Just in case anyone forgot how many consecutive titles the Mounties won, the three fingers gave a friendly reminder.

South Williamsport won a thrilling game at Bloomsburg High School on Thursday night against Mid-Penn foe and nearby rival Muncy, 1-0, to secure the program’s third consecutive District 4 championship. Once again, South Williamsport is the best Class A team in the district, and the smiles were plentiful.

No candy was handed out on Halloween at Bloomsburg’s stadium, but a few gold medals were given out instead.

Althea Street of South Williamsport makes a save against Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“It feels so amazing, especially doing it with my favorite girls,” South Williamsport senior Abby Akers said. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world.”

“It’s an honor. I wouldn’t want to do it with any other people, honestly,” South Williamsport junior Ella Moore added. “This is the best group of girls. We’re all so grateful, we worked so hard since the beginning of the summer to get here and I’m just so proud of everyone.”

This marks the first time in program history the Mounties have won three consecutive district titles in girls soccer, and the Mounties had to battle hard for it against Muncy.

It looked as if both teams would go into the break tied at zero. Muncy nearly scored a go-ahead goal with 34 seconds remaining when the Indians’ Addi Eyer got the ball inside of the 18 and fired a shot that was just inches from being a goal, only to have Althea Street grab it.

Street sent the ball upfield and the Mounties took it from there.

Coco Kline of South Williamsport and Emma McCormick of Muncy both race after a ball at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

From 20 yards out, Ella Moore ripped an absolute laser of a shot that hit off the crossbar against Muncy in the final few seconds. The ball managed to stay in play and got to the feet of Olivia Loudenslager. That’s when Loudenslager saw freshman Coco Kline call for the ball.

“It was really just kind of crazy. I knew it crossed and I was trying to get into the right spot. I saw that Olivia Loudenslager had it over at the wing and I called for it back,” Kline said. “Everybody was telling me to shoot it but I knew I needed to take a touch over to the middle. That’s really all I remember. You’re excited and everything, it’s just very exciting.”

Kline did exactly that, taking a quick touch toward the middle and rifling a shot to the far-right post from 12 yards out past the fingertips of Muncy goalie Addi Gresh and went into the back of the net as the horn sounded to end the half.

In a game where shots were far and few between — both teams combined for just six — it was the difference maker and gave South Williamsport a huge momentum and confidence boost going into the second half.

“I definitely think it gave us a lot more (confidence) because I think we were down. We know that’s not how we play,” Kline said of the first-half effort. “I think it really gave us a boost and at halftime, when we get together after our coach talks to us, we have our own little pow-wow and it really helps us to connect as a team. We’re very united this year.”

Ella Moore of South Williamsport splits the Muncy defenders at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“It lets us feel like we still played like we were down too,” Akers added.

Muncy kept pushing and pressuring late in the second half to attempt to put in an equalizer against a tough South Williamsport defense, but that game-tying goal never came. With 14:10 to play until the end of the game, Muncy sent in a corner kick that bounced around and got to the feet of Mikaila Ganoe. She quickly fired a shot, but had it sail just wide to the left of the goal.

Not long after that, it was Alexis McKeta who had a shot attempt from just outside the 18, but also had hers sail wide.

Muncy had chances but the Mounties denied the Indians a goal for all 80 minutes.

“We played about as hard as we possibly can. A shot there with one second left in the first half, that’s rough and then just kept battling, battling,” Muncy coach Jason Gresh said. “I think they did a really good job for the first 20 minutes of the second half, creating their opportunities and we were a little complacent there and then opened it back up. I thought we controlled the last 20 minutes, I thought we controlled most of the first half.”

South Williamsport celebrate their win over Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Thursday’s district championship was Round 3 this year between Muncy and South, and the Mounties have earned a win in all three contests. The first game, Muncy battled South tough in a game that was 2-0 before the second contest was a bit one-sided in the Mounties’ favor. But Muncy battled hard every time and never quit.

“We sure as hell have gotten better, there’s no doubt about that,” Gresh said. “The first game was a pretty good battle, the second game wasn’t a good game at all, we played terrible. I thought we played really well tonight. That’s an encouragement as we move forward here.”

In the final five minutes of the first half, South Williamsport dialed up the pressure.

With 3:26 to play until halftime, Moore crossed a pass inside of the 18 to Kline, who got the ball from 10 yards out and had an excellent 1-v-1 look, but a Muncy defender got her foot on the ball, forcing a corner kick that didn’t result in a shot. In those final five minutes though, South Williamsport found itself in Muncy’s third routinely and was able to score a dramatic goal as the horn went off.

“It was just a surreal moment. Kind of hectic, don’t really remember it that well,” Moore said with a laugh. “But we’re just always in the right spot. We always find that spot that we have to be in and they’re just always there and shout out to Coco. She’s a freshman, she’ll have that memory forever.”

Ella Moore of South Williamsport heads a ball against Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Not only will Kline remember that goal and winning districts forever, but so will Mountie fans who were in attendance to witness the three-peat.

South Williamsport 1, Muncy 0

(District 4 Class A championship)

SW–Coco Kline, 0:00.

Shots: M 3, SW 3. Corners: M 5, SW 1. Saves: M 3 (Addi Gresh), SW 3 (Althea Street).

Records: Muncy (15-6), South Williamsport (19-1-1). Next games: First round of PIAA Class A tournament, Tuesday, TBD.

South Williamsport celebrate Coco Kline (10) against Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Abby Akers (2) of South Williamsport and Addison Eyer (5) Muncy race after a ball at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Addison Gresh of Muncy makes a save on a shot on goal by South Williamsport at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Olivia Regan (18) of South Williamsport and Addison Eyer (5) Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Olivia Loudenslager (7) of South Williamsport against Muncy at Bloomsburg High School. South Williamsport won the district championship 1-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette