Panther Creek of Cary wins first state title, ends Lake Norman’s unbeaten season in 4A final
Dreams die hard.
Lake Norman came into Saturday’s N.C. 4A state championship game, hoping to become just the eighth NCHSAA 4A girls team to finish the season unbeaten.
Panther Creek, however, had other plans.
The Catamounts took Lake Norman’s best punches and had an answer, taking a 75-65 win at the Smith Center to grab their first state championship. Lake Norman was denied its first state title.
“Today was the capstone of what we’ve been working towards since September,” Panther Creek coach Danielle Sullivan said. “I’m so proud of the way they fought through the adversity, the way they fought through the adversity and the way, down the stretch, they were composed. ... To go out like this feels amazing.”
Lake Norman (31-1) trailed for much of the game, but made a big run late after star Kirsten Lewis-Williams picked up her fourth foul early in the fourth quarter. Lewis-Williams had to leave with her team down 62-54.
The Wildcats responded, though, with a 9-0 run, scoring on four straight possessions, to take a 63-62 lead with 4:56 to play.
But after that push, Lake Norman did not score another field goal.
“It was just our will to win,” Lewis-Williams said. “We really wanted this, and...we came all this way and we wanted to leave with a championship. and I think it showed out there.
“We really gave it our all.”
But while Lake Norman’s offense sputtered, Panther Creek (29-4) kept going. Center Kirstin Smalls made a free throw. Then Taylor Barner drove, missed a layup, but stuck in the rebound for a 65-63 lead.
The Catamounts — who return three starters next season — then pulled away. Panther Creek’s players and coach said playing a tough regular-season schedule that included stops in the John Wall and She Got Game tournaments, and seeing talented teams like Lake Norman, helped them handle the tough times Saturday.
“That competition is what we needed,” Kay Yow Championship MVP Olivia Tucker said. “We did have one or two good conference games, but those games were like (the championship game was).”
Teammate Barner agreed.
“She Got Game humbled us,” Barner said. “I think we needed that kind of moment to take a breath and realize what work we have to do and I think over the season we proved (playing in those tournaments) helped us.”
Tucker, who guarded Lewis-Williams nearly the entire game, had 27 points, four rebounds, three assists for Panther Creek. Barner had 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Smalls, the reigning 4A indoor high jump state champion, had eight points, seven rebounds and four assists. Wake Forest recruit Madisyn Jordan had 10 points and five rebounds.
Lake Norman got 20 points including six three-pointers, six rebounds from freshman Kelsey Rhyne, 15 points from Alexis Shehan and 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists from Lewis-Williams.
Lake Norman would’ve been the first unbeaten girls 4A team since Chambers was 12-0 in the COVID-shortened 2021 season. The last full-season unbeaten team was Raleigh’s Millbrook High, which went 33-0 in 2013.
“We knew it was going to come to a stop one way or the other today,” Lake Norman coach McKenzie Graham said. “We were hoping that we were going to come out with a ring and banner, but we didn’t.
“But that doesn’t discredit what these girls have done and this particular season. Win, lose, tie, we said today we’re just going to enjoy the experience. We’re going to go, we’re going to give it our all. I am still very confident we missed on a couple key things we needed to do, but it was a heckuva season. A loss is always tough and we’re fortunate to not have had that feeling in a long time, but 31-1, who would’ve thought?”
▪ Rhyne was selected western most outstanding player. Barner was eastern most outstanding player.
Game summary
Lake Norman 13 20 21 11 — 65
Panther Creek 15 22 20 18 — 75
LAKE NORMAN 65 — Kelsey Rhyne 20, Kirsten Lewis-Williams 16, Alexis Shehan 15, Samantha Shehan 11, Sirianni 3
PANTHER CREEK 75 — Taylor Barner 20, Olivia Tucker 27, Madisyn Jordan 10, Amira Ofunniyin 10, Smalls 8
PHOTOS: Lake Norman vs. Panther Creek
This story was originally published March 9, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
