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Six ladies join elite group
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Six Dawson County Lady Tiger soccer players join an elite group of All-Area performers as selected by The Times of Gainesville last week.

Juniors Taylor Bennett and Anela Melton were selected first team with teammates, who are also juniors, McKay Shivley and Devon Coates named second team All-Area.

Selected as honorable mention players were Tina Libao and Jessica Chambers.

The Lady Tigers completed the season with a 13-3-2 record before being ousted from the Class AAA state playoffs by St. Pius X, 2-1. The Lady Lions went on to win the state championship.

Bennett had a great season for Head Coach Jed Lacey's No. 6-ranked Lady Tigers. The outside midfield player scored nine goals with 13 assists. Bennett was all named to the Region 7-AAA first team.

Goalie Melton was selected team MVP and was named to the All-Region 7-AAA first team.

Completing the first team for the girls was Corrie Thomas, Flowery Branch, who was the area leader in goals with 28. Thomas has signed with Shorter University.

Others selected to the first team were: Brie Smith (Buford), Elexa Bahr (Buford), Player of the Year Jessi Vaverka (Buford) who has signed with the University of North Georgia, Sandra Macedo (Johnson) a Point University signee, Jazmin Penado (Gainesville), Sarah Abad (White County), Jessi Stephens (Chestatee) and Dakota Sullens (Lumpkin County).

The Times second team All-Area was led by Dawson County midfielder McKay Shivley. Shivley scored 14 goals with three assists for the Lady Tigers. She was also an All-Region 7-AAA first team selection.

Freshman sweeper Devin Coates joins Shivley on the second team. Coates was captain of a defense that only allowed 12 goals all year. She was named to the second team Region 7 All-Area team.

Finishing out the second team All-Area were: Savanna Magill (White County), Gabrielle Ligas (West Hall), Chandler Steele (Johnson), Sadie Foote (Chestatee), Tristian Bailey (North Hall), Anna Youmans (Gainesville), Carmin Dowdy (Habersham Central), Isabelle Lee (Flowery Branch) and Alden Powell (North Hall).