Daily Roundup: May 11, 2024
COASTAL PREPS THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT
***The ranking by each team are their playoff seed***
GIRLS SOCCER
No. 3 Coastal Christian 2, No. 6 Calvary Day School 1 (OT)
***Click here to view a gallery of 30 photos from the action***
Freshman forward Paige Everett put the Centurions on top with a goal in the 91st minute, and senior goalkeeper Emily White came up with a huge save on a penalty kick a minute later to help seal the victory.
Coastal Christian (11-4) grabbed the lead in the ninth minute when Miranda Short blasted a shot into the back of the net.
The Calvary Day School goalkeeper made an excellent save on the initial shot. One of her defenders kept the ball from crossing the line, but the attempted clearance went right to Short, who had no trouble finishing.
The score remained the same until the visitors found the equalizer in the 70th minute.
After playing a scoreless opening 10-minute overtime period, it took less than a minute in the second one for Everett to give the Centurions the lead.
A handball in the box moments later gave Calvary Day School a penalty kick, but White jumper to her left and made one of the biggest saves of her career.
“I know exactly where I’m going from the moment I know there is a PK,” White said. “I see who shooter it is and which foot she’s shooting with, and I just go for it without hesitation.”
Next up will be a semifinal match at unbeaten and No. 2 seed Forsyth Country Day on Tuesday at a time to be announced.
No. 1 Cape Fear Academy 4, SouthLake Christian Academy 1
The top-seeded Hurricanes grabbed the lead for good on a goal from Georgie McGrath in the 11th minute.
Three minutes later, Milly Kelley found the back of the net for the first of her two goals. The other came in the 75th minute to complete the scoring.
Lucy Lauber finished with three assists. CFA’s (18-1) other goal was scored by Eden Rienks in the 45th minute off an assist from McGrath.
Goalkeeper Naomi Shanewise finished with two saves. The only goal she allowed came on a penalty kick.
The Hurricanes will host No. 4 Grace Christian School on Tuesday at a time to be announced.
BASEBALL
Wilmington Christian Academy 9, Bethel Christian Academy 1
NCCSA 2A State Championship
An impressive pitching performance from senior Ryder Whitacre as well as timely hitting helped the Patriots capture their second consecutive state title.
Only two starters returned from last year’s team that had a dramatic walk-off home run to claim the trophy. Things weren’t as difficult this time around.
WCA (18-6) scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning and then put the game away by adding six more in the sixth.
That was more than enough run support for Whitacre, who struck out nine batters and allowed an unearned run on four hits a complete game.
The offense scored a total of 38 runs during four postseason games. Max Clark led the way Saturday by going 2-for-3 with a walk, double, stolen base, two RBI and one run scored.
Justin Taylor finished 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and one run scored. Landen Edwards also collected a pair of hits.
First-year coach Trent Mongero challenged his young team (seven freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and two seniors) with a challenging schedule that featured two games against both Ashley and North Brunswick.
The Patriots started the season 3-5, but got hot at the right time and won 15 of their final 16 games. The lone loss during that stretch came at Ashley, who is the top seed in the NCHSAA 4A playoffs.
“Those games exposed our weaknesses, but also gave us belief that we could play with anybody,” Mongero said. “When we finally got rolling into our part of the season where we were playing similar-sized schools (WCA has 160 high school students), everything started clicking and it was a lot of fun to watch.”
No. 1 Ashley 7, No. 17 Millbrook 5
Second round NCHSAA 4A playoffs
***Click here to view a gallery of 22 photos from the action***
After allowing three unearned runs in the top of the first inning, junior ace Cole Barnes settled in nicely and allowed his offense to chip away at the lead.
Ashley (22-3) scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to grab a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
The big inning started with a double from Barnes. Will Hartzell followed with an opposite-field single to score Barnes and tie the score.
Harzell later crossed the plate on a wild pitch. A base hit past the draw-in infield from right fielder Dylan Welch allowed two more runs to score.
