ORANGE BEACH, Alabama — The cross-county match for a berth to the 5A soccer final four in Huntsville left equal cheers and tears at the end as the teams shook hands under a full perigee moon in Orange Beach Saturday night.

Although they didn’t score, the Spanish Fort defenders who isolated and double teamed Gulf Shores’ Auburn-bound Sophie Simantel Saturday accomplished as much. The Lady Dolphin senior and six-year starter averaging nearly two goals per match was shutout by the Lady Toros defense anchored by Johanna Scott in goal. Meanwhile the Spanish Fort offensive end scored twice in the first half on shots by Jessica Watts and Summer Stout for the 2-0 third-round state playoff win.

The ‘Phins went down fighting with a relentless, scalding assault on the Toro end in the second half. But Scott and company kept the gate and advanced to Hunt Park and the state semifinals for the third-straight year. Gulf Shores had dethroned the defending state champs for the region title last month.

“We knew we had something to prove to ourselves,” Spanish Fort head coach Barclay Kercher said. “After they beat us then, we talked about it all week. And all the sweat and pain and work we put into this season — that we were the better team and had to get back up there (Huntsville) and defend ‘The Fort.’ Our theme is ‘Defend the Fort,’ and no one was coming in there (the goal) tonight. It was pretty aggressive and players were falling left and right, but I think we took some extra pride in defending it this game.”

Kercher said several key factors went their way.

“(We) isolated Sophie tonight and took her out of their offense. You know she’s an amazing player and we have been practicing for that all week. And we also changed our line up a little bit with Summer Stout up top and firing that shot. And that cross, that beautiful finish, by Jessica Watts. We have battled some weaknesses and finishing was one of those, so (the extra work) paid off for us tonight. The game plan worked, so off we go.”

Gulf Shores coach Jason Thompson gave credit to the Toro players, but insisted his hold their heads high and said the future looks bright on the Gulf Shores pitch.

“Midfield containment had a lot to do with it,” he said. “And they did a good job controlling it. The good runs we had we tried to push Sophie up top and tried to give her good shots. We had our opportunities, even late in the second half and couldn’t capitalize on them. But I still can’t say enough about the kids. I am so proud of these girls. Maddie Mcalister in the goal was phenomenal. And she’s a sophomore getting to come back.They came back and never gave up. That’s one of the big things. They have always been a good second-half team. And at halftime I was most confident we could turn it around. But I can’t take away those two goals. The two goals they had were phenomenal. You can’t take that away.

“And it is a big farewell,” he added. “Not a good-bye, but farewell to Sophie Simantel. She has a lot of great things ahead of her. I can’t wait to watch her at Auburn next year. We have some positions, some voids to fill, but I have a great junior class.”

A gracious Simantel thanked her teammates for their support.

“I want to thank my team, mostly, they really stepped up this year,” she said. “We’re a young team and they played to win and that meant everything to me. I know we did everything we could to win and this season was incredible and I won’t regret any part of it.”

Gulf Shores finished 14-5-1. Stout scored off an assist by Alyssa Brandle in the 18 th minute and Watts finished a header sent in for an assist by Rebekah Diring in the 23 rd minute. Scott had 11 saves, most in a firestorm of second-half blasts.

Spanish Fort improved to 13-4-2 and play Chelsea (20-4-2) Friday in Huntsville. The Toros defeated Chelsea in the 5A championship match last season.

Across the Bay, St. Paul’s knocked the Spanish Fort boys out of a their run for the 5A final four, 3-1. Caleb Geautreaux fscored for the Toros wo finished in the third and quarterfial round of eight in the state with a record of 15-5-1.

Jorim Albrecht-Frueh, J.D. Hamilton and Yannick Wildraut scored for the Saints (22-3-4).