The Jaguars took a 1-0 lead then Sallies surged in front 3-1 and held on for a 3-2 victory tonight at Smyrna High School.
For the third straight season, Salesianum and Appoquinimink faced each other for the Division I state soccer championship, and for the third straight time, Sallies edged the Jaguars for the title.
Last year, Salesianum defeated Appoquinimink 2-1, and in 2016 Sallies beat the Jaguars 2-0.
The 3-2 win tonight at Smyrna High School was Salesianum's ninth straight state soccer championship.
It was the Jaguars who jumped out to an early lead, though, when Matt Meadows scored on a penalty kick just three minutes into the game.
Salesianum answered at the 5-minute mark with a goal by Andrew Blackwell on an assist from John Leonard.
The game remained tied until just before the half when Ben Strine scored to put Salesianum up 2-1.
In the second half, Blackwell gave Sallies a 3-1 cushion at the 48-minute mark.
Then the Jags pulled back to within a goal at 3-2 when Meadows scored on a header with an assist from Cody Niggebrugge at the 73-minute mark.
In a tension-packed final several minutes, Sallies held on for the win.
Salesianum outshot the Jags 11-5 and held a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.
In goal, Emmett McCloskey made three saves for Salesianum while Eric Fasteson stopped six shots for Appoquinimink.