NCHSAA spring sports update: Your complete finals wrap-up from Saturday’s championships

Get coverage from the NCHSAA state championship games Friday and Saturday below. Also, scroll down for the East-West soccer rosters, which were recently released.

Seaforth outlasts Pine Lake Prep in 2A soccer

It took nine rounds of penalty kicks, and four PK blocks from sophomore goalie Katherine Leonard, but Seaforth High School, from Pittsboro, N.C., finally won its first state championship on Saturday at the Matthews SportsPlex, just outside Charlotte.

After 80 minutes of regulation and four overtimes, neither team scored. That was followed by nine rounds of pressured-packed penalty kicks, before Seaforth freshman Elizabeth Platt pushed her attempt to the left side for the winning score in the win over Pine Lake Prep in the NCHSAA 2A final.

To set up Platt’s championship play, Leonard blocked back-to-back attempts by Pine Lake Prep.

And when the Hawks finally won, 6-5, it took them a few seconds to realize the game was over.

Both teams were drained.

Seaforth (25-1-1) won its 18th straight, upsetting a Pine Lake Prep team (20-2-1) that was ranked No. 22 in America by MaxPreps and had won nine straight games. Coming into the match, Pine Lake Prep had outscored its playoff opponents 33-3.

Both teams were making their first appearance in the state finals, and both delivered high-level soccer, particularly Leonard, the Seaforth goalie.

Coming into the game, Leonard had 80 saves on a season where her team had outscored opponents 178-5. Only eight teams in state history had allowed fewer goals.

And with Pine Lake Prep’s speedy back line causing problems for Seaforth’s powerhouse offense, the Hawks needed a big performance from Leonard, who was routinely peppered with shots.

Seaforth sophomore Sofia Viana came into the game with 65 goals, No. 10 nationally, and teammate, junior Caitlin Erman, had 47. But Pine Lake’s defense was stingy, showing why it had allowed eight goals all season and posted 15 shutouts.

Throughout the game, Pine Lake Prep got the better looks and missed one or two really good opportunities, and Leonard took away a few more. That sent the match to the four overtime periods and then the penalty kicks, where Seaforth finally won a memorable game.

Softball recaps

3A: SOUTH BRUNSWICK 2, KINGS MOUNTAIN 1

South Brunswick rallied with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, completing a two-game sweep of the Mountaineers and winning the school’s first softball state title.

Kings Mountain (24-3) broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning, when pitcher Madeline Huffman drove a Kina Davis pitch off the flag pole in left field.

But the Cougars (27-4) battled back. They evened the score in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Davis. Tabatha Martin won it for the Cougars in the seventh, when she doubled home Kenda Goodwin.

Davis was named the 3A finals’ Most Valuable Player, after she struck out 15 Mountaineer hitters and scattered three hits.

Kings Mountain 000 010 0 — 1 3 1

South Brunswick 000 001 1 — 2 6 2

2A: SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH 3, MIDWAY 2

Karni Dunn’s two-out single in the bottom of the seventh scored two runs and lifted Southwestern Randolph to the fifth softball state championship in school history.

Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, the Cougars were down to their last out and looking at a potential Game 3 in the series. But Dunn’s single scored Sara-Kate Martin, and Madelyn Smith then came home with the winning run when Midway’s throw to home plate got past the catcher.

The Cougars (23-7) also won state championships in 2001, 2007, 2009 and 2010. They were runners-up two other times.

Midway (21-5) was a runner-up for the second straight year. The Raiders had taken a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on Tania Gwyn’s RBI single.

Midway 000 101 0 — 2

SW Randolph 000 100 2 — 3

1A: EAST WILKES 7, PINETOWN NORTHSIDE 5

EAST WILKES 9, PINETOWN NORTHSIDE 3

Playing in the softball state finals for the first time, East Wilkes won a pair of games Saturday and captured the 1A state championship.

The Cardinals (29-4) erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning of the nightcap and beat Pinetown Northside 9-3. Earlier in the day, East Wilkes built an early lead and held off Northside 7-5.

Northside (22-6) took a 3-1 lead in the third game of the series at Duke University, but East Wilkes won it with the big inning. Kyleigh Lane smacked a two-run single, and Jayden Hutchison added a three-run home run. Hutchison also homered in the sixth.

