All-time strong Cox Mill wins first GMC title; look at the league leaders

The Chargers currently have a 9-4-3 overall record and are 5-1-1 in the Metro Conference 4, tops among the league’s Cabarrus County teams.

The Chargers trail only first-place Mooresville in conference play, and closed the gap on Friday with a 2-1 home win over the same Blue Devils.

Cox Mill, which has finished as the runner-up in GMC play the past two seasons, looks to finish the job and capture its first conference title since 2021, when the Chargers went 18-0-1 and also claimed the Class 3A state title. championship.

The Chargers, of course, have moved up to the much tougher Class 4A and are looking to win their first conference title at that level.

Friday night was a big step.

To put it simply, the Chargers stepped up in every way,

Mooresville has been scoring about four goals per game; Cox Mill edged the Blue Devils by one point. Until Friday, the Blue Devils had allowed just one goal in conference play this season; The Chargers hit a pair of scores and threatened several others.

Spurred by goals from senior Simone Jenkins and junior Lily Lavespere, the Chargers also avenged an early season loss to Mooresville on Friday.

Cox Mill’s defense was also tough, especially senior linebacker Alivia McCain, backed by strong play from senior goalie Reese DeJong.

With five regular season conference games remaining, the Chargers are now a half game out of first place.

The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for Mooresville, which is now 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the GMC.

“Huge,†Cox Mill coach Eric Clark said of the win over Mooresville. “A loss would have taken us out of the conference race because we lost to them in OT (2-0) earlier.”

So, the Chargers moved into the championship game Friday in their most important game of the season, so far, despite being shorthanded.

Cox Mill played four starters out due to injuries, including senior Kierann Fisher, who is the Chargers’ second leading scorer.

Clark recruited three freshmen – forwards Anna Kirkwood and Lydia Wilson, and defender Marissa Perry – who were basically on the court all the time.

As a result, the Chargers stayed in the hunt, and they have possessions going strong.

Junior Ella Berry (seven goals and an assist) is the team’s No. 1 scorer, and Cox Mill also gets offensive contributions from senior Shaza Hassan, junior Courtney Chase, Jenkins, senior Riley Adamson, senior Sarabeth Raso, sophomore Maddy Hecht. , junior Joely Sterud and senior Ayla Burren, McCain and Wilson. Â

Meanwhile, DeJong has played an all-around goaltender this year, racking up 8.6 goals per game. Also, young Maddy Wade has not allowed a goal in her three games in goal.

Western Cabarrus Ava Morin he is the leading player in possession in the GMC, as the midfielder is number 1 in points (30). He also leads the conference in goals (12) and is tied for second with six assists.

Cabarrus’ other top 10 in points is Hickory Ridge’s Aubrey Hutchins (fifth with 20 points), AL Brown’s Jocelyn Salazar (sixth with 18 points), West Cabarrus Hannah Hibbert and Lizabeth Noyola (tied for seventh and 16th), and AL Brown Haleigh Laughlin and Cox Mills Ella Berry (tied for ninth and 15th). Cox Mill Courtney Chase follows with 12 points.

Meanwhile, Wolverines Hibbert leads the league with eight assists.

Also in the top 10 in assists are Noyola and Chase (tied for second place with six), AL Brown’s. Yanell Acosta and Cox Mills Sarabeth Raso (tied sixth and fifth), Hutchins (eighth and fourth), and Cox Mill’s He came to McCain and Hickory Ridge’s Hannah the Worker (both tied at 10 and three).