2-A NCHSAA MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWTON-CONOVER DOWNS FIRST FLIGHT

IN NCHSAA 2-A MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

 

            RALEIGH – Opportunistic on offense and strong defense helped lift Newton-Conover to a 2-0 victory over Kill Devil Hills First Flight in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A men's soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University on a cold Saturday night.

            First Flight controlled the ball in midfield for good portions of the game but couldn’t get much going in the final third against a strong Newton-Conover defense, while the Red Devils took advantage of their scoring opportunities.

            Freshman forward Francisco Tapia, who was named the championship Most Valuable Player, put the Red Devils on the board in the 19th minute when he blistered a shot to the back of the net for a 1-0 advantage. 

           Then in the 51st minute, on a restart from about 35 yards out on the left side ,Alan Esperiella served it into the box and senior forward Douglas Palma headed it home for a 2-0 N-C lead.

            Goalkeeper Jacob Miller notched the shutout in goal, the 18th of the year for the Red Devils as N-C conceded only 15 goals all season.

            Newton-Conover had eight shots, five of which were on goal, while First Flight had six total shots and two on goal.  The Nighthawks had three corner kicks to two for the Red Devils.

            The Red Devils finished the season on a 24-match winning streak and closed the campaign with a 26-1 mark, with the only blemish an early-season loss to Statesville.  First Flight suffered its only loss against 24 wins and one tie and had an 18-match winning streak snapped.

             First Flight played in its second consecutive NCHSAA men’s soccer championship after losing 2-1 to Salisbury in the 2013 final. Newton-Conover was back in the finals for the first time since 2007, when the Red Devils won the 2-A state title.

            The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the city of Raleigh served as primary host city sponsors for this championship, and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel was the presenting sponsor.

 

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2014 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dail Soccer Field, Raleigh

 

2-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Newton-Conover                             1          1          —         2

Kill Devil Hills First Flight                   0          0          —         0

 

SCORING

19th minute     N-C—Francisco Tapia

51st minute     N-C—Douglas Palma (Alan Esperiella)

 

 

 

4-A NCHSAA MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

 

REAGAN NIPS BROUGTON 1-0

IN NCHSAA 4-A MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

 

            RALEIGH – Ethan Wells scored the only goal of the game in the 59th minute and earned Most Valuable Player honors to lift Pfafftown Ronald Reagan to a 1-0 victory over Raleigh Broughton on Saturday night in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A men's soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.

            The taut, evenly matched battle was tied until freshman Noah Wells delivered a cross from the right flank, older brother and Reagan captain Ethan made a run through the middle and then tucked it away for the 1-0 advantage.

            The Caps had a great chance in the 75th minute when leading scorer Jack Brickhouse, who had a hat trick in the regional final, fired a shot at close range but it caromed off the left post. Broughton kept the pressure on but Reagan held on to win.

            Reagan keeper Quinn Kuhn, who entered the game with an 0.76 goals-against average, recorded five saves en route to the shutout.

            The Caps outshot the Raiders 10-8 and had a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal.  Reagan had two corner kicks to just one for Broughton.

            The Raiders finished the year with a 25-3 mark while Broughton lost for just the second time against 22 victories and two ties.

            Broughton was back in the finals for the first time since 2007, when the Caps won back-to-back state crowns in ’06 and ’07. Reagan qualified for the championship for the first time ever in its 10 years of existence and was in its eighth trip to postseason play, but had only won two playoff games ever prior to this year.

             The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the city of Raleigh served as primary host city sponsors for this championship, and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel was the presenting sponsor.

 

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2014 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dail Soccer Field, Raleigh

 

4-A CHAMPIONSHIP                      1          2                      F  

Pfafftown Ronald Reagan                  0          1          —         1         

Raleigh Broughton                            0          0          —         0

 

SCORING

59th minute     R—Ethan Wells (Noah Wells)