As the final seconds wound down in Saturday’s IHSA Class 2A state girls soccer championship, Crystal Lake Central senior forward Ella Bechler, simply looking to clear the ball, launched it high into the sky.

Holding a one-goal lead against Morton, anticipation built on the field and the Central sideline as the Tigers sought to close out their second state championship win in three seasons. Bechler, like players on both sides who stood around her, watched as her high shot soared through the air and, somehow, dropped into the back corner of the Morton net.

Stormed by her teammates, Bechler celebrated the final goal of both her high school career and Central’s season. The Tigers retook the ball when play reset and after the buzzer sounded, Central’s bench cleared out as the team erupted in a mix of cheers, hugs and tears. The Tigers topped the Potters 3-1 to win their second title in program history.

“When I shot that, I was just kind of clearing it out to make sure the other team wasn’t getting it,” Bechler said. “I saw it hit the net, but I didn’t know if it hit the back of the net. I wasn’t really sure if it went in or not. I was just shocked and it felt great to be celebrating with my teammates knowing in 20 seconds, we’d be state champions.”

Central (22-2) saw all four of its seniors, who were all on the state championship team two years ago, contribute in Saturday’s victory. Addison Schaffer, Central’s leading scorer and passer, continued her dominant postseason run. The senior forward, feeling inspired, scored two goals, one of which came on a penalty kick in the second half.

“I still can’t believe we just won, but it’s an amazing feeling,” said Schaffer, a Loyola recruit who surpassed 40 goals for her season. “My mom challenged me to get to 40 and I’m happy I was able to get it.”

As they’ve done throughout the state series, the Tigers struck first in Saturday’s championship match. Taking a short through ball inside the Morton box, Schaffer faked out goalkeeper Adly Hilt, who attempted a dive for the ball. With a line of defenders to beat, Schaffer posted a shot into the net, putting the Tigers ahead 1-0 in the 30th minute.

“The keeper was right there and I had to get around her,” Schaffer said. “Once I did, I saw three other people in the goal, but I was able to place it and it was an amazing feeling because it put us up 1-0.”

Morton (26-2-1), which beat St. Francis 4-1 in its semifinal match, didn’t find its first shot on goal until the 19th minute, when senior Addy Blake fired one that Central keeper Charlotte Wallner stopped for the first of her three saves. In the 39th minute, Morgan Smith ripped one at Wallner, who moved to her left and batted the ball out of play.

“We’ve been working towards this moment,” Central senior defender Kira Stavropoulos said. “Defensively, we wanted to stay composed and lock it down because we knew they would have a lot of mids command the ball. We locked down, played out of the back, played to feet and near the end, we got everything out of there and protected our goal.”

Central held a potent Morton offense, which entered averaging 4.8 goals per game, scoreless for over an hour. But the Potters found an equalizer in the 65th minute, when junior midfielder Izzy Ripka bent a right-footed corner kick into the back right corner of the Central net.

Faced with their first adversity of the evening, the Tigers countered almost immediately. Once again, it was Schaffer who delivered. Taking a pass from freshman Alexandria Hannell down the near sideline, the senior stormed into the Morton box, where she drew a foul and earned a penalty-kick opportunity to give Central a lead in the 66th minute.

Placing the ball perfectly, Schaffer froze Hilt before putting the ball into the lower right corner as the Tigers retook control. Morton moved the ball into Central territory throughout the final 15 minutes, but a stingy midfield and defense, led by Stavropoulos and senior Peyton McMahon, prevented the Potters from finding any promising chances.

“We knew they were a solid team all around,” McMahon said. “They were going to break our lines, but we knew we had to pack it back and be willing to make hard tackles. We had people all over the field giving 100% and that’s what it came down to. I think we put in just a little bit more effort and a little bit more of our bodies on the line.”

It’s the third time in four seasons that Central, which took third at state three years ago, has brought home a state trophy. While the Tigers are losing four seniors including Schaffer, who ends her season with 41 goals and 31 assists, Central has seven starters eligible to return next year. Hannell and Wallner, a sophomore, are two of them.

“We had 19 girls who were willing to sacrifice and put everything on the line for us and make this incredible moment happen,” Central coach Leah Rutkowski said. “Some of our seniors were big parts of our previous state runs and championships. They learned what CLC soccer is about. Our expectations are high. We play to win and be the best.”