N.C. State commit Quinn Bentley belted a solo home run into the pond behind the right field fence in the second inning to cut the deficit to 3-2. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and is now hitting an impressive .554 on the season.
“When we take good approaches at the plate and use the whole field, we’re a very dangerous team, Bentley said.
Barnes struck out six batters and scattered just five hits in six innings to improve to 9-1. His ERA lowered to 0.86.
Millbrook cut the deficit to 7-4 and had the bases loaded with nobody out in the top of the seventh inning, but relief pitcher Jackson Lee got a huge double play followed by a strikeout to end the game.
The Screaming Eagles will be back at home against No. 8 Holly Springs on Tuesday night at a time to be announced.
No. 1 Greenville Rose 5, No. 17 North Brunswick 2
Second round NCHSAA 3A playoffs
The Scorpions finished with more hits (seven) than the powerhouse Rampants (six), but came up on the losing end of a great game.
Jonah Campbell and Ayden Gore both had a hit and a run scored. Seven different players finished with a single for North Brunswick (15-10).
Relief pitcher Josh Hauser allowed one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Cody Callahan struck out both batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth inning.
No. 9 Lee County 14, No. 8 South Brunswick 2 (5 innings)
Second round NCHSAA 3A playoffs
Senior Jaden Marvin went 2-for-2 with an RBI triple and a run, but the Cougars couldn’t slow down a potent offensive attack from the Yellow Jackets.
South Brunswick (12-12) finished with seven hits, while Lee County collected 16.
SOFTBALL
No. 5 South Brunswick 2, No. 12 Richlands 1 (10 innings)
Second round NCHSAA 3A playoffs
A two-out single to center field from sophomore shortstop Savana Burgess ended the game and sent the Cougars into the third round for the first time since 2007.
With two of the best pitchers in the state facing off against each other, runs were hard to come by.
South Brunswick’s (21-4) Kina Davis allowed an unearned run and struck out 13 batters, while Makenzie Goin recorded 16 strikeouts.
Kendra Goodwin reached on an error to begin the 10th inning. She advanced to second base on a one-out sacrifice bunt. Another error allowed Goodwin to get to third base and set up the heroics from Burgess.
Davis and Carly Clewis had the other two hits for the Cougars. Davis led off the ninth with a double, but was stranded at third base.
Next up for South Brunswick is a home game against No. 13 Orange on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
No. 5 Washington 9, No. 12 Trask 2
Second round NCHSAA 2A playoffs
A seven-run bottom of the third inning put the Titans in a hole they were unable to overcome.
Trask (16-4) collected seven hits, including two a piece from Toni Bojoquez, Dava Bullard and Jalyn Reece-Murray.
No. 1 North Duplin 10, No. 16 Pender 2
Second round NCHSAA 1A playoffs
Kaylee Woodcock belted a solo home run to begin the top of the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Patriots fell on the road against the defending 1A runner-up.
Pender (13-7) scored in the top of the first inning on a double from Alayna Rooks. Those were the only two hits the visitors managed, while North Duplin’s powerful offense finished with 17.
Other scores
No. 6 South Lenoir 10, No. 22 Whiteville 0 (Second round NCHSAA 2A playoffs)
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
NCHSAA 4A East Regional
New Hanover senior Cashmere James picked up victories in the 100-meter dash (10.44), 200 (21.48) and 400 (47.35) to complete one of the best regional performances from an area sprinter in recent memory.
Hoggard finished sixth as a team by scoring 43 points, New Hanover was 11th (34), Laney placed 20th (11), and Ashley and Topsail tied for 23rd (6).
The Vikings got a second-place finish from Elliott Johnston in the 800 (1:55.84). Pierson Guerrant (3,200 in 9:30.11) and Ethan Panz (13-6 in pole vault) were both third. The 4×800 relay team also qualified for the state championship by placing fourth with a time of 8:08.80.
Lukas Malek of Laney was the only other area state qualifier. He was third in the 1,600 (4:16.19).
