Blake’s Great 58: Apex Friendship soccer, regional girls golf qualifiers and more

Apex Friendship coach Derek Blackwelder has the Patriots closing in on its first conference title in program history, the first year the school has had a senior class. Blackwelder, the only coach the Patriots have known, went 0-21 in the first season with only freshmen and sophomores, and 4-16-1 last year. This year the team is 12-4.

Only eight players in the state have more than 400 kills this year, and four of them are local: Northern Durham’s Alyssa Stone (483), Northern Vance’s Emani Foster (522), Cary Academy’s Kate Hampton (406) and C.B. Aycock’s Arlanda Faulkner (434).

Falls Lake Academy finished third in the 1A/2A East regional behind Sara Vaught (92), Beth Vaught (106) and Morgan Oakley (108). Qualifying as individuals included N.C. School of Science and Math’s Evin Flinchum (87), South Granville’s Claire Patrick (88), Bunn’s Taylor Longmire (97), Princeton’s Casey Mitchell (100), Voyager Academy’s Anna Teer Barringer (100), North Johnston’s Carolina Baker (101), Beddingfield’s Sarah Godwin (102) and Carrboro’s Grace Tobias (102).

Pinecrest claimed the 4A Central regional title thanks to Mackenzie Battle (76), Lorin Wagker (78) and Mara Hirtle (87). Jaclyn Kenel (91) and Katie Ochoa (94) both qualified as individuals and will give the Patriots all five players in the state championship. Green Hope didn’t place in the top three but will have a full team at the championships with Halynn Lee (86), Lauren Nee (96) and Anika Bhatnagar (96).

Apex Friendship’s Caroline Duggan (83) and Elizabeth Tart (95), Panther Creek’s Megan Morris (84) and Apex’s Tindra Larsson (96) qualified as individuals.

Led by medalist Jennifer Chang (68), Athens Drive won the 4A East regional.

Kayla Parsons (75) and Tyla McAffity (87) round out the Jaguars’ lineup.

Cardinal Gibbons was second, led by Hannah RoseBruvoort (77), Hailey Freeman (78) and Megan Kanaby (77). Emily Brubaker (81) and Camryn Fletcher (86) also qualified to give the Crusaders all five players in the state championship.

Garner’s Kayla Ward (74) tied with Wakefield’s Lotte Fox (74) for second. Corinth Holders’ Taylor Capps (83) and Becky Murray (88), Middle Creek’s Ella Preisach (86), Rolesville’s Randi Vedeld (87), Broughton’s Cate Brewer (89) and Diana Lee (91) and Sanderson’s Alicia Carlson (91) all qualified as individuals.

In the 3A Central, Lee County is going to states after finishing third thanks to Allyson Von Canon (86), Morgan McRea (91) and Cherokee Hall (98).

Northwood’s Kat Floyd (74) was fourth overall and qualified as an individual, as did East Chapel Hill’s Carolyn Hsu (94) and Sydney Lang (95) and Chapel Hill’s Anna Crabill (97).

Union Pines’ Hailee Haymore and Charlotte Craven won the Tri-County 6 3A Conference doubles title over teammates Hannah Russell and Eleanor Slyman.

The Vikings’ River Britt defeated Triton’s Daughtry Williams for the singles title.