For the first time in program history, the St. Michael Catholic boys soccer team is bringing a Blue Map Trophy back to Baldwin County.

Head coach Tito Rodriguez and the Cardinals captured the 5A state championship in Huntsville to secure the first state crown in program history. St. Michael defeated Indian Springs 1-1 (3-0 in penalty kicks) in the state semifinal before knocking off Springville 5-1 in the title match two days later to cap a 19-8-4 season.

Goalkeeper Zach Deroy delivered one of the tournament’s defining performances in the semifinal, stopping all three penalty kicks from Indian Springs to send St. Michael into the championship match. Wells Sawyer accounted for the Cardinals’ lone goal in regulation to force the deciding shootout.

In the state final, junior Jake Lazzari added another chapter to his already historic season with a pair of first-half assists to set the tone early, followed by two goals as well to earn the MVP honor. Lazzari ended the season with 36 goals, tied for third in the state, while adding 20 assists — tied for seventh statewide — to bolster what should be an All-State selection.

Five different St. Michael players found the back of the net in the championship win — Lazzari, Sawyer, Raphael Duchesne, Tomas Christensen and Brent Acker — as the Cardinals finished off their title run in dominant fashion.

The championship marks a major milestone for a program that needed just nine years to reach the top of Alabama high school soccer. Along the way, St. Michael moved through three classifications, reached the Elite Eight in each, and now exits 5A as state champion before moving to the Double-A ranks next season as part of Alabama’s public-private classification split.

St. Michael was the only Baldwin County program to leave Huntsville with a championship trophy, though three other county teams also reached the Final Four.

The St. Michael girls fell 7-0 to Indian Springs in the 5A semifinals, while the Orange Beach girls dropped a narrow 2-1 decision to St. Luke's Episcopal in 4A. The Fairhope boys were also defeated in the 7A semis, falling 4-1 to Auburn.