Over the course of Southmont girls soccer history, there have been plenty of standout players.
There is Macy Zachary who is second in the county for goals scored.
There is Lexi Odum who helped the Mounties to multiple sectional titles.
And, now there is Jessica Hale, who for the last two seasons has started to etch her name into the team history books as the next elite player.
Hale dominated the Sagamore Conference and the pitch overall, making her the 2023 Journal Review Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
The junior tallied 24 goals — 13 more than the second-place finisher in the SAC. Her 50 total points (two for a goal and one for an assist) were 17 points higher than the second-place finisher.
When Hale arrived her sophomore season, she immediately made an impact. Her family is a military family, and they were constantly on the move until last year when they retired and settled in Montgomery County.
Hale’s first season with the Mounties also was the first for Mountie coach Roger Azar. It didn’t take him long to see Hale for the tremendous player she is.
“Within the first five or so minutes of our first practice I knew there was something special about Jessica,” Azar said. “Her ball placement on her shots, her technical ability, it’s something that just stands out above everyone else. From that moment on I knew that this team was going to have a great player on our hands. She dominated in basically every aspect of the game with how many goals she led the conference by. It’s going to be awhile before we see another Jessica on this team but we’re working hard to make sure all our girls can play like Jessica can.”
Hale has been a First-Team All-Sagamore Conference selection in both of her seasons with South. She’s led them in goals both seasons and has established herself as the next great Mountie girls soccer player.
Constantly moving around the country and finding a new team, being in a new school and a new environment and having new coaches can be taxing on a high schooler. For Hale, she’s learned to adapt to that lifestyle and tries to be her best at wherever she ends up.
“We moved every two or three years, so I was just used to it,” Hale said. “I like to think I’m pretty good at getting used to the new personalities around me. Throughout my life I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad soccer coach and that’s certainly the case here too. That’s why I’ve turned into the player that I am today. Here at South, I love it. It’s a smaller school and I get to have better relationships with my friends and teammates. It’s probably the best school I’ve been to so far.”
Hale always draws the opposing team’s attention. Azar said Hale’s ability to constantly defeat a team’s scouting report is another testament to the player she’s turned into.
“You can tell that Jessica really loves playing the game,” he said. “She never is out there just going through the motions. What’s best about her is she loves playing for the name on the front of her jersey. Her teammates love playing with her because they know she’ll get the ball to them. Soccer takes a certain mental attitude to play it and she has that.”
Hale plays soccer year-round and is a member of the Lafayette Boilers FC travel team.
The game is something that came naturally to Hale — even at a young age. Early on she decided she wanted to play and has put in the time and dedication to become the player she is today.
“I’ve played the game basically my entire life, so I see it as more of a routine for me at this point,” Hale said. “I can’t see me doing anything else besides playing soccer. This sport has allowed me to meet some amazing people and that’s something that I’m thankful for. It’s like building a family and I love the game for all that it’s given me.”
With one final year left in her high school career, Hale wants to save her best season for last.
The Mounties are in search of their first sectional title since 2020 and both Hale and Azar hope it can come next season.
“Jessica has already grown so much from her sophomore year to now and I expect the same thing out of her for her senior year,” Azar said. “My target for her is to have 30+ goals next year. She’s very capable of doing that and it would be a great way to cap off her career.”
