By Ken Bradley
MaxPreps.com
When it comes to boys lacrosse, Providence Day is used to winning.
The program was founded in 1997 and progressed quickly to one of Charlotte’s top teams.
Since 2005, the Chargers are 64-9. Last season, they won the NCISAA championship, defeating Country Day, 9-7, to avenge an 11-10 loss in the 2006 finals to Country Day.
This season, the Chargers are off to a 6-1 start after edging rival Providence, 9-8, earlier this week.
“I think it (win vs. Providence) gave our kids some confidence,” Providence Day coach Bobby Thompson said. “We have played each other very close the last three years and it has become quite a heated rivalry. Many of our kids played together over the summer with Team Charlotte and Team Carolina. They have respect and admiration for each other, but compete very hard.”
Competing is not a problem for Thompson’s group. During the school’s spring break, the team traveled to Orlando, where the Chargers faced St. John’s (Texas), Garnett Valley (Pa.), and Kinnelon (N.J.).
Next Tuesday, Providence Day faces Charlotte Catholic, which improved to 8-0 this week with a 17-7 victory against Wilmington Hoggard.
“We are excited about the challenges that lie ahead,” Thompson said.
Defense has been strong for the Chargers in the early going. They are allowing fewer than six goals per game and Thompson said that’s allowed his team to control the pace of games and be patient on offense.
Juniors Coleman Russell (14 goals, 13 assists) and Craig Loeber (9 goals, 5 assists) have led Providence Day offensively this season. Sophomore Kevin Sherrill is the team leader in goals with 21.
“In his first year as a starter, Addison Williams has stepped in and done a tremendous job,” Thompson added. “In front of him, junior Michael Paul Chernega, Tyler Wollard and Spencer Patrick have played very solid and kept our opponents’ offense in check.”
For Thompson, it’s nice to see some underclassmen contributing so heavily.
“We have battled some injuries early on, which gave some other players the opportunity to step up,” Thompson said. “We are just about to get into our conference games.”
Looking ahead, Providence Day meets Country Day on March 15 at Country Day and then plays them again at home April 2.
Boys Basketball: East Meck Coach Reflects
Just like a coach, East Mecklenburg boys basketball coach Jason Grube wasn’t convinced the Class 4A state title was his until the game was nearly over.
“It wasn’t until there was about two minutes left and we were up 16 that I felt we were definitely going to be 4A state champs,” Grube said, looking back on his team’s 72-63 victory against Apex.
The state championship was the first in boys basketball in school history. That, Grube says, has not been lost at school since his players returned from the victory.
“The principal made several announcements over closed-circuit TV and the staff recognized the players in the faculty meeting and the seniors thanked the staff, students and administration for all the support given to them the past couple of weeks.”
Grube has been East Meck’s head coach for nine seasons. Prior to arriving at East Meck, he was an assistant coach at Garinger for two years. The state title was the first one of any kind he’s experienced as a coach.
“It was a tremendous honor to bring back the school’s first state title,” he said. “There have been a lot of East Meck grads from all over the country sending us their congratulations and well wishes … we have some influential and important alumni in Charlotte and all over North Carolina.
“Fifty-eight years without a championship is a long time and for us to be the first is indescribably special.”
It’s not too early for Grube to start looking ahead to his 2008-09 team. There will be big losses – state championship player of the game Titus Robinson and Western MVP Malik Stith will both graduate.
But seven sophomores return, including Jeremy Ingram, who scored 15 points in the title game, and starter Paris Roberts, who averaged double figures in conference play.
Basketball: Charlotte-Area Players on All-State Teams
East Mecklenburg’s Malik Stith, a senior guard who also was named the Southwestern 4A player of the year, was named to the Associated Press All-State First Team (all-classification). He was the only player in the Charlotte area named to the first or second team.
West Charlotte’s Christal Caldwell, a junior who was named the ME-CA 7 4A player of the year, was the leading vote-getter in being named to the AP All-State First Team for girls’ basketball. She is joined on the first team by Gastonia Forestview senior Jessica Capers.
Also, Victory Christian senior Candace Wood and Providence Day’s Whitny Edwards were named to the second team.
More area players were selected to the AP All-State teams by classification.
Here’s a list of who was selected:
Boys
1A
Justin Johnson, Cherryville
Cameron Lovelace, Cherryville
2A
Keith Rendleman, East Lincoln
3A
Darius Antrum, Gastonia Hunter Huss
Danny Nieman, Concord
4A
Brandyn Curry, Hopewell
Titus Robinson, East Mecklenburg
Malik Stith, East Mecklenburg
Girls
2A
Lindsay Wright, East Lincoln
3A
T.T. Belcher, Concord (Player of the Year)
Jessica Capers, Gastonia Forestview
Jolysa Connor, Waddell
Nyisha Hammonds, Concord
4A
Christal Caldwell, West Charlotte
Baseball: North Meck Finally Loses
It took a while to happen, but the North Meck baseball team is no longer perfect.
The Vikings lost 2-0 to Northwest Cabarrus in the championship game of the Intimidators Classic in Kannapolis.
The loss dropped the Vikings from atop the Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 poll, to No. 2.
According to the Independent Tribune, Ryan Overcash tossed a three-hitter and drove in the game’s first run to lead the Trojans (9-3) to the upset win. The loss dropped North Meck to 10-1.
North Meck bounced back later in the week, defeating South Meck, 4-2, behind Sean Pope’s one-hitter. Pope improved to 4-0 and North Meck to 11-1.
Ken Bradley, a former sports editor and writer in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida, covers the Charlotte, N.C., area for MaxPreps.com. He may be reached at kbradley14@yahoo.com.
