Their state crown isn’t the result of any single play or individual, though there were many remarkable playoff examples of both. Instead, the Central girls soccer team rolled to the Class L championship, 4-1, on Saturday, Nov. 8, through a cumulative effect.

“I had nine leaders this year,” said longtime head coach Peter Lally, referring to his seniors. “They all brought something different to a practice or a game.”

In the state final at Exeter High’s Eustis Field, they certainly brought something that top-seeded Merrimack, 18-0- 1 entering the match, hadn’t seen – an ability to take a foe’s best blows, then deliver a devastating response.

The Tomahawks dominated the first 15 minutes of action, amassing corner kicks and chances to forge a lead. Instead, the Little Green took a 1-0 edge, stunning Merrimack and the few hundred fans in attendance.

Senior Meghan Tobin began her fine day by slipping a pass past a pair of defenders and onto the foot of Hooksett’s Lindsay Johnson, who found the right corner of the net wide open. Roughly 17 minutes into the match, No. 2 seed Central had its fourth straight 1-0 edge in the 2008 postseason tournament.

The locals had crushed Timberlane in round one, 6-0, then survived a physically grueling quarterfinals match with Londonderry, 4-0.

Defending state champion Exeter, playing what was in effect a home game, couldn’t hold on in the state semis and fell to Central early in the second overtime, 3-2.

“We all push each other, and all of our younger teammates look up to us,” said Candia senior Cassie Muse, who scored with less than five minutes left in regulation to force overtime against Exeter. “There’s no drama on the team. It didn’t matter who scored, as long as we put the ball in the back of the net.”

Tobin, as it turned out, netted the next two goals against Merrimack. The first came in the 47th minute, just after MHS had mounted a furious attack that forced Central keeper Lindzy Hamel to make a fine save on Merrimack’s star, Kailey Blain, and included an MHS shot that skimmed the crossbar.

Then, when Blain did connect in the 48th minute to cut Central’s lead to 2-1, Tobin effectively ended the suspense 20 minutes later following a scrum in front of the Merrimack net.

Cassie Muse capped the scoring with about three minutes to play, but the defense, which kept many eyes on the unselfish Blain, certainly played a large role in securing the victory.

“She really has great footwork, with and without the ball,” said Hooksett’s Liz Belanger, a senior captain tasked with marking Blain. “I was trying to play her physically and get in her head. It seemed to work.”

Jordan Muse, another senior captain, said she and her teammates, though they hadn’t faced the Tomahawks in the regular season, had seen film of Merrimack and knew Blain’s tendency to distribute to her dangerous teammates. More importantly, the Little Green had confidence they could control their foes.

“We were having a talk before the game,” said Jordan Muse. “We were telling each other we had a great team, and I think we were so pumped up for this. There was no way we were going to lose.”

Lally insisted the trust and respect the team has for him – and from him – was the key to a championship quest that began in August.

After failing to survive the quarterfinals in recent playoff trips – despite posting stellar regular-season marks – Central responded in ’08 to every challenge with a synergized effort that left no chance for an “I” to overwhelm or undermine the team.

“I’ve said this before: I need them to play (hard) for me, to want to play for me,” said Lally. “The goal isn’t to play (on the field during games), and not everyone did play. But everyone contributed to this. I was very fortunate to pick these 20 girls to represent the school.”

Keily Funk, the team’s fourth captain, as well as Melissa Thibault, Tulia Lacroix, Victoria Lund and Sarah Barnes – seniors all – earned Lally’s unwavering support.

Juniors Hamel and Johnson, along with forward Abby Wurtele, defenseman Ainsley Smith, and midfielders Tanya Robidoux and Kristyn Heuslein, must take over that mantle of leadership in 2009.

Carly Auger, the lone sophomore starting this postseason at midfield, as well as classmates Deven McKiernan, Jayne Kelly, Sarah Velasquez and freshman Jillian Graff, return to help defend the title for Central and its beloved mentor for the past 25 years, Lally.

“If we need him for anything, he’s there for us,” said Cassie Muse, whose views were echoed by many of the seniors. “I can’t imagine not having him as a coach.”