Local high school soccer programs are back in postseason action this week as the Alabama High School Athletic Association continues its state playoff series across all four classifications. The AHSAA divides both the boys’ and girls’ soccer tournaments into four groupings — Class 1A-3A, Class 4A-5A, Class 6A and Class 7A — with teams across those brackets working toward a spot in the state championship rounds.
Several Mobile-area programs remain in contention as the playoff field narrows, with coaches and players treating each match as a must-win step toward a title berth. The postseason format means a single loss can end a team’s season, adding extra intensity to every fixture on this week’s schedule.
The marquee local matchup pits St. Paul’s Episcopal School against McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in a pair of games Friday at the Lipscomb Complex, McGill-Toolen’s home field. The girls’ teams are scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m., with the boys’ match following at 7 p.m. The doubleheader gives fans a chance to see both programs compete back-to-back on the same night, and the rivalry between the two private schools has long been one of the more closely watched matchups in area high school soccer.
Both St. Paul’s and McGill-Toolen have built strong soccer traditions over the years, regularly advancing deep into the postseason and producing players who go on to compete at the college level. A sweep or split between the two programs on Friday could carry significant weight for playoff seeding and momentum heading into the later rounds.
Fans looking to attend are encouraged to arrive early, as postseason matchups between the two rival programs typically draw solid crowds. As the brackets continue to be decided across the state, area teams that advance this week will move one step closer to a chance at an AHSAA state championship.