Share
Today is championship Saturday for the N.C. High School Athletic Association.
State finals will be decided in cross country, girls' dual-team tennis and volleyball. Also, the second round of the state soccer playoffs continues.
In volleyball, Ardrey Kell (23-5), which was 12-11 last season, plays Greenville Rose (24-0) in the 4A championship. The match starts at 7:30 p.m. at N.C. State. The Knights are the only Observer-area team remaining.
In tennis, unbeaten reigning state champion Myers Park (18-0) faces Raleigh Ravenscroft (19-0) at 9 a.m. at the Burlington Tennis Center.
Broughton has won eight state titles in 12 finals appearances. The Caps are 70-10 all-time in postseason play. Myers Park is in its sixth state final. Myers Park star Grace Baker, the 2008 N.C. 4A individual champion, was runner-up this season.
In 3A, Charlotte Catholic (20-4) faces Chapel Hill (16-5) at noon. Catholic is 7-0 in its previous state title appearances, six in 2A and a 3A championship in 2007.
In the 2A final, Salisbury (22-1) tries for its sixth dual team championship against Greene Central (22-6) at noon. Greene Central, in the finals for the 10th time in the tournament's 20-year history, has a 2-7 mark in previous championships and earned its last title in 2007, when it beat Salisbury 5-4.
Salisbury's Hannah Lebowitz won the state 2A singles championship last weekend.
The seventh N.C. state invitational cheerleading championships are today at the Raleigh Convention Center. A record 116 teams have registered for the competition, which will include 10 categories.
The cross-country state championships in all classes are today at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons. The 1A boys start at 10 a.m. The others will follow in 30-minute intervals after the first race. Mooresville's boys have won three straight championships.
Tonight's featured soccer matches include Sweet 16 No.13 Lake Norman (14-6-2) at No.14 Olympic (17-4-2) at 7; and Vance (14-7) at rival No. 7 North Meck (16-4-2) at 7 p.m.. Also Garinger (8-5), which didn't have a team three years ago, is in the second round at Skyland Roberson (21-1-1) tonight at 6. Garinger coach Brian Freeland was a CMS teacher of the year in 2008-09. He led the Wildcats, in the playoffs for a second straight season, to a 5-1 win over Watauga in this week's first round.
Preseason basketball
Two strong preseason events today: state championship contender Victory Christian is hosting a multi-team boys' jamboree starting at noon.
At Providence Day, the Chargers are hosting a 16-team girls' scrimmage featuring state powers Providence Day, Concord and Hickory Grove along with national power Oak Hill Academy. Play starts at 9a.m. Tickets are $5. See a full schedule for both events at prepinsiders.blogspot.com
