RIVERSIDE – The game plan was simple: Play defense and try to hit Matias Brown on the counterattack.

It took until the seventh minute of overtime, but Brown eventually broke loose and scored the game-winning golden goal Saturday as the Sunny Hills boys soccer team grabbed a 1-0 victory over Norte Vista in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship match at Ramona High.

“As soon as I saw that ball go in the net – Oh my God! – there’s so much emotion. I’m so proud of my team and my coaches,” Brown said.

It was the third consecutive overtime victory in these playoffs for Sunny Hills (18-3-4 overall), and the program’s third section title since 1987.

“For us it’s about playing defense, getting stops and countering, and we did it,” Sunny Hills coach Mike Schade said. “(Norte Vista) is very, very good but we did our homework and a lot of scouting.”

The goal was only the second allowed this postseason by Norte Vista (16-4-6), which has yet to win a section title in three attempts. The Braves lost last season’s Division 3 final by a score of 1-0 in overtime.

“How are we supposed to take another 1-0 loss?” Norte Vista coach Matt Beliveau said. “We played our hearts out (and) put everything on the line. We just made one mistake.”

In the first ever meeting between the two programs, neither took advantage of scoring opportunities during the first 80 minutes of regulation time.

Brown had his first shot on goal punched away by Norte Vista goalkeeper Kevin Narvaez in the fourth minute.

Five minutes later, Ediberto Villacana nearly scored on a free kick, and Carlos Gradilla headed the ensuing rebound off the cross bar as Norte Vista was turned away.

Narvaez came off his line to win a one-on-one with Brown midway through the second half as Sunny Hills’ 6-foot-4 center forward was a half-touch away from scoring. Norte Vista nearly walked away with the win in the 77th minute but Gradilla mishit his shot, allowing Lancers goalkeeper Angel Echeverria to make a routine save.

In overtime, Brown got a step on his defender before receiving the ball over the top, took one touch wide to avoid Narvaez and placed his shot underneath the crossbar from a tight angle.

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“They get their one chance on a no-angle shot that goes in? Hat’s off to you,” Beliveau said.

It was the second consecutive overtime win over an Inland school for Sunny Hills. The Lancers defeated Valley View 2-1 in double-OT in the semifinals.