But they turned their fortunes around, offering credence to their ubiquitous belief that a day like Saturday was possible. In the Virginia Class 6 championship game at Deep Run High, McLean rolled to a 15-5 victory over South Lakes to capture the first state championship in program history.

The Highlanders (19-10) were rarely threatened Saturday, but the road to this stage wasn’t straight. It took some time for this group to morph into the team that would rule its classification.

“We were really playing tight, but we figured out that if we just had fun, played loose, we’d prevail in the end,” senior Jack Nance said.

Tapping into its chemistry and drive, McLean registered 14 wins in its final 18 games. It captured neither a district nor a region title but displayed what it took to claim the ultimate prize, coming together when it mattered most.

So when the Highlanders faced a 2-0 deficit Saturday after South Lakes third baseman Kameron Johnson blasted a two-run homer in the first inning, the Highlanders didn’t flinch. They just kept chipping away, moving station to station. Nobody needed to play the hero.

“You could see it on people’s faces — we were frustrated after the first inning. But we had to dig deep and find a way to keep rolling,” second baseman Ethan Ball said. “Kind of the story of our season.”

A bases-loaded walk in the third inning brought home McLean’s first run, and the Highlanders pulled away thereafter. They scored two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings before the floodgates blew wide open in a seven-run sixth that featured four errors by the Seahawks (20-7).

McLean registered 12 hits and 11 walks and took advantage of six South Lakes errors.

“It’s what we’ve done this whole last month, when we’ve been so successful,” McLean Coach John Dowling said. “We’re grinding out at-bats early, and we’re reaping the dividends later. We’re getting into bullpens, not striking out and putting the ball in play.”

Nance was assertive in relief, striking out eight and allowing just three hits in 4⅓ innings to keep the resilient Seahawks at bay.

McLean’s celebration had to wait until after a lengthy on-field debate as to whether the usual 10-run mercy rule would apply in a championship setting. The decision ultimately was made to play all seven innings. When Daniel Alexander Gonzalez struck out the final batter, the Highlanders could finally stampede onto the field to celebrate.

“They had every reason to make excuses, but they didn’t. They bought in,” said Dowling, wrapping up his 11th season leading the program. “It all finally clicked. It all finally jelled.”