The loss also served as a wake up call to the defending NCHSAA 4-A soccer champions.

While the Cougars had started out the season unbeaten through seven games, they were running the risk of getting complacent.

“When you’re winning, sometimes it’s hard to realize the depth of the weakness that you might have,” Apex coach Kevin Todd said. “When you lose, you know that depth of that weakness.”

The Cougars were not used to losing, so when they dropped that first game in a year, it enabled them to refocus and improve.

“I think sometimes things like that work out for the betterment of the team,” Todd said. “It was kind of humbling in a way, but it also made them realize that they need to step up and improve. It forced them to look themselves in the mirror and look at the weaknesses that were there."

Since the loss at Broughton, Apex is 7-0 and riding high heading into the last three games of the season.

“We’re confident, we’re very healthy, the leadership on this team has really helped instill the confidence,” Todd said. “I think with the last two weeks of play, the way this team has played, the way the games have ended, has really bolstered our confidence.

“The overtime win at Athens. Coming back and winning a tough game against Green Hope, which really was the key to winning the conference, has brought about a really positive team chemistry. We're hoping to ride that momentum.”

Heading into the regular season’s final week, Apex has to win just one of three games in order to clinch the Tri-Eight title outright.

If Apex wins the title, then it will secure home-field advantage throughout the state playoffs. This is a change that is new this season and Todd is excited about it.

“That’s something we haven’t experienced before and something that would be a very important aspect of the state playoffs,” Todd said. “Playing at home is an advantage.”

More than the wins, Todd would like to see his team up its intensity in order to get ready for the state playoffs.

“We’re out to play right from the start with a great sense of urgency,” Todd said. “After going through the state playoffs last year we understand that it is a long arduous road. We’ll have a heightened sense of urgency right from the start. As opposed to going into the second half or last twenty minutes of play and step it up and play with that urgency.”

On Friday, the Cougars were reminded of last year’s run when they received their 2005 state championship rings during halftime ceremonies of the Apex-Green Hope football game.

“That was much more memorable than they thought it was going to be,” Todd said. “We didn’t have any idea how that was going to affect us, but it affected everybody. It was just a very joyous night, one that will leave an indelible mark on their mind, what happened that night.”

And the Cougars would not mind a repeat ceremony next year.