Cardinal Gibbons boys lacrosse edges Charlotte Catholic to win sixth title in nine years
Friday’s N.C. 4A men’s lacrosse state final at Durham County Memorial Stadium was new and familiar for Cardinal Gibbons. The Crusaders topped Charlotte Catholic 12-10 to claim the school’s fifth overall state title, and third among the largest classification.
Friday’s meeting marked the first time the two Catholic schools met in a sanctioned men’s lacrosse state final. The Cougars prevailed in back-to-back title tilts in 2008 and 2009 — the latter in the spring before the NCHSAA hosted its first state championships in the sport.
Then, there were the familiar details. Cardinal Gibbons (20-5), like their female counterparts who preceded them by winning a state championship over Charlotte Catholic, never trailed Friday. The Crusaders, too, won the schools’ regular season meeting — 10-4 on April 1.
“Even in this game, it was a microcosm of overcoming adversity,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Gordon Galloway said. “This doesn’t come easy. We had to work every single day. We had to focus every single day. These guys are so dialed in. They deserve this right now.”
The Crusaders dialed in double the Cougars’ scoring output when leading after the first (4-2) and second (8-4) quarters of play on Willie Bradshaw Field. Cardinal Gibbons’ Ayden Turner netted a first half hat trick. Turner’s third conversion nine seconds before halftime preceded the Crusaders’ ninth goal — by Brady Greco — three seconds after halftime.
Turner assisted on Brady Dolan’s goal with 4:59 remaining in the third quarter that moved Cardinal Gibbons’ score to what proved to be an insurmountable 11.
“It was what I thought it would be for a state championship,” Charlotte Catholic coach Bo Turner said. “We just kept fighting and fighting, and that’s what we do. I’m so proud of the guys.”
The Cougars, trailing 11-5, scored the third period’s last three goals inside four minutes to play. Jack Ransom scored before back-to-back conversions by Colin Mendicino. Ransom scored twice more within seven seconds beginning with 6:32 remaining in the final stanza. These goals brought Charlotte Catholic (22-2) within what proved to be the final score.
“We had a couple of opportunities to cut it to one,” Turner said. “Their goalie played outstanding.”
Cardinal Gibbons goalkeeper Chris Schwartz, who made several key saves, was named Championship MVP, and was tagged with another unofficial distinction by his coach.
“Chris Schwartz is the best goalie in the state,” Galloway said.
Cardinal Gibbons, since becoming a 4A school during the 2015-16 academic year, has played for men’s and women’s lacrosse state championships three times. The Crusaders swept both titles in 2016, 2019, and 2023.
