Adams Stadium played host to the seventh annual DeKalb County All-Star Soccer Classics which gave the fans plenty to cheer about as the new format made for stronger matchups this season.
Moving away from the former OTP vs. ITP format of the first six years state runners-up Clarkston and Druid Hills boys’ all-stars got to team up in leading Coach Andrew Goodman’s (Clarkston) Team White to a 3-1 victory over Coach Robert Richmond’s (Lakeside) Team Blue.
It took 15 minutes of back and forth play before Team White would get on the scoreboard as Clarkston senior right back Kamal Rai sent a nice pass ahead to Druid Hills’ senior All-State player Luke Narker who neatly headed the ball into the goal to put the White up 1-0.
Team Blue answered as the first half ticked down to 15 minutes left on the clock as Lakeside’s Will Mallory beat All-State Druid Hills’ senior keeper Josh Lloyd to on a penalty kick to send the teams into the half knotted at 1-1.
Ten minutes into the second half another Druid Hills/Clarkston tandem hooked up for a White score. All-State player Connor Logue of Druid Hills played a great pass to talented Clarkston All-State player Lionel Touroudo. Touroudo used his quick feet to evade three defenders before hitting a blast into the right corner for a 2-1 White lead.
Touroudo would hit a nice through ball to Narker who finished the play off with a goal for a 3-1 lead with about 25 minutes to play.
Every assist and goal accounted for on Team White came from one of the two state finalists, Clarkston and Druid Hills.
Narker was named MVP for Team White after his play in the game to cap a career in which he led Druid Hills in scoring each of his four years on the team.
Goalie Alfonso Bautista had an impressive game in goal for Team Blue despite the loss as the sure handed keeper came through more times than not with big saves to keep his team in the game. His direction throughout the game helped keep the backline organized defensively.
Girls: Team Green 5, Team Pink 2
It is not often that a freshman can win MVP honors in an All-Star game, but Redan’s Amadia Veasley proved to be a thorn in the side of Team Pink’s defense all night in leading Team Green to a 5-2 victory.
Veasley served notice just five minutes into the game showed poise in finishing off a play and give Team Green an early 1-0 advantage.
Martin Luther King Jr. junior Jasmine Mathis, who set a new scoring record with 66 goals this season, led Team Pink back into a tie with a goal less than five minutes after the Green score.
Veasley found the net multiple times throughout the game causing the Pink defense trouble throughout the game.
The teams continued to battle through the heat as the game settled into a 5-2 Green win.
Chamblee senior defender Carter Buford was named Team Pink’s MVP to cap an excellent career as a Bulldog with some excellent play in her All-Star finale.