CARY, N.C.,None — Myers Park 15, Apex 11 NCHSAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
In its first year of sanctioned championship competition, schools in all classifications in North Carolina competed for one title in an open tournament.
Two teams from the Charlotte area brought home the hardware with two state championship victories on Saturday in Cary, N.C.
Senior attackman Craig Passenant tossed in five goals to lead Myers Park to a 15-11 triumph over Apex to earn the initial North Carolina High School Athletic Association state men's lacrosse championship at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday afternoon.
Karen Jonas Myers Park Lacrosse Championship Image
Passenant was named Most Valuable Player of the championship and finished the season with 38 goals.
SLIDESHOW: Myers Park Boys Win Lacrosse State Championship
Myers Park won its sixth straight game and finished with a 19-1 overall record.
Myers Park was in control most of the way, taking a 3-1 lead late in the first half and stretching to 9-4 at halftime.
The Mustangs held a 12-5 lead at one point in the second half.
Ross Whitehead tallied four times for Apex, which finished the season 15-4 overall and had a 10-game winning streak snapped.
We asked Myers Park head coach Mike Gambrill a couple questions about how it feels to win a state championship:
Q: What was the atmosphere like leading up to the game knowing it was for a championship?
A: "Our guys were focused on the bus ride to Cary. We were prepared, we read through the scouting report again, we watched film on the bus and I felt they were ready to play the game. With such good senior leadership, our seniors and captains had our team focused and ready to play."
Q: What were the nerves like in the last couple minutes of a the game?
A: "At halftime I told our guys that Apex would not quit. Coach John Hayden is an excellent coach and his teams always compete for 4 quarters. I told our guys that they would make a run, and they did. We needed to maintain our composure, and continue to play our game. Once we went man up with a minute to go, I felt confindent that the championship was ours!"
Q: How does it feel to win the first ever North Carolina High School Athletic Association state men's lacrosse championship?
A: "It is tremendous feeling. It was great to represent not only Myers Park but all of Charlotte lacrosse! I am so proud of our players and happy for the Myers Park athletic department, and the entire Myers Park family. Our guys worked very hard for this, and they deserve it!"
Q: Describe the feeling your team shared after this momentous win?
A: "Our guys worked very hard in the off season. We had a theme this year. STP (Something to Prove) Myers Park lacrosse has not been respected in years past, and we as a group wanted to prove to the state that we are for real. We printed STP on our shirts to remind us everytime we step on the field, we had something to prove. What a huge accomplishment from just 3 years ago when we were 9-10. This group proved that they are the best in the state!"
Q: What did you say to your team after the game?
A: "I have not been more proud of a team in my life. This is a group of good lacrosse players. This was a true team effort. Our scoring was spread out, we had excellent team defense, and our goaltending was excellent. No stars, just a true TEAM. As a coach, that make me very proud, and I let them know it. I am lucky to be a part of this, and hope we can continue the rich lacrosse tradition at Myers Park High School."
Charlotte Catholic 12, Wilmington Hoggard 11 NCHSAA Women's Lacrosse Championship
Charlotte Catholic edged Wilmington Hoggard 12-11 to earn the inaugural North Carolina High School Athletic Association state women's lacrosse championship at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday afternoon.
Charlotte Catholic Lacrosse Championship Image
Catholic senior goalie Bridget Hogan was voted the Most Valuable Player of the championship as she came up with 14 saves on the afternoon, including some big ones down the stretch.
SLIDESHOW: Charlotte Catholic Girls Win Lacrosse State Championship
Hoggard led the nip and tuck battle 8-7 at the half, although Catholic had cut into a three-goal margin with a pair of tallies in the final 35 seconds of the half.
The victorious Cougars possessed the ball for a long stretch with an 11-10 lead and a goal by senior Carey Flynn with 2:25 to play pushed the margin to 12-10 as Catholic held on.
Junior midfielder Jena Ready had four goals to lead the winners while Cait Baker scored three. Catherine Ellis, who entered the state final with a whopping 83 goals, was held scoreless in the first half and wound up scoring two goals for Catholic.
