Weekly Spotlight--Tyson Whiteside

Weekly spotlight

TYSON WHITESIDE

School: Central

Class: Junior

Sport: Soccer

Accomplishment: Whiteside, whose health was severely in question two years ago after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, has scored 19 goals to lead all area high school soccer players this season. He had two goals and an assist in Central's 9-0 Class 3 District 1 semifinal victory over Farmington, then scored all four of the Tigers' goals in a 4-3 victory against Poplar Bluff in the district championship on Saturday.

Whiteside: "It was my most memorable game. It was just crazy. I had a goal in overtime against Jackson that was my most memorable goal, but four goals in one game -- I was in the right place at the right time."

Coach Tom Doyle: "As we're getting near the end of the year, he's really stepping up, and Saturday was really the icing on the cake. The thing about Tyson is that he's a defensive center [midfielder], and it's kind of unusual for your leading scorer to be your defensive center mid."