Of all the hugs shared Wednesday night at Alumni Stadium, none contained more feeling than the embrace between Kim and Ken Girard.

Bishop LeBlond’s injured senior shared a tearful hug moments after the Golden Eagles’ 4-0 victory against Benton was official. Kim Girard only tred on the field during pre-game introductions, thanks to a season-ending ACL tear last week.

No amount of pain in her knee kept her from enjoying the result of the Class 1 District 16 title game.

Ken Girard — the only coach in the six-year history of girls soccer at LeBlond — led the Eagles to their first district title.

“It was a tearjerker,” Kim said. “This is his first one ever, and I really wanted it for him more than anyone else and I’m so glad we got it for him.

“If I’m not out there, and they’re playing that well, it doesn’t matter to me.”

LeBlond (12-9-0) had no problem finding offense without Girard, who was injured last Monday at K.C. Lutheran.

The Eagles controlled from the outset against Benton (9-10-0) and outshot the Cardinals 29-4. Fifteen of the shots were on goal — a number that could have been bigger if not for some bad luck.

Natasha Ectherling sent a shot over the bar in the 3rd minute and saw an open-goal header bang off the crossbar in the 13th.

Just one minute after the wayward header, LeBlond finally broke through Benton goalkeeper Morgan Brown.

Sophomore Erin Crotty sat uncovered on the right side and sent a cross onto the feet of Renata Odongo, who sent a shot whistling into the high, left corner for a 1-0 lead.

“It was a really perfect pass, and I just happened to get my foot on it,” Odongo said.

That opened the offense up.

Two minutes later, Brown came off her line to deflect a shot but sent the ball spinning to her left and behind her. Kelly Walker cleaned up the rebound into the empty net for a 2-0 LeBlond lead.

The final blow for Benton came in the 32nd minute when defender Samantha Wilson went down with an apparent right knee injury. After a 3-minute delay, Walker moved up the right sideline, cut inside a Benton defender before scoring her second goal in the 33rd.

Walker’s second goal came minutes after Erin Christiansen sent a shot from 22 yards off the crossbar and moments before Christiansen found the framework with another attempt from inside the 18-yard box.

LeBlond never grew frustrated with the constant pinging of ball on metal in the first half.

“Not in a game where you’re playing well,” Ken Girard said. “And we felt like we were playing well. Yes, those are unfortunate, and sure, they’re a little bit frustrating at the moment.

“But we know if we keep doing that, it’s going to pay off. And it did.”

Benton didn’t manage its first shot until the 29th minute, when Heavin Warner’s feeble attempt sent LeBlond keeper Lindsay Prawitz half-heartedly sprawling to her right to make the first of her four saves.

Benton tried in vain find offense in the second half but never seriously tested Prawitz before she left with 12 minutes left with a left leg injury.

Rachael Stephan added LeBlond’s final goal in the 48th minute on a pass from Jocelyn VanVickle. From there, the Eagles just had to run out the time.

Brown, a converted forward in her first year as a keeper, kept LeBlond’s goal total down with more than one intricate save. But she could do nothing to help the stagnant offense from inside the 18-yard box.

“I did the best for my team, but I’m not an expert. That’s for sure. I tried,” said Benton’s Brown, who made 12 saves in her final game.

“It’s sad that it’s over. I’m done playing with the girls I’ve played with for four year — some of them longer than that. I’ll never play with them again.”

As the final seconds ticked away, hugs started to flow on LeBlond’s sideline. For Ken Girard, the first person he had to find was his daughter.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “It’s tempered a little bit with my daughter not being able to play. It would’ve been nice to have her on the field at the time, but it still feels great.”

Assistant sports editor Ross Martin can be reached at rossmartin@npgco.com