This was the only baseball or softball series that went the full three games.

In Game 2, the Cardinals built a 7-1 lead after 5 1/2 innings and held on. Lane homered for East Wilkes in the fifth inning, and the Cardinals added four runs in the sixth.

Trailing 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers closed the gap on Megan Hopkins’ three-run home run. But relief pitcher Zoe Cheek entered the game and got the final two outs.

Game 2

East Wilkes 100 114 0 — 7

Pinetown Northside 000 011 3 — 5

Game 3

Northside 021 000 0 — 3 6 1

East Wilkes 010 702 X — 9 12 1

BASEBALL RECAPS

4A: T.C. ROBERSON 8, ASHLEY 1

The Rams rule 4A baseball once again. T.C. Roberson jumped to an early lead at Burlington Athletic Stadium and cruised to a state championship-clinching victory.

Roberson (28-4) became the first 4A repeat champion in baseball since 1994. It was the sixth state title in baseball for the Rams, who also won in 1983, 2000, 2002, 2017 and last year.

Caden Davidson’s two-run double and Micah Simpson’s RBI single put the Rams up 3-0 in the first inning. Jake Parham and Simpson added run-scoring singles in the second, and Parham and Davidson added RBI singles in the third.

Davidson was named the 4A finals’ Most Valuable Player.

Ashley finished with a 26-6 record.

T.C. Roberson lost to Cox Mill and Charlotte Christian early in the season but went 22-2 after their March 23 loss to Charlotte Christian.

T.C. Roberson 332 000 0 — 8

Ashley 010 000 0 — 1

3A: EAST ROWAN 11, SOUTH CENTRAL 3

Sophomore Harrison Ailshie drove in four runs, leading the Mustangs (34-2) to a two-game sweep and their fourth state championship.

Ailshie, named the 3A finals’ Most Valuable Player, smacked an RBI double in the fourth inning and a three-run homer in the sixth. Senior Braden Shive collected four hits and scored three runs.

East Rowan scored four times in the first, but South Central (24-6) rallied with three in the bottom of the second inning on Mason Hobbs’ bases-loaded double. The Mustangs responded with four runs in the fourth and three in the sixth.

East Rowan, which also won state championships in 1993 and 2010, finished with a 15-game winning streak and outscored opponents 347-93 this season.

East Rowan 400 403 0 — 11

South Central 030 000 0 — 3

2A: GREENE CENTRAL 8, BURNS 5

Burns’ hopes of repeating as state champion ended with the Bulldogs (31-3) being swept by Greene Central.

The Rams, who won their sixth state championship (but first in 24 years), scored three times in the first inning and three times in the second. Riley Raford slammed a three-run homer for Greene Central in the first and had an RBI single in the second.

Colby Putnam homered for Burns in the third inning, and Ethan Gay smacked a two-run single in the seventh, when the Bulldogs scored three times.

Winning pitcher Brandon Buress was named the 2A finals’ Most Valuable Player.

Burns 001 010 3 — 5

Greene Central 330 011 X — 8

1A: UWHARRIE CHARTER 6, PINETOWN NORTHSIDE 1

Uwharrie Charter won its second straight state championship and its third in five years, sweeping Northside.

The Eagles (29-6) trailed 1-0 early but pulled ahead to stay on Trey Kennedy’s three-run home run in the top of the third inning. They added three runs in the fifth, thanks in large part to three errors by Northside (20-9).

The Panthers were making their first championship appearance in 30 years.

Winning pitcher Brett Smith scattered four hits, none of them after the third inning.

Uwharrie Charter 003 030 0 — 6

Pinetown Northside 100 000 0 — 1

Girls’ soccer championship results

(all matches at Matthews SportsPlex)

FRIDAY

CLASS 4A

Marvin Ridge 2, Ashley 1

Story/Photos/Videos: Marvin Ridge upsets Ashley

SATURDAY

CLASS 1A

Christ the King 5, Woods Charter 0

Story/Photos/Videos: Christ The King 3-peats in style

CLASS 3A

Jacksonville 0, South Point 0 (Jacksonville wins 3-2 on PK’s)

Story/Photos/Videos: South Point falls in OT

CLASS 2A

Seaforth 0, Pine Lake Prep 0 (Seaforth wins 6-5 on PK’s)

