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Daniella Weitman converted the final penalty kick after the teams tied at 4 through 110 minutes of play and 3-3 in the shootout to lift the Lancers to the Class 4A state championship Tuesday night over Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep at Williams Field High School in Gilbert. Salpointe’s fifth state championship in six years came in harrowing fashion. On Saturday, Salpointe needed penalty kicks to beat Walden Grove. And on Tuesday, the Lancers trailed before finding the back of the net in the final minute of regulation.

“That’s the craziest game I have ever played in my life,� said Weitman. “They’re a great team. We just wanted it. We weren’t going to go out without winning.�

This was after the Lancers, a No. 7 seed, rallied from a 3-1 deficit with 24 minutes left in regulation against the top-seeded Saints.

“The size and speed of them we could not match,� Salpointe coach Kelly Pierce said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge. But I didn’t know just how tall they were.�

Both teams made their first three penalty kicks in the shootout. Maci Bernier, Trinity Morales and Gabi Amparano were all successful for Salpointe.

Notre Dame missed twice, setting up Weitman’s heroics.

The Lancers had to rally in regulation simply to force overtime. After Notre Dame took a two-goal lead, Salpointe's Paris Mikinski knocked in a shot that was bobbled by Saints goalkeeper Acacia Connor.

The Saints dominated possession much of the night and never really allowed Salpointe to find an offensive rhythm. The Lancers had few chances, but took advantage when they could.

In the final minute of regulation, Bernier crossed a corner kick and the sleeveless Rylen Bourguet fired a point-blank shot to force extra time.

“We knew we were the underdogs going into the season,� Bourguet said. “We knew we were going to be overlooked by a lot of teams.�

Anjeli DesRosier knocked in a rebound after a long throw in from Mikinski to give Salpointe a 4-3 lead seven minutes into extra time. But Notre Dame scored on a header a little more than a minute later and it stayed that way after 100 minutes.

The “golden goal� sudden death periods ended scoreless, setting up the shootout decider.