NCHSAA State 3-A Boy’s Soccer Championship – Final

FLURRY OF SECOND HALF GOALS LIFTS GIBBONS TO NCHSAA 3-A MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

RALEIGH— A flurry of goals early in the second half lifted Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons to a convincing 5-0 victory over Fred T. Foard for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A men’s soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University on Saturday afternoon.

Gibbons led 1-0 at halftime on a goal by Jack Donovan after a throw-in by Cooper Deplantis, but the Crusaders scored three times in a 12-minute span early the second half to take command.

A penalty kick by Duplantis, who was named the championship Most Valuable Player with a goal and two assists, made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute. Duplantis also contributed defensively as a center back as the Crusaders recorded their 13th shutout of the season.

Drew Rabil’s 24th goal of the season off a rebound but Gibbons up 3-0 in the 47th minute, and just seven minutes after that Alex Paladino found the back of the net for a 4-0 advantage.

Gibbons had 22 total shots, 15 on goal, to 10 for the Tigers with seven shots on goal. Gavin Smith, the starting keeper for the Crusaders, had six saves before giving way to Anthony Palumbo, who also had a save.

Cardinal Gibbons was playing in its seventh NCHSAA men’s soccer final with four previous championships, and the Crusaders finished the season at 23-2-1. Fred T. Foard was in the final for the first time and made a great run to the finals after having a 1-3-1 record early in the season. The Tigers wound up 22-6-2.

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
2014 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dail Soccer Field, Raleigh

3-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Fred T. Foard      0  0 -- 0
Cardinal Gibbons   1  4 -- 5

9th minute CG—Jack Donovan (Cooper Duplantis)
42nd minute CG–penalty kick Cooper Duplantris
47th minute CG— Drew Rabil
54th minute CG— Alex Paladino (Cooper Duplantis)
78th minute CG—Austin Blondell (Jon Thomann)