Right after the conclusion of the state flag football third-place game on Saturday afternoon, Willowbrook gathered for its final post-game meeting of the historic season.

Squarely at the 50-yard line, in the middle of the massive blue “W” with black trim, the Warriors were intently listening to their coaches talk about the positives of the season. Nearly every coach also infused the returning players with a dose of motivation for next season.

A year after losing in the state quarterfinals, the Warriors took a step further by reaching the third-place game on Saturday.

Getting an opportunity to play on their home field, the Warriors atoned for a tough loss in the semifinals to Young, bouncing back with an impressive 30-0 victory over Perspectives in the third-place game.

With the shutout win, the Warriors (22-1) closed out the best season in program history on a bright note.

Clutching the third-place trophy in her left hand, Willowbrook coach Rachel Karos said her players showed a lot of heart by rebounding with a stellar two-way effort to dominate the city-based school with the same nickname.

“It’s bittersweet because I think we had higher expectations,” Karos said. “I’m proud of finishing this hard. We had a heartbreaking loss, but we bounced back. I’m super proud that we finished strong and what we have done. It’s hard to go into the playoffs undefeated. We finished strong in the second half.

“The work for next year starts tomorrow. We want to get back (here). We can’t hang our heads about it, and hopefully we will have another chance to get back to state. We have to get back to work.”

Perspectives (18-4) had no answer for Willowbrook’s big-play offense and stingy defense. The Warriors, who lost 12-6 to Young in the semifinals, took some time to get their high-octane offense in gear. Senior quarterback Marli Smrz completed 17-of-31 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns, tossing TDs to Jazilah Gatlin, Elizabeth Pettinger and Jada Langston.

Smrz said she was happy to end her career with a victory, noting the Warriors have significant returnees to make a push for another state experience next season. Smrz added a 13-yard TD run in the second quarter.

“I’ve grown up on this turf and have so many memories here,” Smrz said. “I’ve met so many people and gotten so many amazing opportunities. I’m going to miss it a lot. It’s weird that I’m not going to be here next year. We have a great team. I know my sophomore year that this was going to be a special team. I’m so proud of this team and can’t wait to see what they will do next year.”

Langston, a junior, is one of the players slated to take on a bigger role next season. Langston had a monster game, catching 10 passes for 89 yards and a 9-yard TD in the third.

“Our offense is probably one of the best in the state,” Langston said. “It’s great to have Marli throwing the ball. She throws a great ball and it always lands right in my hands. We worked so hard in the offseason and in the season. It’s amazing to be a part of such a great team. We got third in my freshman year, but I’m happy to get third again.”

Mckenzie Edison also had a game to remember, hauling in seven receptions for 90 yards to spark the offense.

“It’s so exciting because not many teams can get this far,” Edison said. “We didn’t execute like we did in the semifinals. We should be in the finals. I’m happy we won this game. We all have to lock in during summer training and in the offseason and put in as much effort as we can to get back to state next year. I’m proud of everyone.”

The Warriors finished with three interceptions, with Pettinger, Kennedy Rieger and Janell Adams all snaring a pick, while Leigh Bernardo pulled a team-high seven flags and recorded two sacks to lead the defense.