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A win has never seemed to be so unattainable and unimaginable. Unrealistic for sure.

Giles Thompson '14 was sacked back to St. Christopher's 1-yard line. No timeouts were in STC's pocket, time ticked under a minute left with no stop in sight.

And oh yeah, it was fourth down and 16, 99 yards to go.

In the school's centennial year, it was fitting to have the most clutch and exciting play in school history (it was that good).

Thompson dropped back into the end zone and hit Blair Farinholt '12 on a post route.

Farinholt, running full speed towards Bishop Ireton's tacklers and sideline, then lateraled perfectly to Cole Carns '13 running at full speed toward St. Christopher's sideline.

The hook (really a post) and ladder.

By the time BI realized it, Carns was at full speed, sprinting down a jubilant Saints sideline as Cardinals desperately chased him to no avail.

It was a 99-yard play - put in just a day before the game - that gave STC a 38-34 victory over homestanding Ireton, and a berth in the VISAA state championship game Friday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 pm against top seed and unbeaten Liberty Christian Academy.

LCA thrashed Flint Hill 45-3 Friday night to reach the title game.

The Saints' road was a little tougher and much more exciting. So fitting for a season that's seen a blocked field goal for a win over FUMA, a 13-12 last-second victory over Episcopal and a four-OT loss to Benedictine.

Trailing 13-3 in the first period, the No. 3 seed Saints rallied to hold a 17-13 lead after Thompson snuck in from a yard out and Cameron Barlow '12 scooped up a fumble and returned it 52 yards for a score.

The seesaw affair continued to bounce back and forth. BI 20-17 on a Malcolm Westbrook TD catch from P.J. Zingler.

STC 24-20, a 77-yard swing pass catch and tackle-breaking run from Miles Jackson '12. Not even two minutes later in the third period, a 25-yard TD catch from BI's Justin Paige, wide open in the middle of a broken Saints coverage.

Farinholt added another big play, a 54-yard catch and sprint to the paint off a feed from Thompson and block from Henry Wright '14, 31-27 Saints with 3:52 left in the contest.

The fireworks were just beginning.

BI marched 75 yards in 1:24, buoyed by a 50-yard catch and run on a screen pass from Westbrook.

Then, the post and lateral. 

That didn't even end it all. The Cardinals began at their 20-yard line after a booming kick from Jordan Chalkley '12 reached the end zone.

Later in the drive, Zingler scrambled and found Westbrook, who bolted to the Saints' 25-yard line. BI was pushed to the 16 after Jack English '13 sacked Zingler but facemasked him in the process.

With four seconds left, Zingler went to Westbrook again, and Barlow smacked it down with two hands to start the celebration that minutes later seemed...unrealistic.