Greensboro Page rolls to 4A soccer title

CARY -- Senior forward Rob Lovejoy scored a hat trick as he led Greensboro Page to a convincing 4-0 victory over Cary Green Hope in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A men's soccer
championship on Friday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Lovejoy earned Most Valuable Player honors as Page won its fifth NCHSAA state championship in men's soccer but its first since 1983. The Pirates were playing in their eighth state final but this was Page's
first berth in the championship in 15 years.

Page dominated play early and led 2-0 at the half on a pair of Lovejoy goals. In the 12th minute, he headed a ball down, controlled it and then shot and scored, and five minutes later tallied again to make it 2-0.

A penalty kick by Glen Long six minutes into the second half put the Pirates up 3-0, and then Lovejoy closed out the scoring in the 60th minute, scoring off an assist from sophomore midfielder Hassen Kouyateh.

The Pirates finished 22-0-2 and won their last 10 matches in a row, including outscoring its opponents 20-1 in the state playoffs. Green Hope, in the finals for the first time since 2001, ended the season 19-5-2
and suffered its first loss in 19 games.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2009 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
WakeMed Soccer Park

Class 4-A Championship

Cary Green Hope 0 0 -- 0
Greensboro Page 2 2 -- 4

SCORING
12th minute Page--Rob Lovejoy
17th minute Page--Rob Lovejoy
46th minute Page--Glen Long penalty kick
60th minute Page--Rob Lovejoy (Hassen Kouyateh)

Friday football scores

NCISAA: Charlotte Latin 31, Charlotte Christian 10 (FINAL)
4AA: Butler 70, West Forsyth 16 (FINAL)
4AA: East Meck 47, Olympic 13 (FINAL)
4AA: Independence 49, Mallard Creek 20 (FINAL)
4AA: Richmond Senior 40, Providence 32 (FINAL)
4A: Sun Valley 33, Ragsdale 24 (FINAL)
4A: Asheville Reynolds 25, Alexander Central 16 (FINAL)
3AA: Northern Guilford 49, Hickory Ridge 9 (FINAL)
3AA: Kannapolis Brown 45, Erwin 27 (FINAL)
3AA: Anson Senior 10, Crest 3 (FINAL)
3AA: South Point 35, Forestview 14 (FINAL)
3A: Hibriten 40, Concord 6 (FINAL)
3A: West Rowan 38, R-S Central 0 (FINAL)
3A: Tuscola 31, Burns 14 (FINAL)
2AA: Salisbury 34, Shelby 26 (FINAL)
2AA: Pisgah 24, Forest Hills 21 (FINAL)
2AA: East Lincoln 28, West Stokes 6 (FINAL)
2AA: Newton-Conover 33, Bandys 14 (FINAL)
2A: Lincolnton 16, W-Salem Carver 14 (FINAL)
1AA: Albemarle 35, Murphy 28 (FINAL)
1AA: Swain County 35, Bessemer City 14 (FINAL)
1AA: West Montgomery 17, Monroe 14 (FINAL)
1A: South Stanly at Robbinsville
S.C. 4A: Northwestern 42, Harstville 9 (FINAL)
S.C. 4A: South Pointe 42, James Island 0 (FINAL)
NCISAA: First Assembly vs. Harrells Christian, 7:30 p.m. Sat. (at Charlotte Christian)

Woolbright resigns as Ardrey Kell football coach

Ardrey Kell football coach Marty Woolbright, 58, has resigned as the school’s football coach.

He said he told Knights principal Harrison Peters about his decision in August, before the season started. Peters was out of the office and unavailable Friday.

Woolbright said he was wanting to free time to pursue his hobbies and spend time with his family. He has seven grandchildren.

“I’ve been a head coach for a long time and when I came here I was hoping to do it for five years and make sure I got this first ninth grade class through,” he said. “They’ve had the same coach for four years now and it’s been a lot of hard work and responsibility. I just want to step back now and be an assistant for a few more years and then fully retire.”

Woolbright has taught for 35 years and coached for 30. He’s coached at six schools and was head coach at five, including Clover (S.C.) High, where he was coaching prior to coming to Ardrey Kell. Woolbright still lives in Clover.

His first Ardrey Kell team, in 2006, finished 1-9. The 2007 team won its first four games, reached the second round of the playoffs and finished 8-5.

In 2008, the Knights were 5-6. They were 3-7 this season.

Woolbright said his successor will have a good nucleus of players. The team’s junior varsity was 6-4, its first winning record, and the varsity returns four starters on offense, including tailback Justus Pickett, who has offers from Stanford and Vanderbilt, and tight end Drew Owens, who has 10 Division I offers. The Knights return five starters on defense.

