Daily Roundup: September 18, 2020

September 19, 2020, 12:17 am | by Tim Hower

VOLLEYBALL

Cary Christian School 3, Coastal Christian 2

(25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-13)

***Click here to view a gallery of 45 photos from the match***

The battle between two of the top teams in the state lived up to the billing, but in the end the Knights pulled out a hard-fought road victory.

Both teams advanced to the NCISAA 3A semifinals a season ago and they once again have high expectations.

Coastal Christian’s Kora Beth Witzenman finished with 26 assists, 10 kills, 7 digs and 4 aces. [Tim Hower/Coastal Preps]

Coastal Christian (0-1) took the opening set on a combined block from Lydia Pate and Mallorie Moore. Pate also put down three of her 10 kills in the set.

Five service errors and six hitting errors cost the Centurions in the second set, but they bounced back nicely in the third to regain the advantage.

The fourth set featured 10 lead changes and nine ties. Coastal Christian grabbed a 20-19 lead on a kill from Kelly McConekey, but Cary Christian used a 5-1 run to grab control.

In the final set, the visitors stormed out to a 5-2 lead and led 12-8 before the Centurions started chipping away. They won five straight points to take a 13-12 lead, but another service error evened the score.

Cary Christian finished off the victory with a kill and an ace.

“I’m super proud of our girls,” Coastal Christian coach Dudley Raye said. “Cary Christian played great. Their serves and serve receives were better than ours. We had at least 20 missed serves and you can’t miss that many serves against a team like that.”

McConekey led the way for the Centurions with 17 kills and two blocks. Kora Beth Witzenman had a double-double with 26 assists, 10 kills, seven digs and four aces. Hannah Bloodworth and Joelle Buck combined for 27 digs and Maris Grant dished out 18 assists.

Coastal Christian is back at home Monday against defending state champion Arendell Parrott Academy at 5:45 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Cape Fear Academy 8, Southeastern Homeschool 1

Campbell McFarlane continued his torrid start to the season by finishing with a hat trick to give the Hurricanes their third victory of the week.

CFA’s Campbell McFarlane had a hat trick in the win. [Tim Hower/Coastal Preps]

Through the opening three games, McFarlane has scored six goals. CFA (3-0) also got two goals and an assist from Tate Sheally as well as a goal and an assist from Cameron Arne.

Nikita Ivanov and George Wall scored the other goals. Adam Politi had two assists, while Tommy Morton and Brooks Meine each had one.

Goalkeeper Davis Kranchalk didn’t allow a goal over the opening 40 minutes before giving way to Hunter Sanforford for the second half.

Next up for the Hurricanes is a road match against Greenfield School on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Southeastern Homeschool (1-4) hosts North Wake Homeschool on Friday at 6:15 p.m.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Hare & Hounds Invitational

At McAlpine Park in Charlotte

Coastal Christian cruised to the team victory by placing five runners in the top 14.

Senior Nicholas Scrocco crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 16:49.50. Freshman Jack Sterrett was sixth in 17:29.60.

The Centurions also got terrific performances from Michael Cooke (10th in 18:11.90), Sam Morgan (11th in 18:17.90) and Sam Tripp (14th in 18:19.50).

Coastal Christian scored 43 points and runner-up Gaston Christian School finished with 64 points.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Hare & Hounds Invitational

At McAlpine Park in Charlotte

Coastal Christian sophomore Zoe Bos finished in second place with a time of 20:52.50 and four other Centurions placed in the top 20 to help secure the team victory.

Ava Basler was fifth in 22:22.30 and Madeline Fischer was sixth with a time of 22:30.10. Coastal Christian’s other top finishers were: Kaitlyn Harrison (9th in 22:58.00) and Marissa Short (20th in 25:18.90).

The Centurions scored 27 points to defeat second-place Forsyth Country Day School by 22 points.