First in class: Westminster girls defend 4A soccer championship

HUNTSVILLE – Westminster Christian Academy won its second straight Class 4A girls state soccer championship, but while the 2024 title game was a rematch of last year, it wasn’t a replay.

Compared to 2023, the Lady Wildcats’ 3-1 victory Friday over St Michael Catholic School of Fairhope came in relatively easy fashion compared to last year’s championship that was won in a penalty kick shootout following two overtime periods.

But titles don’t come easy and this one was no different as Westminster wiped out a one-goal deficit  on the fields of the Loretta P. Spencer Sports Complex at John Hunt Park. The Lady Wildcats finished the 2024 season at 18-2-1 after posting a 15-4-1 2023 mark. 

Over the past two seasons, Westminster has lost just once against a 4A opponent. That setback was against St. John Paul II last year. This year, the Lady Wildcats lost to 7A Thompson and James Clemens and tied 7A Huntsville.

“Over the course of two years – 24 and 1 in 4A,” Westminster head coach Hunter Chapman said after the game. “Only one team on one single night could say they were better than us.”

Westminster senior AnnaLi Weekley was named 4A tournament Most Valuable Player for the second straight season. She scored the team’s final two goals unassisted, the first proving to be the game-winner and the second providing a cushion.

Maddie Key scored just 52 seconds into the match to give the Cardinals (19-3) a 1-0 lead.
Less than four minutes later, Anna Collier tied the match for the Wildcats with a goal set up by a pass from teammate Clara Norris. 

Westminster goalkeeper Piper Blazer had two saves as the Wildcats limited the Cardinals to just six shots on goal.

“Everybody sees the great soccer players. They are, but they’re phenomenal girls, phenomenal people,” Chapman said. “I’m just so honored and blessed by the Lord to have this opportunity. I told ’em before the game, been preaching to ’em for two years, that our identity is not in this game.

“Whether we win or lose, how good they play, how bad they play, they have so much of a bigger purpose and they’re so much more than just soccer players. I’m just so thankful that I got to be a part of it.”