CHAPEL HILL –Wells Fargo, along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, today announced the final standings in the Wells Fargo Cup competitions for the 2014-15 academic year.
The Wells Fargo Cup is sponsored by Wells Fargo and the NCHSAA. The award recognizes the high schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performance within each of the state’s four competitive classifications. The Cup program is in its 36th year.
Two of last year’s Wells Fargo Cup champions repeated the feat, and the races were among some of the closest in history. Apex caught defending champion Cary Green Hope to finish in a dead heat in the 4-A standings. Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons held off defending champion Waxhaw Marvin Ridge in the 3-A classification, while Carrboro was the Cup winner among 2-A schools for the fourth straight year. Kernersville Bishop McGuinness took top honors in the 1-A classification, overcoming a challenge from Community School of Davidson.
"We sincerely appreciate Wells Fargo's commitment to our overall program in recognizing our champions," said Que Tucker, NCHSAA interim commissioner. "The schools which win the Wells Fargo Cup do a tremendous job with their overall athletic programs, and we are grateful for Wells Fargo's desire to recognize the achievements of these members of the NCHSAA."
In the 4-A classification, last year Green Hope held off a spring-season charge by Apex to win the title by 17.5 points. This year, however, the Apex surge in the spring was just enough, enabling the Cougars to tie Green Hope as each finished with a total of 400 points. Wake County schools did very well, as five of the top eight finishers are from Wake County.
Apex scored more than half of its points in the year—215 of its total of 400– in the spring, scoring playoff points in five different sports. That included a Cougar state championship in 4-A lacrosse, a third-place finish in women’s outdoor track and a top four finish in softball. Green Hope’s spring playoff points came from a top-eight placement in men’s dual team tennis.
Charlotte Catholic took third overall with 377.5 points, followed by Charlotte Myers Park (372.1) and Raleigh Broughton (362.1).
Among 3-A schools, Marvin Ridge finished second to Cardinal Gibbons in the 2012-13 Cup standings, won the title last year with Gibbons second, and then wound up finishing a close second to Gibbons this year. Gibbons held off a late charge by Marvin Ridge to take the title by five points, 795-790.
Marvin Ridge had another great spring, with state championship finishes in baseball, men’s outdoor track and men’s dual team tennis, earning playoff points in a whopping seven sports. But Cardinal Gibbons prevailed with top finishes in men’s and women’s lacrosse, a runner-up finish in men’s tennis, and strong performances in men’s outdoor track (third place in 3-A) and women’s outdoor track (fourth place).
Weddington finished third at 554.5 points, followed by Chapel Hill at 485 and Northern Guilford with 382.5 points.
Carrboro had an impressive spring to secure its fourth consecutive Cup, rolling up 305 points in the spring for its 677.5 total, well ahead of runner-up Lake Norman Charter at 382.5 points. Carrboro, with playoff points in six different sports, won both the 2-A men’s dual team tennis title and the women’s soccer state crown, was second in women’s outdoor track and then picked up major points as the top 2-A finisher in women’s lacrosse.
Runner-up Lake Norman Charter was in the top eight in women’s soccer and also was tied for the top spot among 2-A men’s lacrosse programs.
Newport Croatan took third place, just five points back of Lake Norman Charter, with Durham North Carolina School of Science and Math (372.5) fourth and Franklin (310) in fifth.
In the 1-A classification, Bishop McGuinness had a strong spring, with 210 points in spring sports of the Villiains’ 512.5 total. That included a state championship performance in men’s golf, a second-place finish in women’s soccer and then sharing the top spot among 1-A men’s lacrosse teams with Community School of Davidson in the 1-A/2-A/3-A tournament.
Community School of Davidson finished in second with 497.5 points, taking the runner-up spot in women’s outdoor track and third in men’s golf to go with its points in men’s lacrosse and a top-eight placement in women’s soccer.
Raleigh Charter was third in the 1-A standings with 385 points, followed by Lincoln Charter in fourth with 359 and Elkin in fifth at 282.5.
Wells Fargo Cup points are determined by a system based on performance in state championship events. All schools that finish in the top eight positions (plus ties) earn points. In the playoff events involving teams from more than one classification, Wells Fargo Cup points are awarded based on the school’s standing against other schools in its own classification. If fewer then eight schools from a classification compete in a sport, only those schools that are represented are eligible to receive the Cup points.
Points are awarded for all sports as follows: 50 for first, 45 for second, 40 for third, 35 for fourth, 30 for fifth, 25 for sixth, 20 for seventh and 15 for eighth. In the event of a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points based on the number of teams that tie and the number of teams that finish higher in the standings. Five points are awarded for each sanctioned sport in which a school competes.
Wells Fargo Cup standings are announced three times each school year: once after the fall and then the winter sports, and concluding with the winner after the spring sports season ends.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
FINAL WELLS FARGO CUP STANDINGS 2014-15
1-A CLASSIFICATION
SCHOOL POINTS
1. Kernersville Bishop McGuinness 512.5
2. Community School of Davidson 497.5
3. Raleigh Charter 385
4. Lincoln Charter 350
5. Elkin 282.5
6. Mooresville Pine Lake Prep 275
7. Winston-Salem Prep 260
8. East Surry 257.5
9. Mount Airy 245
10. Avery 242.5
11. Swain County 232.5
12. Misenheimer Gray Stone Day 227.5
13. Rosewood 225
14. Whiteville 222.5
15. North Stokes 210
2-A CLASSIFICATION
SCHOOL POINTS
1. Carrboro 677.5
2. Lake Norman Charter 382.5
3. Newport Croatan 377.5
4. N.C. School of Science and Math 372.5
5. Franklin 310
6. Newton-Conover 307.5
7. South Granville 265
8. East Lincoln 260
9. Washington 255
10. Salisbury 250
11. East Bend Forbush 237.5
Wilkes Central 237.5
13. Shelby 227.5
14. Monroe Central Academy 210
15. Kill Devil Hills First Flight 207.5
3-A CLASSIFICATION
SCHOOL POINTS
1. Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 795
2. Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 790
3. Weddington 554.5
4. Chapel Hill 485
5. Northern Guilford 382.5
6. Asheville 325
7. Fayetteville Terry Sanford 307.5
8. Cuthbertson 287.5
9. Lee County 267.5
10. Jacksonville 254.5
11. West Carteret 250
12. Asheville A.C. Reynolds 237.5
13. Crest 230
14. East Rowan 222.5
15. Cameron Union Pines 207.5
4-A CLASSIFICATION
SCHOOL POINTS
1. Apex 400
Cary Green Hope 400
3. Charlotte Catholic 377.5
4. Charlotte Myers Park 372.1
5. Raleigh Broughton 362.1
6. Charlotte Providence 335
7. Raleigh Millbrook 317.5
8. Cary Panther Creek 302.5
9. Charlotte Ardrey Kell 290
10. Cornelius Hough 287.5
11. Wilmington Hoggard 282.5
12. Charlotte Mallard Creek 270
13. Lake Norman 262.5
14. Cary 257.5
15. Cary Leesville Road 250
Southeast Raleigh 250
Pfafftown Ronald Reagsn 250