With one second left on the clock, Hunter Renfrow snagged a relatively easy 2-yard lob by Deshaun Watson. The catch by the Tigers’ former walk-on wide receiver lifted Clemson to a stunning 35-31 win over college football powerhouse Alabama in Monday’s championship game.

The play capped off an incredible fourth quarter by Clemson. The Tigers entered the final 15 minutes trailing 24-14. Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts had just struck O.J. Howard for 68-yard touchdown in the final two minutes of the third.

Clemson’s rally marked the first time that Alabama, under head coach Nick Saban, had lost a game in which it entered the fourth leading by double figures.

Watson recovered from the early challenges presented by an otherworldly Tide defense. Alabama built a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the second quarter before Watson scored on an 8-yard run.

Clemson’s fourth was something to behold. So was the way the Tigers didn’t fold after getting scored on twice in less than 20 minutes of action. They never stopped believing in themselves or their game plan. That’s what led them to victory over one of the greatest dynasties college football has ever seen.

It’s a lesson that can apply to all sports at any level. Less than a year ago, Washington’s boys’ swim team brought championship gold to Beaufort County. The Pam Pack, while quite skilled, faced adversity of its own en route to the 1-A/2-A title. It had to overcome a late deficit in the standings, and do so while A.J. Howard nearly suffered a medical emergency from apparent dehydration.

Plenty of other teams in the area have been in similar situations, even if they haven’t made it over the championship hump. Southside has its own Alabama. The Seahawks have run into Plymouth in the semifinals two years in a row now. The Vikings won the 1-A crown last year, and are almost always in championship contention.

Playing the Vikings so close in both outings is a testament to that same never say die mentality that helped Clemson win its first title since 1981. The Seahawks lost each game by just five points, and had chances to win both. The idea that they couldn’t come out victorious never wandered into their head, and it’s only a matter of time before that outlook gets them to the promised land, too.

There are some teams that — yes, can be stretched for raw talent — are lacking that championship trait that Clemson had in spades Monday evening. Even when things aren’t going right for a team or a program at any level, it’s oftentimes painfully obvious when spirits are down.

Monday night’s championship wasn’t just a football game for the ages. It was a teaching moment for athletes of all ages to see that an attitude can go a long way. It’s a building block that has helped Southside become one of the more dominant teams on this side of the state. It was at the foundation of Northside’s best football season in over a decade, and it’s something the Pam Pack hopes to return to the base of its football program.