Cardinal Gibbons completes amazing turnaround, upsets Ardrey Kell to win NC 4A title

Entering Saturday’s N.C. 4A final with Ardrey Kell, Cardinal Gibbons had won NCHSAA state championships in the 2A and 3A classes, but the regional powerhouse had not won in 4A.

That changed Saturday.

Gibbons completed an amazing turnaround to its season, upsetting nationally ranked Ardrey Kell on penalty kicks in the N.C. 4A final Saturday. Gibbons, which lost in the 2017 4A final, won its first state championship since 2013.

Ardrey Kell (25-2-1), ranked No. 3 in MaxPreps national poll, was denied its first state championship. The Knights lost in 4A finals in 2008, 2009 and 2011. Ardrey Kell had a 13-game win streak snapped despite dominating play most of the game.

Gibbons, which won its 11th straight game, won a state title in a season where it started 1-4-1.

Cardinal Gibbons (16-6-2) got on the board with 16:26 to play when Lily Pryzwansky lofted a high curling shot over Ardrey Kell goalkeeper Emily Casey.

But with 1:43 left in regulation, U17 national player Taylor Suarez scored a sliding tying goal for Ardrey Kell.

Neither team could score in the remainder of regulation, nor in four overtime periods. So after 110 minutes of soccer, the teams went to penalty kicks, where Gibbons won.