CONWAY -- Abigail Persson capped her already monstrous year with a monstrous goal Wednesday night at the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star girls soccer game.
The Liberty University signee who played for Sylvan Hills sent a shot just left of goalkeeper Jessica McCauley of Central Arkansas Christian to give the East All-Stars a 3-2 shootout victory over the West All-Star at the Bill Stephens Complex on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas.
"This is such a good feeling right now," Persson said. "To cap the game off like that is really big for me. To have my teammates rush me like that afterwards, it was amazing.
"But I was so nervous on that last shot."
Persson's shot almost never happened thanks to Mother Nature.
The game was delayed for an hour and a half because of rain and lightning in the area. The teams were on the field for just 1:30 before officials decided to send the players inside. With additional storms hovering just outside Faulkner County, concerns began to surface about whether the game would even be played.
"That was the biggest thing I was concerned about, to be honest," said Little Rock Central Coach Sheffield Duke, who coached the East All-Stars. "The girls had worked really hard and we wanted them to have the opportunity to play one last game.
"It wasn't so much about the winning or losing that we were worried about, we just wanted them to get as much playing time as they could and have fun doing it."
Officials eventually decided to restart the game but shortened it to one half in order to allow enough time for the boys' all-star game to take place with more rain expected to fall.
Those 40 minutes were more than enough time for Persson to make a lasting impression on her ultra successful senior season.
Persson, who named the East team's Most Outstanding Player, helped her team apply constant pressure over the game's final 20 minutes, which was a complete reversal from the first 20 minutes. Neither team, however, was able to capitalize despite each getting nine shots on goal. Conway's Peyton Turner nearly won the game for the East with 10 seconds left in regulation, but her shot sailed just left.
The teams were tied at two goals apiece before Persson's game-winning kick.
"I knew it had to be tied at the end of five in order for me to shoot," said Persson, who was also her senior class valedictorian. "I didn't want us to end in a tie, and I was nervous, but I went up there and decided that I was going to be confident."
Sports on 06/26/2014