, finishing with 11 assists and six goals while making the Super All-State and All-Metro First Teams.

Defender: Luke Miller, junior, Chelsea. Miller split time between his traditional back line role and the midfield as his skillset evolves for the Hornets. He secured North-South All-Star, Super All-State Second Team, Class 6A All-State First Team and All-Metro First Team honors thanks to his seven goals, three assists, 21 tackles and 19 interceptions in an injury-shortened year.

Defender: Orlando Avalos, freshman, Pelham. Avalos made the Super All-State First Team as just a freshman, earning nine goals and four assists while wearing the captain’s armband and helping the defense give up just 21 goals in 24 matches.

Defender: Armando Perez, senior, Calera. Perez was an offensive machine even while playing as a left back as he earned a county-high 30 assists and 19 goals to earn spots on the Class 6A All-State Second Team and All-Metro Honorable Mention list.

Goalkeeper: Sam Carter, junior, Westminster OM. Carter was rock-solid in the net all season with 12 clean sheets including shutouts against Spain Park and Gulf Shores, through all of area play and in the semifinals and finals. He racked up 72 saves while allowing just 23 goals in 21 matches for a 0.9 goals-against average to make the Super All-State First Team and All-Metro Second Team.

Goalkeeper: Jeffery Palacios, senior, Pelham. Palacios dominated in his first season at the varsity level, turning in 11 clean sheets while allowing 17 goals for a 0.708 goals-against average. He secured Super All-State and All-Metro First Team selections before heading to the University of Montevallo.

 

Second Team

Forward: Aram Arreola, freshman, Thompson. Arreola burst onto the scene for the Warriors as he racked up 18 goals and 14 assists during 25 appearances in his freshman campaign. His performances against Class 7A competition gave him Class 7A All-State and All-Metro Second Team selections.

Forward: Irving Choto, senior, Montevallo. Choto averaged a goal a match for the Bulldogs with 21 goals and 14 assists on the year as he served as the finishing piece of an incredibly quick and direct Montevallo attack.

Forward: Parker Dean, junior, Chelsea. Dean created plays left and right all season long as one of the most creative players around. He finished with 15 goals and eight assists while helping set up more chances with 35 tackles and 16 interceptions.

Forward: Charlie Krulak, senior, Westminster OM. Krulak was limited to just 11 appearances this season due to an injury, but when he played, he was back to his usual finishing tricks. He scored 14 goals in those 11 matches, including a hat trick in the state title game against Oneonta, and added four assists as well to make the Super All-State Second Team and Class 4A All-State First Team.

Forward: Thomas Lanier, senior, Briarwood Christian. Lanier supercharged the Briarwood attack both in the buildup and on the final touch thanks to his 14 goals and a team-high nine assists. The Mississippi College signee made the Class 6A All-State and All-Metro First Teams.

Forward: TJ Minton, senior, Shelby County. Minton was both the veteran leader and scoring leader for the Wildcats as he finished with 14 goals and five assists in 15 matches, including the first goal in program history against area foe Indian Springs.

Midfielder: Junior Alvarenga, senior, Montevallo. Alvarenga was a chance-creating machine in 2025 with 21 assists in 22 matches in addition to his eight goals.

Midfielder: Cooper Baumbaugh, junior, Chelsea. Baumbaugh broke out in a big way in the Chelsea attack, working as well in the buildup as he was with the final touch. He finished with 13 goals and 11 assists along with 37 tackles and 16 interceptions.

Midfielder: Jair Camargo, junior, Pelham. Camargo led the team in interceptions from the midfield while scoring eight goals and earning four assists on the season.

Midfielder: Sawyer Felton, senior, Briarwood Christian. Felton’s finishing power was evident in his 16 goals that came alongside his four assists, and despite missing multiple matches with a knee injury, the Covenant College signee and Lions captain still made the Super All-State Second Team, Class 6A All-State First Team and All-Metro First Team.

Midfielder: Edson Gonzalez, junior, Calera. Gonzalez was a big part of the Calera attack and finished the season with 15 goals and 11 assists in 25 appearances.

Midfielder: Daniel Teixeira, sophomore, Chelsea. Teixeira was one of the top defensive midfielders in the region as he earned 66 tackles and 30 interceptions alongside his seven goals and four assists.

Defender: Hudson Alexander, senior, Spain Park. The Spring Hill signee led Spain Park as the team captain while also leading the team in headers and interceptions to make the All-Metro Second Team.

Defender: Ryan Borden, senior, Helena. Borden’s high soccer IQ and athletic ability made him both a crucial member of the back line and a capable fill-in as a forward and wing. He finished with six goals and four assists on the attack.

Defender: Erick Huerta, senior, Thompson. The Northeast Alabama Community College signee had a big impact on the Warriors defense and also earned six assists and two goals.

Defender: Harper Jones, senior, Chelsea. Jones earned his second-straight All-County selection for his stellar on-ball defending, which showed in his 59 tackles and 37 interceptions. The Wallace State signee also added two goals and an assist.

Defender: Dylan Ruiz, senior, Thompson. Ruiz was one of the veteran leaders of the back line and helped the Warriors maintain a solid defensive form all season long. The senior also finished with three goals and five assists on the year.

Defender: Jan Carlo Velasco, sophomore, Montevallo. Velasco was the glue of the Montevallo defense despite being just a sophomore. He recorded 56 tackles across 21 matches and also earned eight assists and four goals.

Goalkeeper: Eric Angel, junior, Montevallo. Angel held strong all season long to keep Montevallo in multiple games, including a clean sheet in the area finale against Indian Springs, one of 12 shutouts in 19 appearances. He made 72 saves while allowing just 21 goals, and he even added two goals himself.

Goalkeeper: Forrest Crawford, junior, Indian Springs. Crawford was as reliable of a goalkeeper as they come, stopping shot after shot against some of the top attacks in the region and state to make the Class 5A All-State Second Team. He finished the year with a 1.32 goals-allowed average along with 87 saves and earned eight clean sheets in 20 appearances.

 

Honorable Mention: Gavin Patterson, Briarwood Christian. Ian Robertson, Briarwood Christian. Alex Garcia, Calera. Agustin Rodriguez, Helena. Devon Sasser, Helena. John Hall Blackstone, Indian Springs. Christian Diaz, Montevallo. Alexander Chaidez-Cruz, Oak Mountain. Owen Wells, Oak Mountain. Juan Bravo, Pelham. Luis Bravo, Pelham. Elder Esquival, Pelham. Anzel Santos, Pelham. Remy Martinez, Shelby County. Angel Dominguez, Shelby County. Bobby Propper, Spain Park. Andrew Walters, Spain Park. Cole Russell, Spain Park. Yair Santana, Thompson. Brayden Herrera, Thompson.