News

Leah Powell, a senior at St. Vincent’s Academy, has been an enormous part of the Lady Saints three consecutive state championship teams. This year St. Vincent Academy was off to a 7 - 1 start when the season ended because of COVID-19 pandemic. The Saints beat perennial girl soccer playoff teams, Vidalia and Savannah Country Day the last week of season. Leah felt that this year’s Lady Saints team would have been just as successful as the previous three seasons.

Leah started playing soccer at four at the Islands YMCA. By the time Powell reached third grade, she was playing travel and club soccer. The most influential people in her athletic career are her parents and brother, Hoyt, who have always been there to motivate her and believed in her. Leah said they are my number one fans. Leah has been a member of the three-time consecutive St. Vincent’s state championship teams. She was the co-captain as a junior and senior. Powell, as a junior, received the Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame Girl’s 2019 soccer player of the year. Leah has received recognition from the Savannah Morning News by being named to the 2019 All Greater Savannah Girls' Soccer first team, and she received honorable mention in 2017 and 2018.

St. Vincent's head coach Tess Trvrdy said, "It has been an absolute pleasure teaching, coaching and getting to know Leah over the last four years. She was in an integral part of the team. She played the middle and help maintain the speed of play and transitions from an offense of shape to a defense of shape.”  Trvrdy felt that she knew this by stating, “Leah is consistently thinking and seeing the plays that the team had to have to finish. Leah paying attention to the entire field is why we had so much success these past seasons and I just am so thankful she's always showed up the field exuding leadership, a positive attitude and a great work ethic.”

Leah feels she's been a successful student athlete because of a quote that her Savannah United Club Team Coach Ciara Thomas often said, “You get out what you put in. Powell said that has always stuck with me because doing that teaches you to keep working harder.” Leah will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.