Lee-Scott Academy entered its first-ever AHSAA regional appearance on a mission of validity, after spending four decades as an independent, and accomplished that feat as the fourth-ranked Warriors earned a 71-67 double-overtime victory over No. 1 Midfield in Wednesday’s Class 3A Central Regional semifinal at Alabama State’s Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

“Huge, there are no other words to describe it,” Lee-Scott Academy coach William Johnson said. “Midfield is No. 1 and has been all year long. I told our guys this morning at shoot around and when we left pregame, ‘Don’t get on the bus if you don’t believe.’ I’ve been a part of some special things and they didn’t bat an eye.”