Cool temperature, drenching rain and muddy field set the backdrop on Wednesday for a high school soccer game Apex and Green Hope athletes won't soon forget.

"It was pretty much a senior's dream," Green Hope senior Chris Girard said. "Great weather. Great rivalry. Everything I could ask for except for the victory."

That went to Tri-Seven Conference rival Apex, which handed out its 11th shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory over the Falcons in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A Eastern Regional final at Cougar Stadium.

Nothing came easy for the Cougars, especially in a physically draining second half on their waterlogged field, but with a stellar defensive performance they advanced to play the Western Regional champion in the 4-A state final at SAS Soccer Park in Cary at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Thought their parents may not find all the mud-stained laundry amusing, Apex players will grin ear to ear over their accomplishments. The Cougars (23-0-1) are returning to the state title game for the first time since losing in 2000.

Apex coach Kevin Todd will be smiling, too, at least for a day before he turns his attention to preparing for Saturday's game.

"Each stop along the way, you have to stop and look at what you've done and smile about it," he said. "Celebrate that accomplishment, then you can move ahead."

Apex, the state's No. 1-ranked 4-A public school in voting by the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association, carried a 1-0 lead into halftime Wednesday after junior Forrest Moog scored in the 30th minute, set up by a cross from senior midfielder David Wynne.

Midway through the second half, the Cougars went up 2-0 on a Green Hope error when a defensive player accidentally knocked the ball into his own goal.

Green Hope senior goalkeeper Jon Schwartz said a defender playing deep in the 18-yard box failed to step toward a hard-kicked shot, and that forced another defender to come forward. The ball deflected off of the other defender's side and popped into the goal.

From there, Green Hope (15-7-3) faced a monumental task. Apex, quick to the ball, did its best to prevent the Falcons from making organized runs. The Cougars poked and pawed, clearing their opponents' well-played balls.

Schwartz was unhappy with the loss but said "at the beginning of the year I never thought we'd make it this far."

"We played hard. It just wasn't our day."

Fifth-ranked Green Hope defeated Fayetteville Britt, Fayetteville Sanford, Southern Pines Pinecrest and Wilmington Ashley in the playoffs.

Green Hope coach Andrew Chadwick complimented his players' continuous effort to improve. He described how the Falcons lost a 1-0 scrimmage to Broughton at the start of the season without taking a shot.

"To come from that," he said, "I couldn't ask more from our kids and their dedication."