HERSHEY — The motto that has been said by a coach of any sport has been “Defense wins championships.”

The Northwestern boys soccer program has been a walking billboard of that slogan.The Tigers had not allowed a goal during the district and state postseason tournaments, which included a run to Colonial League and District 11 Class 3A championships, and four games in the PIAA state tournament, which culminated in an appearance in the state final Friday night.“Our defense this year is so special,” said head coach Nate Hunsicker. “[Seniors] Kyle Bellhorn (goalie) and Jonathan Blaine (center back) are four-year starters. Right down the middle of the field gives us such stability and confidence with those guys. We build up our play from them. It’s such a nice asset to have them in the back.”Northwestern’s defense had given up just a total of seven goals heading into their showdown with Lower Dauphin last night in the final, including 20 shutouts by Bellhorn and his experienced backline of Blaine, Josh Bryan, Thomas Creighton, and Caleb Danner. Blaine, Bryan, and Creighton are all seniors, and Danner — a sophomore — has been consistent in the back of the defense next to the upperclassmen.“We’ve been playing together for so long now, since we were 7 probably,” said Blaine. “It helps having that chemistry and cohesiveness in the back. We have a lot of experience, and being seniors gives us a physical advantage at times because we’re not afraid to play fast and physical.”After 2-1 wins in both conference playoff games, the Tigers began an unprecedented streak of five straight games in which they shut out their opponent. That included a 3-0 win against Southern Lehigh in the district semifinals, and a thrilling 1-0 victory over Central Catholic in the final.Their run to the state championship game included games of 1-0 (Athens), 2-0 (Daniel Boone), and 1-0 (Gettysburg).“I’m so proud of the guys in front of me, they helped make my job a lot easier,” Bellhorn stated. “We played strong together all season, but especially in the postseason our defense really shined, and it was really nice to be a part of.”The scoreless streak, and their 13-game win streak, both came to an end last night in a 3-0 defeat, their first of the season, to the Falcons at Hershey Park Stadium. Northwestern finished at 24-1-1, dropping their only game to Lower Dauphin (28-0), the 4th-ranked team in the country according to USA Today.“Give all the credit in the world to Lower Dauphin,” noted Blaine. “They’re a great team and have so much talent. They really gave us a lot of trouble all night. I’m so proud of my teammates for battling all year and getting to where we did this year. As a senior class, we haven’t lost many games. It’s something special to be a part of.”