NCSSM wins 1A state title

CARY -- N.C. School of Science and Math shut out Hendersonville 4-0 Friday night to win its second N.C. 1A boys soccer championship in three years.

The Unicorns' victory comes just one year after Hendersonville defeated them 5-0 in the title game.

"When we lost to Carrboro earlier this season, we set our goal of getting back to this point," NCSSM coach Henry Gallagher said. "We had a strong team down the stretch and it showed tonight."

The Unicorns (17-2-1) also had junior forward Ibukun Ademoyero, who scored their first two goals and sparked the team that came out otherwise tight in the first period.

The Bearcats were aggressive early on, attacking from all sides and keeping NCSSM on the defense. Hendersonville thought it had taken a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute, but the goal was disallowed because of an offsides call.

Ademoyero put his team on the scoreboard in the 25th minute with an assist by Alex Pharr. The goal seemed to rouse the Unicorns who, upped their attack and put the Bearcats (18-7-1) on the defensive.

Ademoyero made it 2-0 in the 29th minute by going the length of the field and to set up a slow shot that trickled out of Narshall's hands and into the net.

"I just wanted to do it for the seniors," said Ademoyero who was named most valuable player of the playoffs. "They were devastated after last season's loss, and we worked together as a unit and as a team to get it done."