High school roundup: Charlotte Catholic soccer stays unbeaten
Charlotte Catholic’s girls’ soccer team proved why it’s one of the best teams in the state Monday night in Pineville.
In what started as a windy and rainy match at OrthoCarolina Stadium, Charlotte Catholic blew past Butler 6-1 in the first round of the 4A state playoffs.
Catholic, ranked No. 65 in America, improved to 19-0-1 after getting three early goals from Jordyn Miller, Tilley Hahn and Kinleigh Thornton.
In the second half, Olivia Hayes scored a goal from a Mary Martin Spinner assist to put Charlotte Catholic up 4-0.
Butler managed to get on the scoreboard with Natalie Pfeiffer scoring on a penalty kick.
Butler couldn’t muster enough on either side of the ball as Savanna Leckner and Anne Gonyea scored two more goals for Charlotte Catholic to close out the match.
“We did a really good job changing the point of attack,” Charlotte Catholic coach Gary Hoilett said. “As a result, we got some good strikes from it.”
Hoilett’s team beat Butler for the third time this season and won its 18th straight game. But Hoilett isn’t worried about his team’s long regular-season win streak.
He’s just worried about a new one that started Monday. Catholic is 1-0 in the playoffs.
“The regular season is done. In order to win it all, you need to get six wins,” he said. “Just stay focused on the job and we’re taking the game one game at a time.”
▪ Charlotte Catholic will advance to the second round and will face the winner of No. 15 Mount Tabor and No. 18 T.C Roberson on Thursday.
Ardrey Kell 2, Cuthbertson 1: The host Knights (18-3-4) opened 4A playoff action with a narrow victory. Ellie Riechman and Mina Agajan scored goals for Ardrey Kell, while Savannah Breslin scored for Cuthbertson (8-11-1).
East Lincoln 9, Jesse Carson 0: The Mustangs (20-2-3) routed their 3A foes, as freshman Piper Rasmussen scored three times, and Melody Echeverria added two goals.
Forestview 2, Fred T. Foard 1: Ava Cabe and Alayna Janik scored for the Jaguars (19-2), and goalkeeper Madison Potter made four saves in this 3A playoff match.
Hickory Ridge 1, South Iredell 1: Aubrey Rose stopped four of South Iredell’s five shots in the penalty-kick shootout, and the Ragin Bulls (21-1-1) advanced with a 4A victory. Hickory Ridge won 2-1 in the shootout.
Hough 2, Porter Ridge 0: The undefeated Huskies (23-0-1) got goals from Ava Houser and Campbell Schmidt and advanced in 4A play.
Lake Norman Charter 8, Parkwood 0: Caroline Mercuri and London Stafford each scored twice, leading the Knights (17-2-2) to a 3A victory. Lake Norman Charter led only 2-0 at the half. Kate Robinson added three assists.
Mountain Island Charter 9, Allegheny 0: Cheyenne Painter’s four goals led the Raptors to a lopsided 1A victory. Eden Lewis had a goal and five assists.
Providence 5, East Forsyth 2: Bella Dragone scored four goals, leading the host Panthers (17-7) to a 4A triumph. Madison Detenber added three assists.
Union Academy 11, Cherryville 0: The Cardinals (17-2-1) soared to a 1A victory, behind Hadassa Garcia (four goals, two assists) and Caroline Souza (three goals, one assist).
Rain dominates Day 1 of the NCHSAA golf championships
Stuart Cramer from Belmont and Pine Lake Prep from Mooresville earned Day 1 leads at NCHSAA state golf championships Monday. Rain affected play in all four classes.
And Charlotte Catholic’s Will Hartman is tied with five other other golfers for the individual lead in the 4A finals.
▪ The 1A state finals at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines were suspended. Play is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Christ The King’s Colin Ferrick was the low man on the course when play stopped. He was 1-under-par through eight holes, but the final nine pairings were unable to tee off because of bad weather.
▪ Pine Lake Prep leads the 2A finals, with a team total of 316, just ahead of Bandys (321) and Salisbury (323). West Wilkes sophomore Slater Meade shot a 1-under-par 70 at Pinehurt No. 6 to grab the Day 1 lead, just one shot up on East Surry’s Pennson Badgett.
▪ Stuart Cramer took a two-shot lead in the 3A finals at Gates Four Golf and Country Club in Fayetteville on Monday. Fred T. Foard (301) was second and Oak Grove (303) third. Individually, Fred T. Foard’s Lael Brewer shot a 2-under-par 70 for the lead over East Lincoln’s Warren Stiglitz.
▪ Pinehurst got into position for a third straight 4A state championship at Pinehurt No. 2, firing a team total of 144, to get a seven-stroke lead over Hough. Individually, Charlotte Catholic’s Will Hartman is tied for the Day 1 lead with Ardrey Kell’s Jack Pelletier, Leesville Road’s Luke Mueller, Cardinal Gibbons’ Charles McPherson, Broughton’s Preston Hage and Pinecrest’s Colby Hutchens.
All six golfers were even par Monday.
Hartman, who won the 2022 state title, is going for the second state title of his career.
Charlotte Latin wins NCISAA golf championship
Charlotte Latin’s Henry Holland shot back-to-back 68s at the NCISAA state golf championships Monday to shoot 8-under-par and win the individual state title.
The Hawks shot a school-record 15-under over 36 combined holes Monday and won their third straight state title by 16 shots.
Former Olympic High coach returns to the area
Former Olympic High boys’ basketball coach Ty Baumgardner is returning to the Charlotte area.
Baumgardner, who led Olympic to a 30-0 record in the 2012-13 season, has been named head coach at Rock Hill’s Northwestern High School.
Baumgardner most recently coached at Collins Hill High in Georgia and has also coached winning teams at Westwood (SC), Jackson County (GA) and Topeka (KS) High School.
Baumgardner has been named a region or conference coach of the year eight times and he’s coached seven all-state players and one All-American. He’s sent more than 50 players to college on scholarship.
HIs best team was in Charlotte, where Olympic won the 2013 N.C. 4A state championship and Baumgardner was named the 2013 N.C. Associated Press coach of the year.
Baumgardner will be introduced during a news conference at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the F-Gym mezzanine at Northwestern.
