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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights run across the field to the stands to celebrate with their fans following the Class 1A-3A state final against Altamont on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Westminster Oak Mountain midfielder Sophia Adam (15) dribbles the ball guarded by Altamont defender Allie Ritchie (10) during the Class 1A-3A girls final game between Altamont and Westminster Oak Mountain on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Westminster Oak Mountain forward Morgan White (2) moves to steal the ball from Altamont forward Ava Muller (11) during the Class 1A-3A girls final game between Altamont and Westminster Oak Mountain on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Westminster Oak Mountain forward Tori Deen (3) is named the MVP during the Class 1A-3A state final game against Altamont on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. Westminster Oak Mountain defeated Altamont 3-2 in overtime. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Westminster Oak Mountain midfielder Katie Hoaglund (4) dribbles the ball downfield during the Class 1A-3A state final against Altamont on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Westminster Oak Mountain defender Cammi Griffith (5) and Westminster Oak Mountain goal keeper Mary Catherine Griffith (0) talk after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights hold hands in prayer with the Class 1A-3A after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
during the Class final game against on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
Westminster Oak Mountain defender Cammi Griffith (5) and Westminster Oak Mountain goal keeper Mary Catherine Griffith (0) hug after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
during the Class 1A-3A girls final game between Altamont and Westminster Oak Mountain on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
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Photo by Erin Nelson
The Westminster Oak Mountain Knights celebrate with the Class 1A-3A state trophy after defeating Altamont 3-2 in overtime on Friday, May 10, 2019 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. [Photo/Erin Nelson]
HUNTSVILLE — This one was for Ken.
Before the 2019 season, the Westminster School at Oak Mountain girls soccer team lost its coach, Ken Headley, to brain cancer.
The Knights decided then to dedicate each game to him.
“We’re here for Coach Ken,” said Katie Hoaglund, a junior midfielder. “This is what he trained us for all last year, and he would be ecstatic to see us here now.”
Playing in Headley’s honor, Westminster made it further this season than it ever had.
The Knights advanced to their first state final four and on Friday night dodged raindrops in the Class 1A-3A state final against Altamont.
Neither the stage nor conditions daunted them. The Knights won 3-2 in overtime on a last-second goal from junior forward Morgan White, who blasted a shot from about 35 yards away with only a couple of seconds left on the clock.
She cartwheeled across the rain-drenched field at John Hunt Park once the ball hit the back of the net.
"I think he was jumping for joy in the heavens when that goal went in,” Knights coach Jay Hammond said of Headley.
Hammond took over for Headley after he passed away in January and inherited a team with realistic state title aspirations. They topped the state coaches' poll in 1A-3A consistently throughout the season.
Westminster lost only twice all spring and finished with a 17-2-1 record. Headley, who also was a pastor, accompanied them in spirit every step of the way.
Team prayers concluded with Hammond mentioning by name the man he succeeded, telling Headley that the team loved him and was thinking about him.
The Knights also wore black armbands with Headley’s initials, KH, emblazoned in orange. One of Headley’s favorite pair of soccer cleats was the same color.
“What set him apart was his passion he had for us,” White said. “A lot of times I thought he wanted it more than we did.”
No doubt lingered in regard to the team's desire this year.
After rolling through the regular season, Westminster opened the playoffs in late April with a 7-0 victory over Providence Christian. The team then rallied from a one-goal deficit to beat St. James 3-2 in the state quarterfinal, a barrier no Westminster girls team had ever hurdled.
Hammond delivered an inspiring speech at halftime of that quarterfinal game and reminded his team of the things it was playing for: God, Coach Ken and the senior class of Tori Deen, Sophia Adam and Caroline Black.
"We could not have done it without him,” Deen said of Hammond. “He's an amazing coach, and he brings so much to this team."
Westminster blanked Cottage Hill 4-0 in Thursday’s state semifinal behind two goals from Hoaglund. That win advanced them to Friday’s soggy final.
Deen found the back of the net in the game’s opening minute, and White rifled in a shot from outside the box midway through the second half. It was her 100th career goal.
Altamont responded after each score and tied the game at 2-2 in the final minutes of regulation. Overtime ensued.
Before sending his players onto the pitch for the extra period, Hammond told them to give everything they had.
They did, for Ken.
"We had a lot of tragedy and a lot of turmoil,” Hammond said. “And we had a lot of triumph."