NCHSAA 3A East Regional
North Brunswick’s 4×200 team consisting of Aaron Smith, Dytrick Whiters, Sean Potter and Reade Frink finished first with a time of 1:31.02.
Whiters, Frink, Timothy White and Marquis White were second in the 4×100 (43.18).
Smith qualified for states in the 400 by placing fourth with a time of 51.91. Jabril Dashiell was third in discus (130-7).
West Brunswick’s Bryson Hollis finished third in the 1,600 (4:32.94).
NCHSAA 2A Mideast Regional
A pair of relay teams from Trask booked their spot into next week’s state championship.
The 4×200 team of Adrian Deya, Joshua Talarico, Omar Hill and Martez Davis was fourth with a time of 1:33.29.
Derek Lopez Santiago, Zenon Flores, Yahir Sanchez Santiago and Kyle Moore were also fourth in the 4×800 (8:47.32).
NCHSAA 1A Mideast Regional
Host Pender tied with North Duplin for first place with 86 points.
Desmon Thomas was the lone individual winner. He captured the triple jump (39-9) and was fourth in long jump (18-8). Jordan Hansley was the runner-up in high jump after clearing 6-0).
The 4×400 (3:48.43) and 4×800 (8:56.89) relays finished second, while the 4×100 team was third (46.08).
Individual state qualifiers are the track were: Leon Williams (fourth in the 200 with a time of 23.96), Julius Yasir (fourth in the 400 in 53.03), Aidan Murray (fourth in the 800 in 2:14.24), Owen Davis (fourth in the 1,600 in 5:01.53) and Carter Brown (third in the 3,200 in 10:52.03).
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
NCHSAA 4A East Regional
In her final regional competition, Laney’s Bailey Willard swept the throwing events.
The UNCW signee had distances of 118-7 in discus and 39-1 in shot put to help Laney score 34 points and place eighth.
Hoggard was fourth with 56 points, while Topsail finished 19th with five points.
The Vikings won the 4×800 relay with a time of 9:26.25 and finished third in the 4×400 (4:03.43). Savannah Moore was the runner-up in the 800 (2:16.22) with teammate River Mead also qualifying for states in the event by placing fourth (2:16.76).
Ashlei Summers (3,200 in 10:58.79) and Anna Kate Chance (35-8.5 in shot put) were each third, while pole vaulter Kylie Sasser finished fourth by clearing 9-6.
Topsail’s Jency Paliotti kept her season alive with a fourth-place finish in triple jump (35-3.5).
NCHSAA 3A East Regional
Three area athletes – North Brunswick teammates Jasmine Colwell and Macie Inman as well as South Brunswick senior Ellie Harrington – secured berths to next week’s state championship.
Colwell won shot put with a throw of 40-1. She was third in discus (103-8). Inman placed fourth in the 200-meter dash by crossing the finish line in 26.31.
Harrington finished fourth in the 3,200 (11:30.00).
NCHSAA 2A Mideast Regional
Trask’s Jayden Hoffman and Tynyia Wells earned top-four finishes, which qualified them for the state championship.
Wells was the runner-up in discus (95-9), while Hoffman finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (49.95).
NCHSAA 1A Mideast Regional
Host Pender scored 98 points to finish as the runner-up behind Voyager Academy (131).
Olivia Gurganus had an excellent meet by winning the long jump (15-7) and placing second in both triple jump (31-9.25) and high jump (4-10).
Da’Nya Respus-Hand was second in the 200-meter dash (27.18) and fourth in the 100 (13.13). Grace Bordeaux had a second-place finish in the 400 (1:04.01). She was fourth in high jump (4-8).
The Patriots also got fourth-place finishes from Jamiah Johnson (200 in 28.15), Jensen Bordeaux (800 in 2:42.94) and Brianna Behal (29-5.25 in triple jump).
The 4×200 relay team had a winning time of 1:49.66. The 4×400 (third in 4:46.53) and 4×800 (fourth in 11:59.69) teams also advanced to states.
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