Senior midfielder Peyton McMahon held the championship plaque aloft, surrounded by her teammates, and Crystal Lake Central’s soccer players began to walk from the front of their bench to the opposite sideline to celebrate with their fans.

And then they abruptly stopped, and retreated.

“I know, we should have [continued],” senior forward Addison Schaffer said with a sheepish grin. “We’re just so exhausted, I guess.”

High-80s temperatures, bright sunshine and the intensity of a postseason match will sap the energy of the most well-conditioned team. Besides, the Tigers have more important steps to take, literally and figuratively.

Their postseason journey continues next week after they beat Belvidere North 3-1 in the Class 2A Crystal Lake Central Sectional final Friday. The Tigers (19-2) play Lake Forest (15-7) at 6 p.m. Monday in the Lake Zurich Supersectional after winning their fourth sectional title in a row.

“We have a very talented team,” junior forward Jordin Gaunaurd said after notching a goal and an assist against Belvidere North. “Everyone’s very talented. Our confidence is high.“

It took CL Central little time to put its confidence on display. Schaffer took a through pass from Ella Bechler in the fourth minute, deked keeper Braylee Fagan and sent a low shot into the net.

“Ella played it through, and then it ricocheted off Jordin [Gaunaurd],” Schaffer said. “I sprinted and went and got it, and the keeper came out. I just took a touch around her, and shot it.”

Fagan stopped Tigers freshman Alexandria Hannell on a breakaway in the 24th minute, and the hosts settled for a 1-0 lead at halftime. Their offensive chances came more frequently in the second half, with Schaffer sending a low shot off the far post in the 42nd minute, before the Loyola commit delivered a pass less than four minutes later to Gaunard, whose shot from inside the box was stopped.

The two Tigers collaborated again in the 47th minute, and this time the 5-foot-3 Schaffer finished a Gaunaurd feed by sliding a shot into the net.

“I know every time Addy goes down the line, she’ll get the ball and take it,” Gaunaurd said of Schaffer.

Up 2-0, the Tigers saw Belvidere North cut their lead in half when, off a counter, Haylee Gallas sent a shot to the far post that beat keeper Charlotte Wallner with 17:37 left.

It took CL Central only 52 seconds to answer, however. Schaffer sent a hard pass down the middle to Gaunaurd, who got past the defense and scored.

“Every time she has a ball, I know I just got to run,“ Gaunaurd said of Schaffer. ”I know she’ll get it through to me. I know I got to fight for every ball."

Gaunaurd later had a goal waved off because of offsides. The Tigers may have had the better scoring chances and more possession throughout the game, but coach Leah Rutkowski didn’t necessarily see it that way.

“It didn’t feel too tilted our way,” Rutkowski said. “We were battling the whole time. There was not a moment there where I think any of us coaches or players really felt comfortable. We know what that [Belvidere North] team can do. They’re dangerous. They’ve got a lot of dangerous players. We were not relaxed or playing relaxed at any moment. That was a tight one for us.”

The Tigers’ resiliency after seeing their lead cut in half at least was a positive for their four-year varsity veteran and 2024 state champion.

“I feel like we were mostly dominant,” Schaffer said. “I’m really proud of our team for sticking through it. Obviously, it’s so hot out, so I’m glad we were able to push through.”