When Madison opened the Class 6 state championship game by controlling possession and getting a few good looks at the goal, it had to be an encouraging sign for any Warhawk fans in attendance. This is what the team had been doing all year, and it was nice to see in the opening minutes of their biggest game that they would be doing it again.

And they did, for most of the game’s 80 minutes. But the results were different this time. The ball didn’t find the back of the net as much as it normally did and, for the first time all year, the Warhawks lost.

“There was at least seven or eight [goals] that we missed by an inch,” Coach Devon Dowell said after the game. “They were just right there. You get unlucky sometimes.”

The near-misses and consistent execution made the loss a little tougher to swallow for the team, especially its seniors. Their perfect season ended with a runner-up trophy.

“We had the ball down at our end, taking shots, doing what we wanted to do” senior defender Abby Fusca said. “It’s just really frustrating.”

It was the Warhawks’ second consecutive trip to states. Last year, they lost to Kellam 1-0 in the semifinals.

The Warhawks will bring back a lot of talent next year but lose even more experience. Three of the team’s seniors — Fusca, forward Rachel Jackson and defender Natalie Farrell — have been on the team since their freshman year, when the Warhawks barely topped .500.

“It’s pretty incredible that our seniors did all this to help turn the program around and now back-to-back trips [to states],” junior midfielder Julia Leas said. “We all put Madison on the map together.”

While Madison came up just short on Saturday, three local teams did take home the championship trophy.

Briar Woods topped Douglas Freeman 2-0 for the Class 5 title, finishing their season with just one loss.

“It’s surreal,” Falcons coach Kimmy Moss said after the game. “This team is so special. You have to have a special group and we’ve been like a family. I can’t believe it happened.”

In the Class 4 bracket, Loudoun County won its third title in four years. Afterward, Coach Olivia Mackey called it a “Cinderella story” because of some rough patches Loudoun County faced this season. The Raiders entered the playoff as the C region’s runner-up and took down Jefferson Forest, Blacksburg and Courtland on their road to a title.

George Mason continued its run of state championships in the Class 2 title game, winning the program’s 11th consecutive title. The team’s three losses this season is the most for the Mustangs since 2013, but they managed to become state champs with a 1-0 shutout of Appomattox County.

1. Madison (19-1-2) Last ranked: 1

Two first-half goals doomed the Warhawks in the Class 6 championship game, their only loss this season.

2. Briar Woods (21-1-2) LR: 3

The Falcons’ dynamic offense had four players score in the state playoffs, including multi-goal games from both Abby Maltese and Annie Sorando.

3. W.T. Woodson (16-2-3) LR: 7

The Cavaliers’ defense came up big all season and did so again in the state semifinals before Madison advanced in penalty kicks.

4. Loudoun County (19-5-1) LW: NR

Brooke Kirstein, Devin Balac and Taylor Kibble all scored in the Raiders’ 3-1 win over Courtland in the state championship.

5. Chantilly (14-5-2) LR: 2

The Chargers ended a strong season with back-to-back losses, falling to Madison in the regional title game and W.T. Woodson in the state quarterfinals.

6. Potomac Falls (19-5-1) LR: 4

The Panthers couldn’t get on the board against Albermarle in the state quarterfinals.

7. Yorktown (17-2-1) LR: 5

The Patriots’ season ended with penalty kicks against Chantilly.

8. Patriot (18-1-0) LR: 6 

The Pioneers’ magical season ended in double overtime against Madison.

9. Woodgrove (16-2-2) LR: 8

The Wolverines couldn’t carry the momentum from their regional championship over to a 1-0 loss in the state quarterfinals.

10. George Mason (16-3-0) LW: NR

The Mustangs dynasty continued its run of dominance in Class 2, winning their 11th straight state title.

Dropped out: No. 9 Battlefield (13-5-0), No. 10 T.C. Williams (16-2-0)

On the bubble: Woodbridge, Battlefield, T.C. Williams