Hodge staying in Charleston with Gatorade SC Player of Year added to her resume
CHARLESTON, S.C. (BVM) — When the final whistle sounded in the Class 4A girls soccer state championship, the James Island Charter Trojans were crowned champions. It was a bittersweet moment for Alarie Hodge as it marked the end of her prolific prep career. But going out with that bang is the fairytale ending to her four-year high school career, which started at the same time as head coach Kimberly Cohn.
Cohn’s first year with the Trojans was also Hodge’s freshman season, and now four years later, they get what they’ve been working towards. Hodge believes that the championship was a culmination of all that hard work from the top down. It takes a unit to become a top-10 team in the nation on the United Soccer Coaches rankings.
“We had a lot of good freshmen come in, and we clicked very well,” Hodge said. “We had a really good group of girls and connected really well. Our coach was amazing, too.”
But Hodge’s contribution to the team emerged as the leading reason for its success. The 5-foot-7 forward was an all-state and all-region honoree, but most notably the South Carolina Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She found the back of the net 26 times, and set up her teammates for scores an additional 10 times. Her gaudy high school numbers rounded out at 73 goals and 42 assists, making her case as one of James Island’s best ever.
All of that while playing just a fraction of her junior season’s schedule. The COVID-19 pandemic had wiped away the majority of their games, but the girls stuck with the process. The power of technology kept them together and kept them competing.
“We were going on runs, timed runs, and posting them in the group chat to motivate each other,” Hodge said. “We were trying to motivate everyone to keep working out from home or keep getting touches on the ball.”
But while that chapter has ended for Hodge now, a new one will begin, right at home in Charleston. Hodge is committed to the College of Charleston for her NCAA days, hoping to give them a big boost, which they will accept with open arms. The Cougars were 0-8-1 last season, with their one tie coming against William & Mary who was just 0-3-3.
“I really hope I can push them to want to become better this year,” Hodge said. “I’ve been training with a summer team in Charleston and a lot of the CofC girls are on it and I think we’ve been doing good together so far.”
That’s just what Hodge expected, though. On her visit to the university, she spent the night with the soccer team on campus and knew it’d be a perfect match.
“They had such an amazing atmosphere and they were all super sweet,” Hodge said. “I definitely could see myself being part of the team.”
Now add in the coaching staff that Hodge is so fond of and the blueprint for CofC’s success is clearly laid out. Coach Christian Michner has, in his Cougars coaching career, formed two top-20 recruiting classes due to his personability, and adding Hodge continues to be a display of that skill. Having once been a professional himself, the next generation is looking to learn from his experiences.
With Hodge being the first James Island Charter player to ever win Gatorade Player of the Year, her limitless potential will benefit considerably from Michner’s teachings. With her Charleston legacy still unfinished, expect big things from Hodge and in turn, from CofC women’s soccer.