Woolbright said only five of the school’s seven coaches work on campus, which can create increased workloads at times, especially in the offseason. That extra work, he said, was starting to wear on him.

“Ardrey Kell has great kids,” Woolbright said. “I think they need somebody young with a lot of energy. The program is solid. I’ve just been doing this a long time. And for us, with our staffing situation, it gets to be a year-round process. We’ve got to do all the little things to try to be competitive. It’s a lot of work and responsibility and I want to free (myself up) from some of that.”

Woolbright is the second area coach to step down this week.

First-year Mooresville coach Steve McCurry resigned Thursday after his team finished 0-11. Mooresville principal Todd Wirt said, in a press release, that McCury's resignation was for personal reasons.

- Langston Wertz Jr.

Concord 1st Assembly goes for state title Saturday

Saturday at Charlotte Christian, yhe Concord First Assembly Eagles will play in the NCISAA Division II football State Championship game. The Eagles will host the Harrells Christian Academy Crusaders (Harrells, NC) who are the defending state champions. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

The Eagles won the Piedmont Conference this season and finished their schedule undefeated (10-0). They defeated the Ashville Blues (55-13) in the first round of play-offs and last week, the Eagles defeated the Forsyth Country Day Furies (20-19) to advance the title game.

The Crusaders are the 2008 defending State Champions and finished their season (10-2). They defeated Northside Christian Academy (48-8) in the first round of play-offs and last week, the Crusaders defeated Westminster Catawba Christian (14-0) to advance to the title game.

The past two years, the FACS-Eagles and the Harrells-Crusaders have met in the State Championship game with one win each. In 2007, the Eagles beat the Crusaders 34-33 in the closing seconds of the game to win their first state title. Last year (2008), the Crusaders came from behind late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Eagles 38-35 in the closing seconds of the game.

Head Coach, Mike Minter, a former Carolina Panther, is currently in his second season at First Assembly. His team has averaged more than 300 yards rushing and more than 100 yards passing per game this season.

The offense is led by: Senior, Running-Back Tony Moore who has more than 1900 yards and 22 TD’s on the season. Senior, QB-David Larson has over 900 yards and 11 TD’s passing. Seniors, Kyle Grisby has over 500 yards and 9-TD’s. Senior, Brandon Stegall has more than 300 yards and 4-TD’s.

The Eagle defense is led by: Senior, Matt Wallace with 8.3 tackles per game, 5 sacks and 1 interception. Senior, Kyle McKinley with 8 tackles per game, 4 sacks and 1 blocked punt. Junior, Easton Sprabary with 8 tackles per game and 3 sacks. Senior, Ansley Miller with 7.9 tackles per game, and 9 sacks. The Eagles defense has also averaged six sacks per game, led by Jon Wilson (11 sacks), Ansley Miller (9 sacks) and Matt Wallace (5 sacks), and Kyle McKinley (4 sacks). Plus, Junior, Tyler Rhyne leads the conference with 6 interceptions for more than 225 yards.

First Assembly is 22-2 over the last two seasons and they have not lost a game on their home (Webb) field since October 12, 2007. As a result, this State Championship game looks to be the biggest games of the season (maybe the biggest game in the past three seasons) and an incredible rematch between these two great teams. Harrells (10-2) and defending State Champion would like to be the spoiler for a perfect (12-0) FACS season. It will be an exciting game with a lot of history between these two teams.

-- Observer Staff Reports

Hopewell's Brooks signs basketball scholarship

Hopewell senior De'Mon Brooks, a 6-7, 228-pound forward, signe with Howard Sunday at the New Birth-Charlotte Family Life Center.

Brooks averaged 13.5 points and 10.2 rebounds last season for the Titans, who are 2-0 in the 2009-10 season and ranked No. 1 in the Observer's Sweet 16 poll.

Brooks got 32 scholarship offers and plans to take his 4.2 GPA to Howard to pursue an Architectural Engineering degree.

Southwestern 4A all-conference soccer team

PoY Gentile, Giusseppe Ardrey Kell
GKoY Brown, Josh Myers Park
CoY Long, Timothy Providence
ACoY Catchatoorian, Sarit Ardrey Kell



