Heartbreak from a year ago was replaced by Hallelujah on Friday afternoon.

Vinny Pearcy scored twice, Wilfredo Vargas scored a highlight-reel goal early in the second half and Hill-Murray took down Orono 3-0 in the Class 2A boys soccer state tournament final at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“I was in the same position last year, walked in here (to a postgame media session) and tried to look a little happy with a grimace on my face. This year I have this cheesy little smile on my face that I can’t get off,” midfielder Jacob Dinzeo said of his school’s first state title.

Taylor Petrich added two assists for second-seeded Hill-Murray, which had lost its previous three championship game appearances, including via shootout to DeLaSalle last season.

“To get a taste of it last year and have it taken from you is one of those things where you just want to get back there and have an opportunity to do it again,” Hill=Murray coach Jeff Zupfer said. “To be able to do it again and with this group of guys … We said in the locker room we wouldn’t go to play this game with any other players than the 22 players and three managers and statisticians and coaching staff that we have in the locker room. It just felt right.”

That was verified by Kenny, the longtime bus driver for most Hill-Murray sports teams.

“He gave a speech on the bus before the boys got off, and it was like, ‘All right, it feels today like today is going to be our day,’ ” said Zupfer, who couldn’t quickly recall Kenny’s last name but simply said everyone refers to him as “legendary.”

Dinzeo said Kenny’s message was this opportunity does not come around every day and to enjoy every single moment.

With Hill-Murray leading by one, Petrich kicked an arcing ball into the Orono end in the 43rd minute. As the ball bounced on the synthetic turf about 25 yards out, Vargas raced in as Orono goalie Jacob Pfeifer raced out.

It was going to be close.

Vargas got there a split-second quicker and was able to chip the ball over Pfeifer and watch it roll into the Orono net.

Zupfer said because Orono plays three in the back, the Pioneers’ goal was to use its wide attackers to close that space. “Taylor dropped the ball right in behind them,” the Pioneers coach said. “Instead of waiting, Wilfredo anticipated getting the ball over the top.”

Pearcy scored from the right side of the box about 11 minutes later.

Top-seeded Orono (17-2-2) was seeking its second state championship in three years.

“We had about a 15-, 20-minute stretch where we didn’t play our game,” Spartans coach Grant Steine said. “When we start giving the ball away too often against a team that’s extremely dynamic going forward, that’s where we kind of lost sight of what we do and what we needed to do.”

Scoring at least five goals in five of its previous seven games, Hill-Murray (17-3-2) had a couple of prime chances in the opening four minutes but couldn’t convert a 2-on-1 and a shot from about 10 yards out missed wide left.

But the chances continued.

In the ninth minute, Petrich set up Pearcy with a lengthy up ball. Pearcy outraced a defender into the box, and his left-footed shot trickled into the lower right corner for a 1-0 lead.

Pearcy scored five goals in his past four games, after having two entering postseason play. He missed two games late in the season.

“I knew when I got back, I just had to help the team,” he said.

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