NCHSAA roundup: Cox Mill, LN Charter win state soccer; West Stanly takes softball

Cox Mill High won the N.C. 3A state soccer championship Saturday in Greensboro, shutting out Chapel Hill 1-0. Cox Mill won its first state title in the sport.

Emily Mooney, a junior forward, scored the game’s only goal in the first half. She scored less than eight minutes into the game, off a long pass from Juilianne Patterson. She scored from just outside the penalty box.

Cox Mill (18-0-1) allowed five goals all season and had 14 shutouts. Cox Mill made its second appearance in the state finals, after losing 1-0 to Chapel Hill in 2018.

Chapel Hill (17-2) was in the finals for the third time since 2014. The Tigers had won the previous two times.

Cox Mill limited Chapel Hill to four shots Saturday evening and beat the Tigers 1-0 for the 3A girls’ state soccer championship.

Cox Mill’s defense, led by Lauren Ruf, Jesse Dunn and Jenna Ryan, shut down the Chapel Hill attack. Sofia Canoutas-Nadel got three of Chapel Hill’s shorts, including the only two on goal.

Dunn was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Chapel Hill came closest to scoring in the closing minutes, when Cox Mill goalkeeper Jillian Ginn made the stop on a blistering shot by Canoutas-Nadel.

2A: Lake Norman Charter stops Carrboro in final

Lake Norman Charter’s girls soccer team knows the pain of losing in the state final.

They were determined to not feel that way again.

After losing 6-1 to First Flight in 2018 and 4-3 on penalty kicks to Carrboro in 2019, Lake Norman Charter left no doubt in this year’s final. The Knights scored four first-half goals in an easy 5-0 win over Carrboro.

Lake Norman Christian finished the season 19-0. Carrboro, which had won four of the past five state titles, ended its season at 13-2-1.

On Saturday, the Knights jumped on Carrboro quickly, getting four goals from Asha Means and Eliza Rich in the first 20 minutes.

With 31:14 to play, Means scored her third goal of the game. Means is a North Carolina recruit.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF DAVIDSON ROLLS IN 1A FINALS

Michaela Deas scored three goals and had an assist to lead Community School of Davidson to a 6-0 win over Franklin Academy in the NCHSAA 1A finals.

Community School led 3-0 at halftime.

Tyler Baughn had two goals for Community School, which ends the season 18-0. Community School, in the finals for the first time in four years, won its third state title.

Franklin Academy finished 12-1.

NCHSAA Softball

WEST STANLY WINS 2A TITLE

West Stanly beat South Granville 1-0 Saturday to win the N.C. 2A state softball championship.

On Saturday, pitcher Jordan Hatch allowed two hits and struck out 13. She was named series MVP.

West Stanly captured the program’s fourth fast-pitch state championship with the two games to none sweep of South Granville. Jordan Hatch pitched seven innings and allowed two hits. She had 13 strikeouts.

South Granville pitcher Brooke Bowling allowed one hit, a home run from Shelby Barbee in the bottom of the fourth.

South Granville (14-2) was in its 12th fast-pitch state championship series. West Stanly (20-0) won its second straight title after beating Eastern Randolph in 2019.

No final was played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

1A SOFTBALL

South Stanly falls in 1A softball

After winning Game 1 Friday night, South Stanly dropped 7-2 and 3-2 decisions Saturday to Camden County in the 1A girls softball championship series.

It was the first state championship ever in any sport for a school from Camden County.

South Stanly took the opening game of the series 11-5, but Camden County’s pitching and defense tightened Saturday.

The Bruins took Game 2 behind Peyton Carver (2 for 3) and Morgan Gallop (2 for 4). Mattie Poulos homered for South Stanly.

In Game 3, Camden County’s Carlyn Tanis scored a run and had an RBI. Trailing 3-0 in the sixth inning, South Stanly narrowed the gap when Kassie Swink singled home a run and then scored herself on an error. But the Bruins shut down South Stanly from there.

3A SOFTBALL

Southern Alamance tops Alexander Central in 3A

Southern Alamance won a pair of games Saturday and topped Alexander Central in three games for the 3A girls softball championship.

The Patriots evened the series in Saturday’s opener as Isley Duggins pitched a no-hitter in a 3-0 victory. Duggins walked one and struck out five. Brianna Gallagher and Kayla Wilson each had two hits for the victors.

Then Southern Alamance won the decisive third game 11-3, as Duggins pitched a three-hitter.

Alexander Central trailed only 5-3 entering the sixth inning, but Southern Alamance broke the game open with six runs. Two of those came on a Gallagher double.

Kirstyn Herman smacked a two-run double for Alexander Central.