CARY - A tie is the result when neither side can be declared a winner or loser. Yet depending on the expectations entering a game or the factors within it that led to the stalemate, often the teams involved will have their respective morales fit one or the other.

When Cary and Athens Drive walked off the field after a 2-2 tie Wednesday, they both reacted like winners. Smiles abounded, as did applause and upbeat conversation.

In the regular season's final match, both teams clinched the final two state playoff berths from the Tri-Nine Conference.

The positive result for Cary places the Imps all alone in fourth place in the Tri-Nine. It is the first state playoff appearance for Cary since 2005 -- when Zack Schilawski, now playing in Major League Soccer, was a senior.

Athens Drive moved into a three-way tie for fifth place with Panther Creek and Middle Creek. A 4-2 loss by Middle Creek to Apex and a 2-0 Green Hope victory against Panther Creek caused all three teams to have 6-9-1 conference records.

In the N.C. High School Athletic Association handbook, it says that a three-way tie must first be broken by the head-to-head-to-head records of all three teams. While Middle Creek and Panther Creek went 1-2-1 against fellow fifth-place teams, Athens Drive was 3-1-0.

"It did feel good, because we dug ourselves into quite a hole at the start of the conference season, and boy did we have to fight to get out of it," said Athens coach Travis Seese, whose team was 2-6 through the first half of conference play. "I'm proud of the guys because they continued to fight, even when things were looking dim."

Athens Drive looked as though it might clinch their spot with a victory after two first-half goals.

Jason Curfman put the Jaguars up 1-0 just 1:21 into the match after he collected a dropped ball that Cary goalkeeper Danny Alecio had come off his line to catch. Then in the 37th minute, Andrew Barber put together a highlight-reel goal. Barber received a long, clearing pass from defender Bijan Amiri at about 50 yards out, moved his way from left to right as he approached the Cary net at a blistering speed, dribbled through two Cary defenders and then blasted a shot into the net from 20 yards away.

Cary's defense, a big part of why the Imps are making their trek to the postseason, stepped up in the second half.

Athens looked to go up 3-nil in the 53rd minute as Curfman was fouled in the box. Barber stepped in to take the penalty kick, but his try was kick-saved by Alecio.

"I saw his eyes. The first place he looked was to the corner, and as soon as he started running up I had a feeling," Alecio said. "It really flipped the game around. After that, everybody knew we were still in this. I knew if I had let it in, everyone's hopes would have been crushed."

The defensive play ignited the Imps almost immediately.

Cary scored in the 56th minute after a Luis Gomez free kick from just to the right of the box took a deflection and went in. A minute later, Gomez's free kick from about 45 yards out found the head of Patrick Ebbs, who evened the score at 2-2.

"We knew that we were going to get what we were going to get with defending, and that's kind of how we've been all year," said Cary coach Mike Dunphy, who started all 11 of his seniors -- a group that had never felt the joy of a playoff match. "And we've done a good job of capitalizing on free kicks, and we did that tonight. We had two beautiful set pieces that Luis Gomez hit two fantastic balls in there."

Though Athens came close to taking the win -- hitting the post late in the second overtime -- the Jags, much like Cary, were happy with the draw.

"We're definitely a tested team because we've been through all the spectrums," Seese said. "All the experiences this year has built character in the guys, and we're well-built for the state playoffs."

The following Tri-Nine teams will advance to the playoffs, which start on Tuesday: No. 1 Green Hope (will likely host Riverside in first round), No. 2 Apex (will host Millbrook in first round), No. 3 Fuquay-Varina (will play at Northern Durham in first round), No. 4 Cary (will play at either Jordan or East Chapel Hill) and No. 5 Athens Drive (will play at Sanderson).