Well, that was quick. 
 
The 2018 season was Northfield’s first as a varsity program. Four seasons later, the Nighthawks are 4A state champs: undefeated, nonetheless.
 
In Friday’s 4A state championship heavyweight battle at Weidner Field, the one-seeded Nighthawks took down two-seeded Mullen 1-0. Moises Inda, who was a freshman when Northfield became a varsity program, scored the deciding goal in the 16^th minute on a direct free kick. 
 
“It's ironic because from the very beginning of the season we've said that set pieces can win and lose not just games, but the season,” said head coach Jason Keever. “We have been incredibly dialed in on set pieces. That was just a moment of brilliance. That's not anything that I could teach.”
 
Inda’s 24^th goal of the season was undoubtedly the biggest of his career and ultimately made him a state champion.
 
“This feels so special (with) all the things we worked for from being a new school barely making it to varsity four years ago to our first playoff run going undefeated and being state champs,” Inda said. 
 
For Keever, leading Northfield to its first state title in school history had him near speechless. 
 
“It means everything,” Keever said. “I don't know how to put that into words right now.”
 
The final 10 minutes of the game featured an absolute assault on goal by the Mustangs, who ended their season 18-1-1. Mullen couldn’t cash in on two free kicks and missed another shot on goal by just inches. 
  
“They were rock solid man,” Keever said of his defense. “They were organized and they fought with a lot of heart.”

With clutch defense and an early goal, the new kids on the block are now state champions.