UNC: NCAA women's soccer, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2008

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A decade of champions

Champions. In sports, it's the word to end all words. "People have things to hang their hats on," Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "The thing you'd like to hang your hat on the most is a national championship, because that's the ultimate." This is what we celebrate here, a decade of champions.

Carolina Hurricanes: Stanley Cup champions, 2006 After the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, the first member of the team to lift the Cup was captain Rod Brind'Amour. PHOTO GALLERY: Gallery on Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals AUDIO: Hear Chuck Kaiton's call of the Hurricanes Stanley Cup win.

Pride grew on way to title

Leesville Road girls soccer coach Paul Dinkenor said the Pride's two games against Panther Creek were a microcosm of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A championship.

In the season-opener, Leesville Road played well and with great enthusiasm against the Catamounts in a 6-0 win.

In the rematch, Leesville Road trailed 2-0 at home with 10 minutes left before rallying to a 2-2 tie.

Previous N.C. champs say chemistry was key

Only two club soccer teams from North Carolina have ever won a national championship.

And asked for words of wisdom for the two squads competing today for titles, they had a similar message: It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of team chemistry -- and a little bit of luck.

In 1995, Izzy Hernandez's U-17 girls squad became the first team from North Carolina to win a national title.

Cozzarelli makes big strides

Andie Cozzarelli was a soccer player who could run a little when she reported to Apex High four years ago.

The senior has won five individual N.C. High School Athletic Association state track and field titles and has finished second in the state 4-A cross country championships each year.

She describes herself as a runner who loves to play soccer -- a lot.

Former star shares lessons

Bruce Murray doesn't just demand hard work - he embodies it.

As the coach of the '91 CASL Elite boys soccer team, Murray takes what he learned during his illustrious career on the field and blends it into his own coaching style on the sideline.

"As a coach, I want to take away some things that I didn't like from coaching and things I knew I couldn't stand as a player," said Murray, whose team spent Friday through Sunday playing in the Capital Area Soccer League's CASL visit Raleigh.com National Soccer Series Boys Showcase. "And then I want to take a little bit of all the great coaches I've played for. So, I like to try and base everything on the past."