Saturday, May 21, 2011

Charlotte Latin captures NCISAA soccer championship


For the last three seasons, the Charlotte Latin girls’ soccer team has been a heavy favorite to win the 3A NCISAA state championship.

But this year, after losing seven senior starters to graduation (from 2010) and three other starters to season-ending injuries, Latin wasn’t the clear favorite to win it all.

But Saturday afternoon, the Hawks proved that they were the state’s best again, winning their fourth straight title, this time by scoring two goals in the final 12 minutes to beat Raleigh Ravenscroft 2-1 in Greensboro.

Sophomore forward Ashley Finke tied the game at one with a goal in the 68th minute, then Amma Okwara scored the game-winner.

“We said all year until somebody beats us in the playoffs, we are the defending state champions,” Charlotte Latin soccer coach Lee Horton said.

Horton won his 14th state championship overall, including his seventh with the Latin girls (also has 7 titles with Latin boys’ soccer team).

Latin beat Charlotte Country Day 2-1 in the state semifinals Friday night. The Bucs had beaten Latin earlier in the year, ending the Hawks 43-game steak without a loss (42-0-1 from 2009 to 2011).

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