Yet it went unnoticed for the most part, and you have to wonder how something like that happens.

This year’s edition of the Apex Cougars — while accomplishing arguably as much as any team in school history — received almost no fanfare.

Unlike other successful teams in our area, like Athens Drive in women’s golf or Green Hope in men’s soccer, Apex was always doubted and questioned when it came to their postseason run. Credit was hard to come by, unless given individually, like Lewis McAlister’s Extra Effort Award, or an article lauding Kevin Fogg’s game-breaking ability.

Obviously, what they did this season isn’t deserving of a parade down Salem Street, and despite his great career now coming to a close, no one will be erecting a statue of quarterback Houston Hawley anytime soon.

But to the Apex history books, record books and community, this year’s team left a legacy not soon forgotten. These Cougars went on the road and defeated Middle Creek, which had never lost in the five previous meetings between the two.

They then went on the road a few weeks later and defeated Cary in an epic 21-14 victory, needing 14 points in the game’s final 90 seconds to pull off the comeback.

Nobody I asked was sure about the exact number, but all assured me it had been more than a decade since Apex had last won on the Imps’ home field.

Two weeks after falling to Fuquay-Varina in what could have given Apex a conference championship and perhaps more respect, the Cougars were thrashing West Johnston in the first round of the 4-AA playoffs.

It was hard to find any prognosticator who thought Apex could win their first playoff game, much less by the 33-8 score — marking the first time since 2004 that Apex had advanced into the second round.

So when Apex went down to Wilmington Hoggard, where the 2-seed Vikings hadn’t lost in three years, finished 10-1 and oh yeah, were the defending state 4-A champs, it was only natural that nobody gave the Cougars a chance.

“Watch,” I told a fellow member of the high school media, “Apex will beat Hoggard.”

Said member dismissed such a notion with a hearty chuckle and then became excited at the chance to prove just how wrong I was going to be.

With Triangle-area football teams still struggling to earn respect outside of their backyard, you’d think there would be more anticipation, more hype and more hope that a Wake County school can make an impact beyond the Tri-County bubble.

Almighty Hoggard was held to just three points before Joey Powell blocked and returned a punt with 1:17 left in the game to win 6-3.

While the rest of the Triangle fumbled for the right words, Apex was down in Wilmington making a statement for itself, its conference and its county.

The win put Apex into the third round of the playoffs for the first time in school history, yet still some doubted whether it could be competitive against local media crush Wake Forest-Rolesville.

But Apex silenced a previously raucous Wake Forest-Rolesville crowd when it scored first, and scared them twice more when advancing within the 10-yard line.

That home crowd got a few more scares along the way before Apex finally fell due to Wake Forest-Rolesville’s dominant offensive line and ball-hawking defense.

Unfortunately, aside from this column, we’ve most likely seen the last credit being paid to the 2008 Apex team and their truly outstanding season.

But history won’t be as stingy with its praise for a group of players that meant so much to their school, and neither is coach Bob Wolfe, which is why this team can enter itself in the conversation about possibly being the best team in Apex history.

“I think the world of them,” Wolfe said. “They’re one the best groups I’ve ever been with in my some 30 years of coaching.”