Warren Central started the MHSAA Class 6A North State championship game with some shock and awe.

When it was over, they were just shocked.

The Lady Vikes scored two goals within the first five minutes to stun Saltillo, but the two-time defending state champions got two of their own late to steal back the lead and beat Warren Central 3-2 in the Class 6A girls soccer semifinals on Monday.

“We really can’t hang our heads. We came out and punched them hard real quick and they were shellshocked. Just in the end, we couldn’t keep up the tempo,” Warren Central coach Jeremy Lawrence said. “It’s pretty obvious as the game wore on that they were gaining momentum and we couldn’t hang in there for that long. But God, how can you not be proud of that? Going from losing 7-0 last year to taking them 3-2 to the last minute, that’s fantastic.”

Saltillo (21-1-1) advanced to its third state championship game in a row and will face either West Jones or Long Beach on Saturday. It beat Warren Central in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Unlike last year’s 7-0 blowout, however, this one was a nailbiter to the end. Lawrence said he was proud of how much progress his team has made in the year between.

Warren Central finished this season with an 18-6-1 record and won its second straight Region 2-6A title. Prior to this two-year run, it had never been to the state semifinals.

“It’s tough, but you can’t describe how proud you are in that moment to watch them rise to that kind of adversity,” Lawrence said. “Knowing what happened last year, I was scared they were going to say we can’t do this. They decided they could.”

Warren Central took it to Saltillo at the start. Just 20 seconds into the game Jordan Polk scored off an assist from Melissa Herrle, and about five minutes later Polk assisted Brooke Steed for a second goal that gave the Lady Vikes a stunning 2-0 lead.

“I think for the first half it gave us everything we needed. As we got later on into the second half that adrenaline starts to wear off and you realize how tired you are. It drains and drains and drains,” Lawrence said of the hot start. “While it’s wonderful, it also was kind of a detriment because now we’re riding that high and that high slides off.”

Saltillo showed its championship pedigree by regrouping and taking back the initiative. Brooke Davis headed in a corner kick in the 19th minute to cut it to 2-1 and the Lady Tigers stayed on the attack for most of the rest of the first half.

The teams traded scoring chances in the second half until Saltillo finally broke through late.

Georgia Joshlin was fouled in the box and awarded a penalty kick, which she converted to tie it in the 60th minute. Moments later, Riley Dickens managed to squeeze a pass through the defense to Olivia Miller, who wound up with a short one-on-one breakaway with WC keeper Hayleigh Simmons.

Simmons had made two spectacular saves earlier in the second half, but didn’t stand much chance against a shot from penalty kick range. Miller buried it to put the Lady Tigers ahead 3-2 with only 13 minutes left in regulation.

“That last goal was just luck. Just a bounce in between their legs, a bounce in between our legs, and it popped out the right way. It could have gone either way at that point,” Lawrence said.

The Lady Vikesz tried to rally in the waning moments of the game but couldn’t generate anything of consequence as Saltillo filled passing lanes and packed in its defense. Lawrence said his team’s adrenaline had worn off by that point and was replaced by fatigue.

“Honestly, we were tired. I thought about making some subs but the girls that had been playing were playing so incredibly well that it’s difficult to make those choices in those moments to break that chemistry up,” Lawrence said. “We could combine a few passes, but when it came down to it they (Saltillo) were playing five or six players back and trying to hang in there as long as they could. I felt we did everything we could. It just didn’t fall our way.”

It was a heartbreaking end to an outstanding season for the Lady Vikes. They’ll lose seven seniors from this roster, mostly on defense, and should be a contender for the Class 6A championship again next season.

As for this one, Lawrence said he couldn’t be prouder of their stellar effort against an opponent that is perched on the throne of Class 6A girls soccer.

“Can a coach ask for more?” Lawrence said. “I don’t even know what our record is, but it’s not even that. It’s watching them play on the field and seeing where they were a year ago to where they are today. That growth and togetherness that they have is the reward. It’s phenomenal.”