1 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate with the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game after defeating Enterprise 5-0 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
2 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate with the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game after defeating Enterprise 5-0 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
3 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Oak Mountain’s Kaitlin Maynard (21) moves to score during the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game against Enterprise at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. The Eagles’ defeated Enterprise 5-0. Photo by Erin Nelson.
4 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate after defeating Enterprise 5-0 in the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
5 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate after defeating Enterprise 5-0 in the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
6 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate after defeating Enterprise 5-0 in the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
7 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate with the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game after defeating Enterprise 5-0 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
8 of 8
Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Lady Eagles’ celebrate with the AHSAA Class 7A girls State Championship game after defeating Enterprise 5-0 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville on Saturday, May 8, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
HUNTSVILLE -- The Lady Eagles were on a mission to rewrite the end of the story.
Oak Mountain High School's girls soccer team felt as if it was the best team in the state in 2020. It solidified that belief with many by knocking off reigning state champion Vestavia Hills in the final game of the season before everything was cancelled.
What did the Lady Eagles do? They came back and proved they were the best team state in 2021. Oak Mountain capped off a scintillating season with a dominant 5-0 win over Enterprise in the Class 7A final recently at John Hunt Park.
"It's an amazing feeling," Oak Mountain head coach Chris Blight said following the game. "Obviously, they've worked incredibly hard. We were very motivated and had something still to accomplish."
Kierson McDonald won the state tournament MVP honors and finished off the season with a hat trick, scoring three goals in the championship game. Kaitlin Maynard scored the other two goals.
"It's amazing. This is what you live for in high school soccer," McDonald said.
McDonald and Maynard each got on the board in the first half of the contest, as Oak Mountain took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break. Maynard scored her second to make it 3-0 in the second half, while McDonald notched the final two goals.
"They've got such special talent," Blight said. "They're not just great soccer players, they're great leaders and that shows with the way they play and the way they help the younger girls."
Oak Mountain reached the final by knocking off Vestavia Hills, the winner of the 2018 and 2019 state titles. The Lady Eagles beat Vestavia 1-0 in the semifinals on Friday. McDonald notched the lone goal of the contest midway through the second half to push her team to the victory.
The state title is the fourth in program history for Oak Mountain, which won three in four years from 2012-15.
The Lady Eagles finished the season with a record of 22-3-1. To reach Huntsville, Oak Mountain defeated Spain Park 3-2 in the first round and blew past Sparkman 6-0 in the second round of the playoffs.
