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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Soccer
Vestavia Hills celebrates winning the Class 7A state championship with a 2-1 win over McGill-Toolen on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens' Hannah Swager (7) defends a pass against Vestavia Hills' Caroline Causey (11) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Action during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Caroline Causey (11) of Vestavia during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Hannah Swager (7) attempts to defend Vestavia's Caroline Causey (11) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Elizabeth Hill(2) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Lily Wright (34) and Vestavia's Elizabeth Hill(2) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Nishma Patel (22) and Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) battle during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Lily Wright (34) and Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia players celebrate a goal during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens defender Kaley Arnett (1) battles Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Lyndsay McLaughlin (8) of Vestavia during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Britton Slifka (11) and Vestavia defender Faith Hauberg (20) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Elizabeth Hill(2) of Vestavia during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Isabelle Passman (1) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Hannah Swager (7) and Vestavia's Katherine Savage (3) collide during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Lyndsay McLaughlin (8) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
James Clemens Emma Houssain (14) and Vestavia's Elizabeth Hill(2) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Vestavia's Taylor Korn (6) and Elizabeth Hill(2) celebrate a goal during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Caroline Causey (11) of Vestavia attempts a pass during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Nic Guay (0) of James Clemens attempts to block a shot during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Katherine Savage (3) of Vestavia Hills during a Class 7A semifinal playoff match between Vestavia Hills and James Clemens on Friday, May 11, 2018, at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
HUNTSVILLE – Second chances don’t always come, but that’s exactly what the Vestavia Hills High School girls soccer team got on Saturday.
The Lady Rebels got another shot at McGill-Toolen in the Class 7A state final. And this time, they capitalized.
Vestavia Hills (22-3-1) controlled play and defeated McGill, 2-1, to win the program’s fifth state championship. The Lady Rebels fell to the same team last spring and avenged the loss to conclude this season at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
“It’s the nicest thing ever,” said head coach Brigid Littleton, “just to come back and redeem ourselves and show that we can come back stronger and better.”
From the outset of the season, the Lady Rebels held on to that bitter taste, boldly proclaiming from the beginning that the goal was to get another crack at McGill-Toolen and to avenge that loss in the 2017 title match.
“As a coach, you want the girls to set goals,” Littleton said. “Then watching it come to fruition and watching the girls grow from that, it shows them so much about life. If they put their mind to something and work hard, at times they may fall short, but they go back to work and they all have the same vision and the same desire that they can come together and do anything.”
Faith Hauberg got Vestavia Hills on the board with 14:11 remaining in the first half with what Littleton estimated to be a 40-yard strike. Hauberg has played on a torn meniscus in her knee since the first round of the playoffs, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Taylor Korn put the Lady Rebels ahead 2-0 with a goal early in the second half, but McGill-Toolen responded with a goal shortly thereafter to keep the margin at a single goal. Despite the narrow margin, Littleton said the team felt as if it began wearing McGill-Toolen out late in the first half and “controlled most of the match.”
Seniors Korn, Hauberg, Kat Savage, Sara McCurry, Mary Hogewood and Sophia Sabri are what Littleton calls “world-beaters,” and to simply call them a special group would be vastly underselling what they meant to the Lady Rebels soccer program.
“I am completely thankful for all they’ve done to make this program even better and to leave a legacy of greatness behind. They’re an unforgettable group of seniors,” Littleton said.
Vestavia Hills posted a 2-1 victory over James Clemens in the semifinals on Friday to reach the final. The Lady Rebels also posted wins over Oak Mountain (7-3) and Bob Jones (1-0, 3-0 in penalty kicks) to reach the Final Four.
