For the first time in school history, Wakefield will play for a boys soccer state championship.

(3) Wakefield defeated (12) Green Hope 1-1 (4-3) in penalty kicks on Tuesday night, winning the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A eastern regional championship.

After the two teams ended regulation in a 1-1 tie and neither team was able to score in 30 minutes over overtime, the regional championship was decided by penalty kicks.

Wakefield keeper Davison Sauls blocked two attempts by the Falcons, including the final attempt, to secure the 4-3 win in penalty kicks for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines connected on their first three penalty kicks, but Sauls saved a shot from Isaac Yuan to give Wakefield a 3-2 advantage. However, Alexander Holmes’ attempt hit the right post, which gave Green Hope an opportunity to tie things at 3-3 on a shot by Emerson Castellanos.

Wakefield’s Santiago Londono-Palomino scored on the next attempt to give the Wolverines a 4-3 advantage, then Sauls saved a shot by Sawyer Backus to seal the win.

Brooks Vice, Ibra Ndiaye, and Justin Dawson all had successful penalty kick attempts for the Wolverines.

There were several opportunities for both teams to score in regulation and in overtime, but goals were hard to come by.

Klein Pulley gave Wakefield a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, knocking in a shot off a pass from Ndiaye. That gave Wakefield a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Green Hoped tied the game in the 62nd minute when Jacob Colberg scored off a free kick. Colberg caught the Wakefield defense off guard, attempting the shot before the defense was set. The Wolverines protested the goal, but the goal stood.

The 1-1 tie lasted through the end of regulation, during two 10-minute overtime periods, and through two five-minute golden goal periods, which led the two teams to penalty kicks.

Wakefield will take on (6) Marvin Ridge in the 4A state championship game this weekend at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex at Matthews. Marvin Ridge defeated (17) Charlotte Catholic 3-1 in the western regional championship on Tuesday night.