Charlotte Brown, Erin Fowler and Chrysa Corbett tallied three times apiece for the Vikings.
Charlotte Catholic finished the season at 18-2 while Hoggard wound up 17-2, with a 16-game winning streak snapped.
It was Hoggard's fourth consecutive one-goal game in the playoffs, as the Vikings had won their three previous postseason encounters by a single goal, with the last two going to overtime.
In this first year of NCHSAA-sanctioned championship competition, schools in all classifications competed for one title in an open tournament.
We asked Charlotte Catholic head coach Denise Bier a couple questions about how it feels to win a state championship:
Q: What was the mood like at the half trailing by one?
A: I called a time out with 4 minutes left in the half. We were down 7-5 and I told the girls that I wanted to be up 8-7 at the half. Out of the TO, Hoggard came up with a goal and I was NOT HAPPY! Soon after, Cait Baker and Jena Ready got us two quick ones and that really set the tone going into the locker room. It was a good way to end the half, I could see it the way they all ran together and entered the tunnel to go into the locker room - they had some confidence, we went over some changes in the 2nd half and took the field. The confidence just kept building after Monica Francis got that goal to tie it up in the and Ellis scored the go ahead.
Q: What were the nerves like in the last couple minutes of a very tight game?
A: We were in a stall in the last minutes of the game – unfortunately (or fortunately) we haven't had much of an opportunity to practice that. We haven't had many close games. I could tell the girls were gripping their sticks a little tighter, seemed to get a little nervous. I was confident when Jena Ready got the ball, I told her to get the ball and bring it to the corner. She worked it behind a little ran around with it for a bit, ran some time off the clock. After a while, she gave it to Carley Flynn who got our last goal.
Q: How does it feel to win the first ever North Carolina High School Athletic Association state women's lacrosse championship?
A. Winning the first NCHSAA Women's Lacrosse Championship is amazing, I am really proud of the girls. They wanted this one, this team started 10 seniors. A lot of the starters were on the team last year and have worked all season with a goal of a state championship in mind. We tried to schedule the toughest games we could, to get us ready to play the best. The senior captains (Cait Baker, Carley Flynn and Catherine Ellis) played a huge role in motivating the girls, getting them pumped up for big games and making them believe that they could do win it all. They are thrilled to get a "banner in the gym". Our team moms, Donna Green and Shiela Baker have been huge in the playoff run. Every practice they hung up signs of this years slogan "In it to win it!". No matter where the girls went – those signs were hanging up – at the practice field, decorated on the girls cars, in the locker room, decorated on the bus, at team dinners – it worked!
Q: Describe the feeling your team shared after this momentous win?
A. For me, It took a while to sink in, but the girls ran over to their "dog pile" all screams and strewn sticks, hugs and tears. It made me smile just watching them. Before the game the captains decided that win or lose all of the girls would take the bus back together. They've been like that all year – a real team. It was great. The parents were thrilled and the girls were so excited. The bus ride back was a lot of fun, rehashing the game and certain plays. Laughing about mistakes and complimenting each other. The girls were especially excited for Bridget (goalie) for getting the MVP. Ecstatic, that was the feeling after the win!
Q: What did you say to your team after the game?
A. I told them before the game that if they showed up and played hard, played like I had seen in spurts against Green Hope and the Myers Park win – that it didn't matter who they played – they couldn't be stopped. I congratulated them for playing like that – for giving it everything they had. I told them that they deserved it – they worked hard for a State Championship. I congratulated the defense (Lindsey Walters, Hannah McGarry, Lauren O'Neill, Carly Green and Maggie Riney) – who sometimes don't get enough credit. But holding a team like Green Hope to 2 goals in the 2nd half is a huge accomplishment. (we scored the 3rd one on ourselves!) And I thanked them, for a wonderful 4 years. Many of the seniors on this team have been playing CCHS lacrosse since their freshman year – that was my first year, "We came in together". So for them to get a state championship this year was very special for all of us!
WSOC
