Vestavia Hills pulls out 2-OT Win over
James Clemens in 7A Girls’ Semifinals
     HUNTSVILLE – Vestavia Hills’ and James Clemens’ girls soccer teams meeting the AHSAA 2025 Class 7A State Soccer Championships semifinals Thursday were very much alike.
    Both were quick, gritty, and determined, and both had outstanding goalkeepers –
all prime reasons why the match between the two 7A powerhouse programs went the distance. It took a full 40 minutes of regulation play, two scoreless five-minute overtimes and then a shootout to finally decide the outcome.
    Vestavia Hills (21-2-4) won the shots-from-the-mark shootout 4-3 emerging with the 2-1 win. With the victory, the Lady Rebels, coached by Brigid Meadow, advances to Saturday’s Class 7A girls’ championship match to face defending state champion Auburn. The finals will start at 11:30 a.m., here at Loretta P. Spencer Sports Complex’s John Hunt Soccer Park.
    Vestavia Hills to the early lead when senior Emma Listi scored on a defensive turnover at the 11:57 mark in the first half. The 1-0 score stayed intact until 13 minutes 23 minutes into the second half when James Clemens junior Olivia Lawrence scored for the Jets (14-3-4). James Clemens, coached by Erin Riddle, had more shots (24-18) and more shots on goal 12-10) and controlled much of the pace in the second half.
    Both keepers played well with James Clemens’ Maddi  Williams making eight saves, and Vestavia’s Brianna Tortorici finishing with 11 saves.
    In the shots-from-the-mark showdown, Kelsey Redden, Cameron Dickerson, Kendall Roberts and Katie Llewellyn all made their goals for Vestavia Hills. Lawrence, Amelia Mitchell, and Haddie Patterson made goals for James Clemens.