“Still in disbelief, honestly,” Ireland said after the game. “I’m proud of them. They did the work. They deserved it.”

A decade ago, Ireland’s Vikings were on this same stage but suffered a one-goal loss. For years after, Mount Hebron couldn’t advance out of its region to earn a shot at redemption.

This preseason, though, Ireland foresaw that this team had a chance. She had seen talented players grow up within the program and knew this squad, with a bevy of talented upperclassmen, had the potential to bring home the school’s first state title.

“Don’t waste this opportunity,” she told her players.

When the Vikings (16-1) circled for a timeout with 7:34 remaining Saturday, it was clear they weren’t going to. Just seconds earlier, senior midfielder Natalie Machiran had rocketed a shot into the goal to give them a 4-1 lead. With less than a minute remaining, Tylar Fleck put the finishing touches on the win with a tap-in.

“Honestly, it means more than words can tell,” Machiran said. “… When I received my medal, I started tearing up a bit.”

Mount Hebron’s two fourth-quarter strikes sealed the deal, but it was the connection between Annabelle Kazanas and Avery Maslow that powered the Vikings. They assisted each other’s goals, putting on display the precise passing and opportunistic corner play that gave Northern trouble.

Despite the result, an upbeat CoraJo Tozzolo was quick to point out the positives of an impressive season for the Patriots (15-2) that included a Southern Maryland Athletic Conference championship. The coach even brought Northern’s junior varsity team along for the bus ride to Paint Branch to build excitement.

“It’s not always going to go our way, and we should be proud of everything that we accomplished this year,” said Tozzolo, wrapping up her fifth year guiding the program. “I mean, if somebody would have told me in August that this is where I was going to be today, I would have told them they were crazy.”

Of all people, Ireland knows as well as anybody how hard it is to win the final game of the season. But when presented with her first opportunity to put her hands on the trophy, the calm-mannered coach took a step back and let her players lift it first.

After 33 years, what difference does a few extra seconds make?