Softball championship results

(all series are best-of-three)

Class 4A: Weddington (21-5) vs. Garner (28-2)

(at UNC-Greensboro)

Game 1: Garner 3, Weddington 1

Game 2: Garner 12, Weddington 1

Click here for story, photos, video

Class 3A: Kings Mountain (24-3) vs. South Brunswick (27-4)

(at Duke)

Game 1: South Brunswick 2, Kings Mountain 0

Game 2: South Brunswick 2, Kings Mountain 1

Class 2A: Southwestern Randolph (23-7) vs. Midway (21-5)

(at UNC-Greensboro)

Game 1: Southwestern Randolph 13, Midway 0 (5 innings)

Game 2: Southwestern Randolph 3, Midway 2

Class 1A: East Wilkes (29-4) vs. Pinetown Northside (22-6)

(at Duke)

Game 1: Northside 3, East Wilkes 0

Game 2: East Wilkes 8, Northside 5

Game 3: East Wilkes 9, Northside 3

Baseball championship results

Class 4A: T.C. Roberson (28-4) vs. Ashley (25-5)

(at Burlington Athletic Stadium)

Game 1: T.C. Roberson 3, Ashley 0

Game 2: T.C. Roberson 8, Ashley 1

Class 3A: East Rowan (34-2) vs. South Central (23-6)

(at Ting Stadium, Holly Springs)

Game 1: East Rowan 3, South Central 2 (9 innings)

Game 2: East Rowan 11, South Central 3

Class 2A: Burns (31-2) vs. Greene Central (28-1)

(at Burlington Athletic Stadium)

Game 1: Greene Central 2, Burns 0

Game 2: Greene Central 8, Burns 5

Class 1A: Uwharrie Charter (28-6) vs. Pinetown Northside (20-8)

(at Ting Stadium, Holly Springs)

Game 1: Uwharrie Charter 2, Pinetown Northside 1 (8 innings)

Game 2: Uwharrie Charter 6, Pinetown Northside 1

NCHSAA state championship Day 1

SOFTBALL RECAPS

4A: GARNER 3, WEDDINGTON 1

If Weddington High School is going to win its first NCHSAA 4A state softball championship, the Warriors are going to have to start playing a little cleaner brand of softball.

Weddington lost Game 1 of its best-of-three series with Garner on Friday because of two errors and a missed pop-fly that led to three Garner runs. Garner won 3-1 and will need to win Game 2 Saturday at 11 a.m. at UNC-Greensboro to take its first state title.

Weddington (21-4), which had its six-game win streak snapped, will need to win Saturday morning and then win a forced Game 3 Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. to take the title.

Friday night, Garner (27-2) won for the 17th time in 18 tries, in a game where both starting pitchers — Weddington’s Joella Thomas and Garner’s Gabriella Czuczuk — both were pretty solid. But after UNC recruit Jadyn Howe gave Weddington a 1-0 lead with a huge home run to center field, the Warriors committed those two errors, which ultimately were the difference in the game.

Howe’s shot came in the top of the second.

In the bottom of the inning, Garner got a runner on with a single. The next batter hit the blooping single to the outfield that was misplayed, scoring a run. A similar play, in the third inning, helped a Garner runner score from first base with the go-ahead run.

Later in the bottom of the sixth, one of Garner’s best hitters, Lily Keefer, popped up a foul ball behind home plate that should’ve been caught. The ball fell the ground. Moments later, with her team up 2-1, Keefer smashed home a run to left, her seventh home run and 37th RBI of the season.

▪ Weddington pitcher Joella Thomas had six strikeouts. Garner starter Gabriella Czuczuk allowed one run on three hits. Raleigh Stewart relieved her in the sixth.

Weddington 000 000 0 — 1 4 2 — 0

Garner 011 000 X — 3 5 0 — 0

3A: SOUTH BRUNSWICK 2, KINGS MOUNTAIN 0

Kina Davis tossed her 19th shutout of the season, and South Brunswick took the opening game of the series at Duke University.

Davis scattered four hits and struck out 12 for the Cougars (26-4). Kings Mountain fell to 24-2.

Davis, who helped her cause with a home run, struck out two Mountaineers in the seventh inning and ended the game by fanning Zaniah Field.

Kali Weaver had two of the Mountaineers’ four hits, and losing pitcher Madeline Huffman tossed a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts.

