NORTHWEST GUILFORD TOPS EAST CHAPEL HILLIN NCHSAA MEN’S LACROSSE FINAL
CARY — Senior attackman Jay Goldsmith scored seven goals and had two assists to lead Northwest Guilford past East Chapel Hill 13-9 in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s second annual state men’s lacrosse championship Saturday afternoon at the WakeMed Soccer Park.
Goldsmith, who has been one of Northwest’s leaders all year, was named the championship Most Valuable Player. His scoring barrage gave him 64 goals for the season.
Northwest Guilford got off to a blistering start, spurting to a 7-0 lead after one quarter while also stifling the high-powered East Chapel Hill offense. The Wildcats had not scored fewer than 12 goals in any playoff game this year and had scored 18 or more goals in eight of their previous 20 games.
The Vikings had a 10-3 lead at the half and kept the Wildcats at bay.
Northwest finished with a 20-2 record and won its last 10 in a row, while East Chapel Hill wound up at 18-3.
The Vikings had dedicated the season to the late Chase Bunting, an outstanding defenseman and teammate who died in an accident in the fall. Northwest had dubbed its quest for the title the “Chase for the Championship,” and it made for an emotional state final.
In last year’s inaugural NCHSAA championship, Charlotte Myers Park defeated Apex 15-11 in the men’s title game. The lacrosse state championships are currently conducted as an “open” tournament, with all classifications competing for a single crown.
NCHSAA STATE MEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
WAKEMED SOCCER PARK, CARY
East Chapel Hill 0 3 2 4— 9
Northwest Guilford 7 3 2 1—13
APEX ROLLS PAST MYERS PARK IN NCHSAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE FINAL
CARY — Apex built a big lead early and coasted to a 24-3 victory over Charlotte Myers Park in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s second annual state women’s lacrosse championship Saturday afternoon at the WakeMed Soccer Park.
The Cougars, completing a perfect 20-0 season, sprinted to a 14-3 halftime lead, dominating play, and then shut the Mustangs out in the second half.
Senior Cawley Bromley of Apex was named the championship Most Valuable Player. She scored three goals, running her total to 49 on the season, and handed out seven assists to help lead her team to victory.
It was the second meeting of the season between the two, as Apex had beaten Myers Park 17-9 in a regular-season contest. Myers Park finished the season with a 15-4 record.
Apex won the last three independent state tournaments before the NCHSAA actually sanctioned a lacrosse final for the first time in 2010. In last year’s inaugural NCHSAA championship, Charlotte Catholic edged Wilmington Hoggard 12-11 in the women’s title game.
The lacrosse state championships are currently conducted as an “open” tournament, with all classifications competing for a single crown.
