Green Hope (Cary), Chapel Hill, Clinton (Clinton), and Voyager Academy (Durham) each brought home N.C. High School Athletic Association boys soccer championships, giving the East a full sweep of the day’s championships. Myers Park (Charlotte), Marvin Ridge (Marvin), Newton-Conover (Newton), and Community School of Davidson (Davidson) were runner-up.
Here are 15 things you need to know about the day’s games.
1. East’s sweep is historic: Since the NCHSAA went to four championship games back in 2001, the East had never swept the West before. The West swept the East in 2009 and in 2001 (but it should be noted that Jordan High in Durham was the western champ in 2001, so that year doesn’t quite feel like a “western” sweep).
1A TITLE: Voyager Academy 2, CSD 1 (golden goal OT)
2. The only game that went into OT: And wow, was it a classic match or what? Vikings defender Mason Kosik lifted a long pass that met Cole Scarantino’s run perfectly. Scarantino, named match MVP, chipped the ball over the goalkeeper and the game was done in the 114th minute.
3. Key players: This was the only game on the day in which two players combined for two goals and two assists. Scarantino scored both goals on passes from Kosik.
4. Title count doubles for Voyager: The Vikings now have two state championships all-time: one in boys soccer and one in boys basketball. Community School of Davidson, meanwhile, has a girls soccer title but is 0-2 in boys soccer championships.
2A TITLE: Clinton 2, Newton-Conover 1
5. Clinton MVP Parker Norris: Norris scored his 34th and 35th goals of the season in the Dark Horses’ 2-1 victory over Newton-Conover in the 2A soccer title, making him a unanimous MVP pick.
6. Dark Horses add to trophy case: In a small town known for other sports like football and basketball, this marked the first time Clinton has hoisted the state title trophy in soccer. It was a historic year for the Dark Horses, who entered this season having never advanced past the fourth round.
7. An unexpected almost-repeat: With only three seniors, even Newton-Conover didn’t expect to get back to the state championship just a year after winning it all in 2017. But the future is bright for the Red Devils.
8. The best moment of the championship weekend: It was so subtle that Clinton coach Brad Spell (and me too, if I’m being completely honest), missed it at first. Newton-Conover forward Jason Agreda tried to get a foot on a loose ball but fell to the ground with an apparent cramp. After Clinton cleared the ball away, Clinton goalkeeper Reid Walters walked over and began to help stretch out the cramp. Read more about that moment in sportsmanship here.
3A TITLE: Chapel Hill 1, Marvin Ridge 0
9. Tigers stopped the skid: Chapel Hill and Marvin Ridge were meeting for the third time in the NCHSAA 3A championship and the second time in the last three seasons. The Tigers had dropped the prior two meetings.
10. Chapel Hill takes its place in history: The Tigers’ sixth NCHSAA title in boys soccer puts the Tigers fourth all-time behind Sanderson (nine), Charlotte Catholic, and Swansboro (seven each). Chapel Hill was the only back-to-back champion crowned on Saturday.
11. Marvin Ridge’s incredible run: The school has four championship appearances in the last 10 years and is 3-1 in title games during that time.
12. Conference depth: This was the only title of the day that did not feature a conference champion. Chapel Hill was just behind Northern Durham, while Marvin Ridge was two games back of Charlotte Catholic.
4A TITLE: Green Hope 4, Myers Park 1
13. You again?: Green Hope and Myers Park met for the third time this decade in the 4A championship, and Green Hope improved to 3-0 in those matches.
14. New dynasty: Green Hope has now won four titles this decade under three different head coaches, include two in the last three seasons with coach David Corsbie. No other school has won more than two 4A titles since 2001.
15. Heartbreak again: Myers Park has made it to the 4A final seven times in school history, but a title has eluded them save for a wild 2008 victory over New Hanover, 4-3.
