The Briarwood Christian girl&8217;s soccer team had worked on their penalty kicks all week leading up to the AHSAA Class 5A final four in Huntsville.

That extra work paid off Saturday.

After tying defending 5A champ Huntsville, 1-1, at the end of regulation, the Lady Lions ousted the Panthers, 5-4, in penalty kicks to win the state title at Joe Hunt Park.

&8220;We worked on our penalty kicks for two weeks straight,&8221; first-year head coach Ryan Leib said.

&8220;Once you get in the playoffs there are no ties and all too often the game can come down to something like penalty kicks.&8221;

The victory marked the Lions&8217; return to soccer dominance since they last won the girls&8217; crown in 2002.

&8220;It&8217;s sweet,&8221; Leib said. &8220;The girls played with tons of heart today and battled to the end.&8221;

Briarwood&8217;s Abbie McCary scored her team&8217;s lone goal in regulation 31:52 into the match and the Lady Lions took the lead into halftime. But Huntsville responded early in the second half, capitalizing on a penalty kick two minutes in to even the game at 1-1.

That score would eventually hold through the remainder of regulation and two five-minute overtime periods, leaving the game to be decided by penalty kicks.

After Claire Palmer and Morgan Haney both made their penalty kicks for the Lady Lions, Briarwood goalkeeper Deborah Ross came up with one of the biggest saves of her high school career to give her team a one-goal advantage.

&8220;I was hoping the game would go into penalty kicks,&8221; Ross said. &8220;I knew we were going to win once we got there.&8221;

Leib said he assured his keeper that she only needed to stop one shot.

&8220;I told her that she only had to save one,&8221; he said. &8220;And that was an unbelievable save.&8221;

Haley Taylor and McCary converted their penalty kicks and Audra Brawley clinched the title for the Lady Lions (20-4-0) by scoring the fifth and decisive goal.

&8220;I was so nervous when I went up there,&8221; Brawley said. &8220;But I knew my team was behind me and was praying for me on the bench.&8221;

Ross said her team had been itching for a rematch with the Panthers since losing to Huntsville (14-4-4) 5-2 in the third game of the 2006 season and 4-1 in the state final last year.

&8220;They beat us earlier this season and we really wanted it back,&8221; Ross said.

Leib credited his team for proving they could play at the highest level.

&8220;If you want to be the best, you have to play the best,&8221; he said. &8220;They should have been the favorite in this game and to be able to come in here and knock off the defending state champions is something to be proud of.&8221;

Haney was named the Class 5A tournament MVP.

The Lady Lions graduate two seniors this year in Palmer and Laura Ketcham.

Briarwood Lady Lions’ road to victory

Gadsden – Win – 9-0

Northridge – Win – 4-0

Huntsville – Loss – 5-2

Auburn – Win – 3-0

Mountain Brook – Loss – 1-0

Vestavia Hills – Loss – 2-1

Homewood – Win – 2-0

Spain Park – Win – 4-1

Pinson Valley – Win – 5-0

Hayes – Win – 10-0

Ramsey – Win 10-0

Ramsey – Win – 10-0

Hewitt – Win – 5-0

Pinson Valley – Win – 7-1

Homewood – Win – 2-0

Grissom – Loss – 1-0

John Carroll – Win – 2-1

Spain Park – Win – 2-1

Gardendale

– Win – 9-0

Oxford – Win – 6-0

Southside-Gadsden – Win – 3-0

Huntsville – Win – 2-1

(Penalty Kicks 5-4)

Overall Record – 20-4-