Unlikely heroes emerged Friday afternoon as the Bearden girls’ soccer team won the Class AAA state championship at Finley Stadium.

Junior goalkeeper Sophie Keener made five saves, leading the Lady Bulldogs to a 1-0 overtime victory against Germantown Houston and earning MVP honors for the match.

“You never know who’s going to step up in big times,” Bearden coach Ryan Radcliffe said. “(Keener is) a first-year starter, wasn’t even starting at the beginning of the season. It’s part of who we are.

“It doesn’t matter who it is, you’ve got to step up when your number’s called, and (Keener) was awesome. She was unbelievable. Huge credit to her to get that MVP.”

Keener, the junior varsity goalie last year, watched 2024 state final when Houston beat Bearden in a penalty-kick shootout for the title.

This time, Keener was in the thick of the action against Houston (16-6-2).

Bearden (20-2-1) posted its seventh consecutive shutout and its 17th of the season.

“I’m so happy knowing how much progress I’ve made to be able to be here and help my team make it here,” Keener said. “I couldn’t do it without everybody on my team.”

Bearden’s starting defenders are senior Emma Rainey, sophomores Taylor Cope and Cadence Nesbit, and junior Ella Hudson.

Rainey is one of the team captains.

Cope made a crucial play in the 74th minute. Houston’s Angelie Reuer made a cross that bounced over the head of Keener into the open area of the goal, and Cope knocked it away with a header.

“My defense was really good,” Keener said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”

Senior forward Claire Jenkinson, who didn’t start, scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute. It was her fifth goal of the season. She played 15 of the match’s 100 minutes.

Jenkinson scored off a corner kick by senior forward Tyler Roth, a Western Kentucky commitment.

Roth booted the corner into a crowd in front of Houston goalie Ella Beaver, and Kennedy Lucas was the first Lady Bulldog to hit the ball toward Beaver with her chest.

Jenkinson, a Roane State commitment, was right behind Lucas, bumping the ball with her torso past Beaver.

“Usually, I stand in front of the keeper, and it went over my head,” Jenkinson said. “Lulu (Lucas) chested it, and I followed the ball, and I shot it into the net past the keeper. And I started crying.”

Jenkinson almost scored again in the 97th minute when she again bumped a shot off her torso, but it bounced off the post.

Three minutes later, the match ended.

“I’m so glad we got to do this for the seniors last year who didn’t get to,” Jenkinson said. “We played for them. We played for everyone on this team, and we hope the underclassmen can come back to state and win it too.”

During Friday’s match, Radcliffe could tell his players were fatigued, playing their third match in four days.

He found Jenkinson ready to go.

“She’s unfazed by the moment,” Radcliffe said. “She hadn’t played many minutes there. We kind of were down the line and thinking, ‘Who’s fresh? Who can give us legs?’”

Bearden had 15 shots (eight on goal), while Houston finished with 11 shots (five on goal).

The Mustangs controlled much of the first half, outshooting Bearden 4-2.

Bearden defeated Houston 3-0 on Aug. 22 during a tournament in Chattanooga, but Radcliffe wasn’t expecting a repeat of that match.

“A lot of credit to Houston,” Radcliffe said. “We beat them 3-0 earlier this year. I was hesitant to even bring up that game to the girls last night or even watch film on it because I said, ‘It’s not going to be that way.’

“It’s a dogfight every time (against Houston). I’m kind of tired of seeing them. I think that’s four out of the past five years we’ve had to grind it out with Houston. It’s two top programs (in the state).”

The Lady Bulldogs won their sixth state title in program history and fourth in the last five years. Houston has 10 state titles.

Radcliffe fought back emotions after the match, thinking of his late mother, a longtime fixture of Bearden soccer. She died last summer.

“I think mom was out here today,” Radcliffe said.

Article written by Dave Link/5Star Preps. To read more on area high school sports or to see photo galleries, videos, stat leaders, etc., visit 5StarPreps.com — and use promo code New2025 for 30% off your first year or month subscription.

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