Game 2 of the series will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday.

South Brunswick 010 001 0 — 2 3 0

Kings Mountain 000 000 0 — 0 4 4

2A: SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH 13, MIDWAY 0

Southwestern Randolph (22-7) exploded for eight runs in the third inning and rolled to a Game 1 victory. The contest was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

Madelyn Smith, Maddie Strider and Hayleigh Thompson each had two-run hits in the third, and Strider added a two-run double in the fourth.

Midway (21-4) was held to one hit by winning pitcher Macie Crutchfield, who also struck out nine.

Southwestern Randolph 028 30 — 13 17 2

Midway 000 00 — 0 1 0

1A: PINETOWN NORTHSIDE 3, EAST WILKES 0

Northside’s Emaleigh Cherry blasted a three-run home run in the top of the fifth, providing the victorious Panthers with all the offense they needed in a Game 1 victory.

Northside (22-4) got clutch pitching from Jorden Clark, who got herself out of a big jam in the bottom of the second by striking out an East Wilkes hitter with the bases loaded.

Game 2 of the series is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Duke University.

Northside 000 030 0 — 3 9 0

East Wilkes 000 000 0 — 0 6 0

BASEBALL RECAPS

4A: T.C. ROBERSON 3, ASHLEY 0

Defending state champion Roberson scored all its runs in the first inning, then relied on the pitching of Michael Simpson and C.J. Wallace for the victory.

The Rams (27-4) had five hits in their big first inning. Caden Davidson drove in one run with a double, Simpson had a run-producing sacrifice fly, and J.T. Smith had an RBI single.

Meanwhile, Simpson worked 6.1 innings and scattered six hits. He was relieved by Wallace in the seventh, after Ashley (25-4) got back-to-back singles with one out. Wallace quickly ended the game by getting the next Ashley batter to hit into a double play.

T.C. Roberson will go for a second straight state title in Game 2 at 2 p.m. Saturday at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

Ashley 000 000 0 — 0 6 0

T.C. Roberson 300 000 0 — 3 8 1

3A: EAST ROWAN 3, SOUTH CENTRAL 2

The Mustangs (33-2) got a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning and captured Game 1 of the series against the Falcons (24-5) at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs.

Logan Dyer reached on a walk for East Rowan in the ninth and went to third on Braden Shore’s double. Cobb Hightower loaded the bases with an intentional walk, and Harrison Ailshie drove in the winning run when he walked on a 3-1 pitch.

Krystopher Hernandez and Mason Phelps had RBI singles for the Mustangs, who got out of a jam in the seventh inning by successfully executing the hidden ball trick.

Game 2 of the series will be at 11 a.m. Saturday.

South Central 000 200 000 — 2

East Rowan 020 000 001 — 3

2A: GREENE CENTRAL 2, BURNS 0

Greene Central’s Austin Hardy pitched a shutout, and the Rams took a 1-0 best-of-three series lead over defending 2A state champion Burns at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

The Rams (28-1) scored on a throwing error in the top of the fourth inning and on a Braden Burress RBI single in the seventh. Burns (31-2) loaded the bases in the third inning, but Hardy pitched his team out of a jam.

Burns ace Colby Putnam pitched well, scattering four hits and striking out 10. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate.

Game 2 in the series will be at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Greene Central 000 100 1 — 2 4 0

Burns 000 000 0 — 0 6 3

1A: UWHARRIE CHARTER 2, PINETOWN NORTHSIDE 1

Carter Brown’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted Uwharrie Charter (27-6) over Northside (20-7) in the 1A series opener at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs.

The Eagles, going for their second straight 1A state championship, trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, as Northside pitcher James Sawyer was in control. But the Eagles cobbled together a tying run on Landon Zephir’s RBI single.

Brown’s walk-off hit in the eighth scored Troy Carver, who had walked.

Ashton Willard drove in Northside’s run with a single in the fifth.

Sawyer finished with 15 strikeouts, and winning pitcher Jake Hunter fanned 12.

Game 2 of the series is at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Pinetown Northside 000 010 00 — 1

Uwharrie Charter 000 000 11 — 2

East-West girls’ soccer rosters announced

Here are rosters for the East-West girls’ all-star game, July 16, at Greensboro Grimsley