Oak Mountain boys soccer eyes back-to-back state titles with 59-game streak
Championship teams are just built different, and head coach David DiPiazza would know.
鈥淩elentless is a great word in terms of how competitive they are. They鈥檙e just, they鈥檙e winners and they know how to win,鈥� DiPiazza said.
His defending state champion Eagles have done nothing but win since the start of last season. This 2025 team is back in the Final Four for the fourth straight year.
鈥淓veryone in the program knew that was our goal to get back and win a second state championship. We didn鈥檛 know that we would do it in a fashion that we鈥檙e doing it in,鈥� DiPiazza said.
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Oak Mountain has won in style, the Eagles are riding a 59-game unbeaten streak. If there's pressure to keep winning, they don't feel it.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 amazing about this group is I don鈥檛 really think they feel the pressure like for me it鈥檚 overwhelming. You know it鈥檚 like we鈥檙e in the playoffs now, we鈥檝e won 28 games like how horrible would it be to lose one of the games that matters where if you lose your seasons over and for these guys that doesn鈥檛 bother them,鈥� DiPiazza said.
To this team, it's simple: just take it all game by game.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of become the norm. In the beginning, I was like, 'Yeah, wow, this is cool,' but then you kind of got to get your head wrapped around it and get to work,鈥� junior Will Farley said.
With 16 seniors, it's a special group that's come through Oak Mountain.
鈥淲e鈥檝e grown around each other, and it鈥檚 a lot of camaraderie and maturity,鈥� Farley said.
DiPiazza saw that talent early, when this group was comprised of seventh graders.
鈥淵ou have that mix of talent and character and just work ethic 鈥� it鈥檚 just the perfect storm to be what it is,鈥� DiPiazza said.
What this has become is nothing short of special. Among all the records and accolades, a real bond has formed with the team.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nothing short of amazing. I mean, as you can see, they鈥檙e a pretty funny group of guys, but I think just being able to spend time with them out here and all the laughs we share, I think it just makes it really special," senior Michael Dennis said.
Now, the Eagles have two games left to try to capture another state championship.
鈥淚f we get through this thing and win the state championship, which, you know, we fully hope we do, I don鈥檛 -- I may be more emotional that I鈥檓 losing this group of kids than I am that we won the championship," DiPiazza said.
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There is one final stretch to put a bow on this journey that has been six years in the making.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not what I thought it would be scripted, but it鈥檚 been far, far better. It鈥檚 just been an incredible four years and I just want to enjoy the rest of it, whether it鈥檚 one more game or two more games,鈥� DiPiazza said.