Prep roundup: Ardrey Kell soccer upsets Hickory Ridge, Cuthbertson baseball heads to G3
When Ardrey Kell’s girls soccer team lost back-to-back SoMeck 4A conference games in late March, some may have forgotten about the Knights’ rich recent history.
After Ardrey Kell won 2-0 Thursday night at top-seeded Hickory Ridge to advance to its third Western N.C. 4A championship game in four years, nobody is forgetting about the Knights.
“This has been a great group,” 13th-year head coach Kim Montgomery said. “And they’ve had to take a challenging road to get this far.”
Ardrey Kell (21-3-4), which has won 20 or more games in four straight seasons, entered the playoffs with a No. 12 seed after losing a three-way draw with league rivals Myers Park and South Mecklenburg for the league’s top seed.
It’s meant the Knights have played their last three state playoff games on the road — and will go on the road again Tuesday when they visit No. 2 seed Charlotte Catholic for the 2025 Western N.C. 4A championship.
“I’m proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish,” Montgomery said of her team. “They’ve worked very hard and will keep working hard.”
In Thursday’s win, the Knights outshot the host Ragin’ Bulls 19-7, including 8-2 in a scoreless first half.
In the second half, senior Ellie Riechman scored on a 15-yard blast in the 53rd minute and Rhyan Winnek assisted Makayla Rodriguez for an insurance goal three minutes later.
Hickory Ridge, which was seeking to make its first regional final since 2009, ended its season at 23-2-1 highlighted by an unbeaten (11-0-1) Greater Metro Conference title run.
THREE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE
Ellie Riechman, Ardrey Kell: Senior midfielder tallied the game’s first goal to give her 17 goals this season.
Makayla Rodriguez, Ardrey Kell: Sophomore forward scored the second goal for her team-high 28th of the year.
Aubrey Rose, Hickory Ridge: Junior goalkeeper saved 11 shots against the aggressive Knights offense.
NOTABLE
▪ Hickory Ridge has made the playoffs every season since 2009. The school’s first girls’ soccer season was in 2008. This year’s win total set a school record under third-year coach Jay Niessner.
▪ Ardrey Kell has advanced to five state championship games in its history, with the 2023 title the Knights’ last visit.
▪ The Knights started the season 2-2 in league play after back-to-back losses to Myers Park and South Mecklenburg but haven’t lost since March 27.
THEY SAID IT
“It feels amazing. It’s been very rewarding and we realize you can never take anything for granted.” — Ardrey Kell senior Ellie Riechman
LINE SCORE
Ardrey Kell 0 2 - 2
Hickory Ridge 0 0 - 0
Scoring: AK- Goals: Ellie Riechman, Makayla Rodriguez, Assist: Rhyan Winnek.
Cuthbertson baseball falls in Skyland
Cuthbertson baseball will head to Game 3 of the N.C. 4A Western Regional championship series.
The Cavaliers (27-5) won Game 1 of the best-of-3 series with T.C. Roberson on Tuesday, winning 13-0.
But Roberson (24-7), the two-time 4A state champion, bounced back with a 7-5 win in Game 2 at home in Skyland.
That will force Friday’s deciding Game 3 at Cuthbertson. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
As was the case in Game 1, Cuthbertson struck quickly in Game 2. The Cavaliers, who scored eight runs in the first game, got two in the top of the first Thursday night. They scored on a double by Nathan Wilson.
T.C. Roberson’s powerful lineup came alive in the bottom of the third. J.T. Smith singled, Caden Davidson doubled him home, and starting pitcher Micah Simpson lined a home run to right field. The Rams added a fourth run on a Cuthbertson infield error.
Roberson increased its lead to 7-2 in the fifth on RBI hits by Simpson and Parker Filipek.
Wilson brought Cuthbertson back in the sixth inning with a two-run homer, and the Cavaliers added another run on an RBI single by Gavin Aldredge. That cut Roberson’s lead to 7-5, and the Rams lifted Simpson for reliever C.J. Wallace.
Cuthbertson got the potential tying run on base in the seventh, but Wallace retired the side.
North Lincoln advances to the state finals
North Lincoln (21-8) won its 12th straight game Thursday, beating North Davidson 16-1 in Game 2 of the NCHSAA 3A Western Regional championship.
