Just as it seemed every second that ticked off the clock was another step toward overtime, Chattanooga Christian changed everything.
CCS broke a scoreless tie to claim the Region 4-A/AA boys' soccer championship 1-0 over Central Magnet on Thursday night.
Chances were limited for both squads, but the Chargers found a way in the 76th minute. John Mark Duble streaked down the right side and penetrated the box to feed J. Michael Phebus, who was ready for the strike.
"It was a hard play, an aggressive play," CCS coach David Stanton said. "John Mark likes to play fast, and J. Michael made a great run."
Although the Chargers created chances toward the end of the first half and at the start of the second half, they had not threatened the Tigers' goal for some time.
"We didn't have as many chances as we did earlier, and (Central Magnet) had kind of pushed us up our wall," Stanton said. "The nice thing is getting a counterattack like that. We practice it a lot."
CCS took five shots to Central Magnet's six. The Tigers controlled possession early in the first half, working to tire the Chargers' defenders.
"The air is deceptively humid out here," Stanton said. "It was really sucking the energy out of the players. They'll be (by the water cooler) for at least 10 minutes."
CCS started to control the ball more toward the end of the first half. That carried into the second half, when two early chances were knocked away.
The Tigers also had several balls bounce around in the box but could not put any away; after the Chargers' goal, they did not threaten to equalize.
"I'm happy with our overall performance, but I wish we had been a little more dangerous," Central Magnet coach Ray Bennett said. "If you're going to lose, this is the time you can lose. We'll use it and learn from it, and continue to work on things tomorrow."
The win secured another home playoff game for CCS, which continues its quest for a state tournament berth in a sectional match Saturday.
Contact Idris Garcia at sports@timesfreepress.com.