North Meck girls top state champ Lake Norman, advance to first final since ‘86
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- North Meck solved Lake Norman’s press, winning the regional championship.
- Vikings, led by Lenise Joseph and Morgan Knox, reached first title game since 1986.
- North Meck (28-2) will face Southern Durham in the 7A state final next week.
Coming into the NCHSAA 7A Western Regional championship game, Lake Norman had knocked North Mecklenburg out of the playoffs in three of the past four years.
That all changed Friday night.
The Vikings solved Lake Norman’s signature pressing defense and, led by N.C. Ms. Basketball finalist Lenise Joseph and junior guard Morgan Knox, the Vikings overwhelmed Lake Norman, 73-57, at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Shuford Gymnasium.
North Mecklenburg (28-2) won its 17th straight game and advanced to next week’s 7A state final against Southern Durham (27-3), which beat South Garner in the 7A Eastern regional final.
North Mecklenburg will play in the state championship game for the first time in 40 years. Led by All-American Andrea Stinson, one of the top two players in Mecklenburg County history, the ‘86 Vikings won the title, beating Fayetteville’s Pine Forest High School, 61-54.
Longtime North Mecklenburg coach Jennifer Baker said afterward that Stinson has been a vocal supporter of her team and that Joseph, who calls herself a “history buff,” has reminded the team of its opportunity to create its own legacy.
“I definitely follow history,” Joseph said. “And it’s amazing to be part of the team that’s getting us back to the state championship game.”
Added Baker, in her 18th year as Vikings head coach, added: “We’re excited to be here. It’s been years and years and years of hard work. North Meck basketball is a family that’s built on tradition.”
The Vikings got back to the title game, but remaining composed against Lake Norman’s confounding trapping defense, and North Mecklenburg was able to create a lot of fast-break layups and short jump shots.
And when the Vikings missed, Joseph, a 6-1 junior center, seemed to always be in position for a key rebound, and sometimes a key putback.
North Mecklenburg’s guards harassed Lake Norman all game and junior Morgan Knox took on the challenge of defending the Wildcats’ leading scorer, Kelsey Rhyne, and the Wildcats never really seemed to get comfortable; Lake Norman had 23 turnovers, including 15 in the first half.
With the win, North Mecklenburg becomes one of two girls’ teams from its conference, the Meck Power Six, to advance to the finals; Mallard Creek clinched its first 8A state title appearance Wednesday and will also play for a state championship next week.
Knox (27 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists), Joseph (18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists), SaRaun Newton (8 points, 4 steals), Stephanie Mobley (6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) led the Vikings.
Rayana Minard had 19 points and Rhyne had 9 for Lake Norman (24-2), whose only previous loss came against Western 2A semifinalist Cherokee.
Game summary
North Mecklenburg 18 19 14 22 — 73
Lake Norman 15 7 16 19 — 57
NORTH MECKLENBURG 73 — Mobley 6, Trotter 2, Blake 6, Newton 8, Johnson 2, Morgan Knox 27, Lenise Joseph 18, Mack 4
LAKE NORMAN 57 — Bond 6, Rhyne 9, Rayana Minard 19, Castoria 2, Sherrill 2, Smith 3, Ellis 8, North 8
Records: North Mecklenburg 28-2, Lake Norman 24-2.
This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 7:31 PM.