North Lincoln, which won Game 5-4 on Tuesday, won the best-of-3 series 2-0 and will play for the 3A state title next week against either Greenville’s JH Rose or Fayetteville’s Terry Sanford.
The Knights scored three times in the top of the first inning Thursday, then built their lead to 5-0 in the third. After North Davidson scored in the bottom of the third, North Lincoln added four runs in the top of the fourth for a 9-1 lead.
They added a run in the sixth and six more in the seventh.
Kellen Carr, a Coastal Carolina commit, pitched the victory for the Knights.
Softball: Weddington falls, Union Academy wins
Weddington’s season came to an end Thursday night, but another Union County team, Union Academy, clinched a spot in next week’s best-of-three state championship series.
Weddington, which reached the 4A state finals last year, fell 3-1 in nine innings to South Caldwell. That gave the Spartans (30-2) a sweep of the series against the Warriors (23-5).
South Caldwell scored in the top of the first, but Weddington tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth. The Spartans won it with a ninth-inning home run.
Union Academy (27-1) advanced to the 1A state championship for the second time in three years. The Cardinals, who won the 1A title in 2023, completed a sweep of their 1A West regional series against East Wilkes, winning 4-0 Thursday.
Avery Wilson was the standout, pitching a one-hitter, striking out 11, and slamming a home run. She also drove in three runs.
Taylor Surratt added two hits and an RBI.
Girls’ soccer
There will be a strong Charlotte-area presence in the state championship girls’ soccer matches next weekend in Matthews.
Both of the regional finalists in 4A, 3A and 1A are from the Charlotte area, and Pine Lake Prep will play for the 2A West regional title next Tuesday.
Here are Thursday’s highlights:
CLASS 4A
Charlotte Catholic 4, Weddington 1: The Cougars remained unbeaten (22-0-1) by trouncing the visiting Warriors (14-3-4). Charlotte Catholic will host Ardrey Kell next Tuesday in the 4A West regional finals.
Charlotte Catholic’s youth showed up well again, with sophomore Jordyn Miller scoring two goals, and sophomore Savannah Leckner and freshman Olivia Hayes adding single goals.
CLASS 3A
Lake Norman Charter 2, St. Stephens 1: The Knights (20-2-2) built a 2-0 lead, then held off St. Stephens for the quarterfinal victory. They will host South Point in the 3A West finals next Tuesday.
Lake Norman Charter’s goal-scorers were Isabella Thamodharan and Madison Buffington.
South Point 2, Hickory 0: The Raiders (20-3-2) advanced to the 3A West regional finals for the third straight year. South Point took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, when a Hickory player accidentally kicked the ball in her own goal.
South Point went down to 10 players after one of the Raiders got a red card early in the second half, but that didn’t stop them from scoring a second goal with two minutes left in the match. Alice Bass got the goal, scoring on a rebound.
CLASS 2A
Pine Lake Prep 4, Brevard 0: The top-seeded Pride (19-2) scored two goals in each half and advanced to the West regional finals. Pine Lake Prep will host the second seed, Shelby (25-0), in the regional championship Tuesday.
Sadie Peterson led the Pine Lake Prep offense, scoring three goals and adding an assist. Goalkeeper Madison Harris got the shutout.
CLASS 1A
Christ the King 2, Bishop McGuinness 1: In a match played Wednesday, the Crusaders (14-5-1) built a 2-0 halftime lead and hung on. Alexandria Carvelli and Rylan Nicholson scored for the Crusaders.
Mountain Island Charter 7, Highland Tech 1: Harmoni Carter scored four goals, and the Raptors (18-5) continued their dominating postseason performance, advancing to the regional finals. They will host Christ the King next Tuesday for the West crown.
Eden Lewis, Cheyenne Painter and Tinyan Carter each scored once for the victors. Thursday’s goal was the first allowed by the Raptors in the postseason. They’ve outscored opponents 33-1.
Girls’ lacrosse
Lake Norman Charter 20, Hickory 3: The Knights advanced to the West regional finals in the Class 1A-2A-3A playoffs, as Hayden Krombolz totaled six goals and two assists. Ava Purser added five goals, Emma Chapman totaled three goals and two assists, and Sam Colantonio collected four ground balls.
The Knights (12-6) will face Friday’s Bishop McGuinness-Community School of Davidson winner for the West regional crown next Tuesday.
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 11:11 PM.
