Prior to the start of McIntosh’s state semi-final lacrosse game against the defending state champion Westminster Wildcats, head coach Mike Meutzel reminded his team that they were one step away from the state championship game.

“Do not let these guys get in your way,” he said as his team took the field.

The Chiefs followed his orders, not allowing one goal deficits at the end of the first and second quarter to deter them, nor did trailing the Wildcats by three goals with just over two minutes left on the clock. McIntosh played the comeback kids all night, thanks to a tremendous team performance.

Westminster struck first with two goals in the first quarter, but Zach Ward answered for the Chiefs on an assist from D.J. Ward to cut the lead to 2-1. That combination would prove very successful in the Chiefs’ most memorable comeback to date.

The Wildcats scored twice in the fourth quarter, but McIntosh scored twice as well, getting goals from Jack Bornhofen and Caleb Benson. Benson’s came with six seconds left in the half. Bornhofen and Benson both scored in the third quarter, as did D.J. Ward, but Westminster scored twice to even things at six goals a piece.

The first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter belonged to Westminster, but the Chiefs got a hat trick from Zach Ward in the span of 90 seconds to tie the game and force a sudden death overtime.

“We were trailing by three at our last timeout and I told the team I couldn’t believe they waited until the final two minutes to win this game,” Meutzel said when asked if he had said anything to spark McIntosh’s late outburst.

Thirteen seconds into overtime, Benson scored the third goal of the game, the goal that is sending the Chiefs to their first state title game in lacrosse in school history.

“This was just a case of a great team playing a great team,” said Meutzel. “We were very fortunate and played some great defense and won some face-offs.”

McIntosh will take on the winner of Milton and Lovett on Saturday.