Name Class Position School
Adams, Tyler Senior Centerback Ardrey Kell
Allen, Thomas Senior Centerback Providence
Barfoot, Landon Senior Center Midfielder Ardrey Kell
Barnhorst, Nick Junior Centerback Ardrey Kell
Beatty, Robby Senior Center Midfielder DW Butler
Boyajian, Chris Senior Forward Providence
Bradford, Thomas Junior Centerback Myers Park
Brown, Drew Junior Right Midfielder South Mecklenburg
Brown, Josh Junior Goalkeeper Myers Park
Brown, Matt Junior Center Midfielder South Mecklenburg
Burdon, Ben Sophomore Forward Providence
Caronis, Casey Senior Center Midfielder Myers Park
Carter, Davis Junior Right Back Myers Park
Gentile, Giusseppe Junior Forward Ardrey Kell
Johnson, Chris Junior Centerback Independence
Kajangu, Riffin Senior Forward East Mecklenburg
Keating, Jake Junior Left Back South Mecklenburg
Leonard, Alex Senior Center Midfielder South Mecklenburg
Lipps, Patrick Senior Center Midfielder Myers Park
Luccia, Brett Senior Center Midfielder Ardrey Kell
Morgan, Montrell Senior Goalkeeper East Mecklenburg
Searles, Kyle Senior Center Midfielder DW Butler
Yang, A Senior Right Midfielder Independence
Yearwood, Austin Sophomore Left Back Myers Park

Southwestern 4A cross-country all conference

Cross Country:
BOYS' TEAM SCORES: 1. Ardrey Kell 29; 2. Myers Park 38; 3. Providence 82; 4. S. Meck 102; 5. Butler 137; 6. E. Meck 173.
Top Individuals (top 12 earned all-conference): 1. Jack Klecker (AK) 16:11; 2. Patrick Sidlovsky (MP) 16:19; 3. Madden Souder (AK) 16:22; 4. Tim Kochy (P) 16:26; 5. Jeff Prouty (MP) 16:34; 6. Nick Kapur (AK) 16:40; 7. Cameron Wells (SM) 16:44; 8. Charlie Klecker (AK) 16:47; 9. Bill Bernart (MP) 16:48; 10. Alex Smith (MP) 16:50; 11. Josh Fischer (AK) 16:53; 12. Parth Shah (MP) 17:01.
GIRLS' TEAM SCORES: 1. Myers Park 34; 2. Ardrey Kell 43; 3. Providence 71; 4. Butler 114; 5. S. Meck 129; 6. E. Meck 164; 7. Independence 220.
Top Individuals (top 12 earned all-conference): 1. Kaitlyn Kramer (AK) 18:13; 2. Becca DeLoache (MP) 18:53; 3. Madelin Talbert (SM) 18:57; 4. Emily Zizzi (MP) 19:02; 5. Arden Mattachini (P) 19:51; 6. Kim Halberg (B) 20:01; 7. Emallee Smith (MP) 20:12; 8. Julia Hoover (MP) 20:13; 9. Emily Hicks (AK) 20:16; 10. Abby Brooks (AK) 20:17; 11. Samantha Teague (AK) 20:17; 12. Sydney Teague (AK) 20:18.

Ardrey Kell's Gostling is Southwestern 4A volleyball POY

Southwestern 4A All-Conference

VOLLEYBALL:
Samantha Gostling - Ardrey Kell
Diana Marren – Ardrey Kell
Kristen Muth – Butler
Hayley Caulkins – Butler
Madelyn Beatty – Butler
Chelsea Campbell – Independence
Andrea Queck – Myers Park
Caroline Belt – Myers Park
Paige Howard – Myers Park
Jennifer Lane – Providence
Rachel Frick – Providence
Anna Sturkey – South Meck

Player of the year – Samantha Gostling – AK
Coach of the year – Bettie Berry – MP

Myers Park's Baker is SW 4A tennis player of the year

Southwestern 4A All-Conference

GIRL’S TENNIS
Myers Park: Grace Baker, Jessica Perez, Anna Rickenbaker, Emily Carpenter
Providence: Katie Porter, Catherine Matulis, Morgan McGoawan
Ardrey Kell: Nicole Cort
Butler: Hollie Champion
South Meck: Kyla Risko
Independence: Taylor Harris
East Meck: ML Stemkowski

Player of the Year: Grace Baker, Myers Park
Coach of the Year: Jan Spence, Independence

Metrolina Christian's Hallice signs with Gardner-Webb

Pictured are: (front row l-r) Robin Hallice, T.J. Hallice, Tim Hallice (back row l-r) Jared Clark Athletic Director, Coach Dennis Brown


Metrolina Christian Academy Senior, T.J. Hallice has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC.

In 2009, Hallice averaged 18.5 points per game combined with 9.5 rebounds per game and was named to the Metrolina Athletic Conference All-Conference team. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Hallice played at Tabernacle Christian in Gardendale, Alabama where as a sophomore he earned All-Conference honors and his team won the ACEA State Championship. Hallice will be the first basketball player in the history of Metrolina Christian Academy to play NCAA Division I basketball. T.J. is the son of Tim and Robin Hallice of Waxhaw, NC.

-- Observer News Services