Houston Academy girls soccer coach Tom Renshaw had an inkling this year’s team could be something special.

“The way this team was developing, I saw that we had a credible chance to make a run … and we did make a run,” Renshaw said.

Did they ever.

For the first time in school history, the HA Lady Raiders made it to the Class 1A-3A Final Four in Huntsville before bowing out in the semifinals during a 3-1 loss to eventual state champion Lee-Scott Academy.

Houston Academy finished the season with a sparkling 21-2-3 record – the only other loss to Class 7A Dothan High – and set the bar high for the years to come.

Among the standouts helping the Raiders achieve such status during the season was sophomore Elsie Shirley, a striker who tallied 49 goals and contributed 13 assists.

For their su

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