SOUTH MECKLENBURG BLANKS WILMINGTON LANEY 2-0 IN NCHSAA 4-A MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
RALEIGH – Marco Garcia scored the initial goal and South Mecklenburg played a solid all-around game as the Sabres shut out Wilmington Laney 2-0 on Saturday in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A men’s soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.
Garcia opened the scoring for the Sabres in the 18th minute as he received a service off a corner kick from Collyn Carpenter, settled it from chest to foot and then slammed it home for his 39th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead. A senior tri-captain, Garcia was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the championship.
Senior defenseman Brad Scharf made it 2-0 for South Meck in the 46th minute, with a scramble in front of the net resulting in a deflection and a goal.
Laney had a chance to cut the margin in half with a penalty kick with 12:40 left to play, but failed to convert. The Bucs continued to press forward after that in an attempt to get back in it, but South kept Laney at bay.
Sabre goalkeeper Harish Amatya had three saves en route to the shutout. South had six shots on goal to three for Laney and had four corner kicks to two for the Bucs.
South Meck returned to the state championship match for the first time since 1985, and the Sabres earned their first state crown since an open classification championship in 1971. The Sabres ended the season 23-0-2. Laney, the eighth-seed in the Eastern bracket, made a strong playoff run and was in the championship for the first time, closing out a 20-4-3 campaign.
The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the city of Raleigh served as primary host city sponsors for this championship, and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel was the presenting sponsor.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
2015 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dail Soccer Field, Raleigh
4-A CHAMPIONSHIP
1 2 F
Wilmington Laney 0 0 0
South Mecklenburg 1 1 2
SCORING
18th minute SM—Marco Garcia (Collyn Carpenter)
46th minute SM—Brad Scharf