HOWELL -- Just like he has all season when his team needed him most, Pioneer High School senior Dylan Swanson answered the call.

This time, his heroics sent the unbeaten Pioneer boys lacrosse team to it’s first MHSAA state championship appearance.

“We felt like he had a good matchup and he just decided he was going to go and score,” said coach James Corey. “He willed us to a lot today.”

Swanson's fifth goal of the day, scored 1:47 into the second sudden-death overtime, gave Pioneer an 11-10 victory against Holt in a Division 1 state semifinal Wednesday night at Parker Stadium in Howell.

“The whole fourth quarter I was just thinking ‘somebody’s got to make a play,’” Swanson said. “It’s just going to be a game where one play is going to take somebody to the next level.”

That next level is a title game matchup against perennial powerhouse Birmingham Brother Rice at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham Seaholm High School.

Brother Rice, which beat Birmingham United 17-6 in a Wednesday semifinal, has won the Division 1 state championship every year since the MHSAA began sponsoring the sport in 2005.

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Pioneer's win against Holt was a tale of two halves. After surrendering a goal just 38 seconds into the game, Pioneer (21-0) scored seven straight to take a commanding 7-2 lead into halftime.

Holt (18-2) would not go away quietly, however. The Rams clamped down on defense, allowing Pioneer only three goals in the second half.

“We started getting more one dimensional, less about the team and more about trying to get individual matchups.” Corey said. “I don’t know if we scored an assisted goal in the second half.”

Still, the Pioneers led 9-5 entering the fourth quarter. That lead didn’t last long as the Rams scored twice in the first 25 seconds and tied the game 9-9 at the 6:41 mark.

Stevie McKee led the Rams with five goals.

“After each goal, we came together in front of the net and talked about what we did wrong,” said Pioneer defender Bryan Matney. “We understood our offense was one of the best in the state.”

Matney made what turned out to be the biggest defensive play of the game in the second overtime period. With a Holt attacker coming at him, Matney dispossessed him and scooped up the loose ball in his own zone.

From there, Matney moved the ball up field and, less than a minute later, Swanson’s scored to win the game.

“It’s tough because you know that guy is coming and he’s going for goal,” Matney said. “I knew my goalie was behind me, so I gave everything I had in that one play and came out successful.”

As the celebration continues, the Pioneers shift their attention to Brother Rice, the No. 1 team in the state. Pioneer is just the second public school team to reach an MHSAA final, but realizes there is a huge hill to climb to become the first public school champion.

“In one game, anything can happen. I wouldn’t want to play a 100-game series with Brother Rice, but I’m really excited about playing one game,” Corey said. “I think we have the heart and the passion. They probably have more talent than us, but let’s see if we have more heart.”

And if it comes down to heart and passion, Swanson is confident that his team can come out on top.

“It’s a dream come true. But this isn’t enough for me," he said. "We’ve always wanted to beat them and we can be that one team that can be different from any other Pioneer team.”