Photo by Sam Yu Members of the Urbana girls soccer team mob each other moments after winning the 3A State championship Thursday night at Broadneck High School in a match against Wilde Lake High School.

With a Class 3A state soccer title hanging in the balance Thursday night between Urbana and Wilde Lake at Broadneck High School near Annapolis, the Hawks' senior defender made the long trot through the November chill and up to the penalty-kick line.

Mohns was Urbana 's final shooter in penalty kicks and she was aware of the significance that her shot carried.

"I try not to let it get to me so I don't get nervous," said Mohns, who battled an ankle injury for most of the season. "I just know that I practice so much that, for moments like these, I'm ready."

Shrugging off the weight of the moment, Mohns tucked her penalty kick into the top-right corner of the net to send Urbana to its first state soccer championship with a 3-2 victory (4-2 in penalty kicks).

She turned around and sheepishly grinned at the herd of jubilant teammates who were running her way.

"It was an amazing feeling," Mohns said. "I was like, 'Oh my God, we just won states.'"

The Hawks capped their remarkable season at 12-3-1 and erased any lingering memories of painful losses in the state final in 2003 and the state semifinals in 1996 and 2001.

"It's hard to put it into words really," said Hawks coach Chuck Nichols, who previously won state titles as the coach at Thomas Johnson in 1997 and 2001.

No one will say the Hawks didn't earn this one.

They had to survive a 2-1 deficit in the final 13 minutes, a Wilde Lake shot that struck the post in double overtime and their third penalty-kicks session of this postseason.

Junior midfielder Julia Roberts scored both of Urbana 's goals in regulation, giving her seven in five playoff games.

Her first came four minutes into the game on a 35-yard blast that sailed over the outstretched arms of Wilde Lake goalkeeper Grace Koplow.

Roberts then tied the game, 2-2, on a straightaway free kick from 15 yards away with 12:34 left in the game.

Her goal was scored less than a minute after Faryn Watts gave Wilde Lake a 2-1 lead.

"We had to score and we had to score quickly," Roberts said. "There's a five-minute period where a team is most vulnerable after it scores. We knew we had to get it done right away."

Wilde Lake (16-5) pressed the advantage in the final minutes of regulation and into the two 10-minute overtime periods.

Bethany Keefer nearly won it for the Wildecats with 8:53 remaining in double overtime, but her shot skimmed off the crossbar.

Urbana goalkeeper Caroline Browning said her heart leaped into her throat at that moment.

"It was a good shot. I think it would have had me beat," Browning said.

In penalty kicks, the Hawks' experience showed up after playoff wins over Tuscarora and Bethesda-Chevy Chase in the same manner.

Roberts, Katie Ruhe, Amie Ruhe and Mohns all converted their attempts.

Wilde Lake's first two attempts sailed well over the crossbar.

Nichols has put Mohns in the No. 5 spot for penalty kicks all season because he wants a senior taking the final shot.

"She's a warrior," Nichols said. "She has been banged up all year long. Our trainer patched her up and had her ready to play. How sweet is that for her to hit the game winner in the state final her senior year?"