Eight teams take home NCHSAA state championships

By: Associated Press

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Lake Norman defeats Fayetteville Sanford 63-46

RALEIGH -- Reggie Price scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the final quarter as Lake Norman defeated Fayetteville Sanford 63-46 for the Class 4-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association men's championship Saturday night at Reynolds Coliseum.

The Wildcats made 15 of 19 free throws down the stretch, including nine straight.

Center Paul Larsen dominated inside for Lake Norman (26-3), with 18 points and eight rebounds, to earn game Most Valuable Player honors.

Lake Norman, playing in its first state championship, was the third consecutive western North Carolina champion to win in 4-A and the 19th in the past 25 seasons.

Fayetteville Sanford (31-1) suffered its second straight title-game defeat.

Lake Norman trailed 31-26 at halftime and 41-40 after three quarters before Fayetteville Sanford went scoreless for the first 4:35 of the final period to fall behind 50-41.

Rocky Mount defeats Concord 84-79 in Class 3A

CHAPEL HILL – Tashawn Mabry had 26 points and 10 rebounds, leading four Rocky Mount players in double figures as the Gryphons held off Concord 84-79 on Saturday night in the Class 3-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association men's basketball championship game.

It was the fourth state title for the Gryphons (24-3), who last won a championship in 1982 when the school was in Class 4-A.

Detrail Jenkins added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Rocky Mount, which also got 14 points from Darius McKnight and 11 from William Young.

Concord (25-7) was making its third finals trip in five years and won the title in 2007.

Jacquise Moore paced the Spiders with 28 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Jalen Cannady with 17 points and Griffin Templeton with 14.

Matthews Butler beats Morrisville Green Hope 87-61

RALEIGH – North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year Cierra Burdick scored 28 points and was named the game Most Valuable Player, and center Clair Watkins added 20 as Matthews Butler defeated Morrisville Green Hope 87-61 in the Class 4-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association Women's Championship on Saturday.

The 87 points by Butler (25-4) are the most scored in a Class 4-A championship game, surpassing the 80 scored by Morganton Freedom in the 1994 title game. It was also the second-most in state championship history behind the 101 scored by High Point Central in the 1993 Class 3-A championship.

Green Hope (31-1) high-scoring sophomore center Kristen Gaffney, who came into the game averaging 26.9 points per game, had to work extremely hard to break free of Burdick, a junior who has committed to the University of Tennessee, for her 25 points.

Forestview beats South Central for 3-A title

CHAPEL HILL – Shannon Smith's 26 points led Gastonia Forestview to a hard-fought 62-55 win over South Central Pitt on Saturday in the Class 3-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association women's basketball championship.

It was a sweet day for the Jaguars (27-2), who lost to Greensboro Dudley 60-58 in last season's state title game.

Forestview, which opened in 1998, won its first NCHSAA state team championship of any kind. Kelsey Harris added 13 points and Bre Armstrong 10 for Forestview, which has won 16 straight games.

South Central (28-5), which opened in 2002, is still seeking its first NCHSAA state title. Danielle Butts had 17 points and 13 rebounds for South Central, while JaNesha Ebron added 16 points.

Forestview led 17-8 after the first quarter and never again trailed.

Salisbury 49, East Bladen 37

RALEIGH – Most valuable player Shanequa Phifer scored 14 points and led a strong defensive effort as Salisbury defeated East Bladen 49-37 Saturday in the Class 2-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association women's championship at Reynolds Coliseum.

It was the second consecutive Class 2-A title for the Hornets (29-0). The Eagles (29-1) were runners-up in the Class 1-A final last year.

Salisbury led 28-20 at the half and pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring East Bladen 14-4 and forcing eight turnovers. The Eagles had 24 turnovers for the game.

Jessica Heilig grabbed 10 rebounds and added six points for Salisbury.

East Bladen center Courtney Melvin lead all scorers with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Jazmine Kemp added 13 points.

Monroe 62, Goldsboro 46

CHAPEL HILL – Isaac Blakeney poured in 24 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to lead Monroe to a 62-46 win over Goldsboro in the Class 1-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association men's basketball championship Saturday.

It was the second state title for the Redhawks (32-1) in four appearances in the state final. Their previous championship came in 1980 at the 2-A level.

Jamison Crowder added 20 points and Quontez Threatt scored 10 for Monroe.

RaSean Brewington led all scorers with 27 points and 11 rebounds for Goldsboro (23-8). The Cougars are 1-3 in state finals, having won the 3-A championship in 1998.

Kinston 51, West Caldwell 29

RALEIGH – University of North Carolina-bound forward Reggie Bullock and forward Dallas Best each scored 15 points to
lead Kinston to a 51-29 victory over West Caldwell on Saturday in the Class 2-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association men's championship at Reynolds Coliseum.

Kinston (28-4) captured the school's seventh state championship. West Caldwell (27-2) fell to 0-4 in state title games and scored the fewest points in a championship game since Matthews lost to Camp Lejeune 37-25 in the 1950 Class B title game.

Bullock was selected the game's most valuable player and passed the 2,000-point career scoring mark in the third quarter.

Kendall Jones led West Caldwell with 11 points.

Kernersville McGuinness 55, Williamston 46

CHAPEL HILL – Megan Buckland led Kernersville McGuinness with 15 points to defeat Williamston 55-46 for the Class 1-A North Carolina High School Athletic Association women's basketball championship Saturday.

It was the fifth-straight state title for the Villains (23-7), who won despite playing the final nine and a half minutes without their star junior guard. Buckland went out with injury to her left knee, but not before she was named MVP of the title game for the second-straight year.

Sammi Goldsmith added 14 points and Erin Fitzgerald scored 11 for McGuinness.

Williamston (29-1) was in its third state title game and is still looking for a women's title in any sport.

Katie Paschal led all scorers with 18 points while Zakkeya Morris added 13 for the Tigers.