Carrboro falls to Marvin Ridge in NCHSAA 1A/2A/3A boys lacrosse championship

Carrboro’s boys lacrosse program had just one more item to cross off in a season of historic wins – a state championship – but the Jaguars will have to wait until next year.

Marvin Ridge, who came into Friday night with back-to-back 1A/2A/3A N.C. High School Athletic Association state championship losses, trounced Carrboro 16-3 in the state title game Friday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Carrboro had only won one playoff game in school history before this year’s dramatic run to the final.

The Jaguars only lost one regular season game all year, 14-13, at the hands of Cedar Ridge, a team they bounced back to defeat 10-9 in the state quarterfinals, despite facing a six-goal deficit at halftime. The Jaguars then took out the team that ended their season each of the past three years in Chapel Hill in the final four.

“It was a very special year. This is farther than any Carrboro lacrosse team has been by a lot,” Carrboro coach Ron Mitchell said. “The kids that were in this, as time passes on, will realize how special this was, that they were even just here.

“It was super exciting; we came back from an 8-2 deficit … and it was really exciting, and the Chapel Hill game was a crosstown rival.”

No matter what the scoreline was, the Jaguars’ traveling supporters refused to pipe down for the entirety of the full 48 minutes.

“It’s like a home-field advantage that’s mobile,” Mitchell said. “They’ve been out all through the playoffs, and it really helps our kids.”

Goalkeeper Max Cline added, “I love them. Carrboro is a small school, we’re family. This is C-town.”

Marvin Ridge struck fast and in rapid succession, scoring three goals within 35 seconds in the first half, as the Mavericks raced out to an 11-0 halftime lead.

Cam Renner spearheaded the attack, scoring five of the Mavs’ first eight goals and assisting another. Marvin Ridge took advantage of its extra-man-on offense, scoring three goals in three minutes of EMO time.

Carrboro started the second half converting an extra man on opportunity of its own when Logan Marro placed a low-to-high shot into the top right corner off a Brandon Richardson assist to keep the game from going to a running clock.

The Jaguars held their own in the third quarter, with Logan Marro getting another goal with 2:19 to go.

Renner, who was elected game MVP after notching five goals and four assists, made his curtain call with an assist to Wade Morgan 19 seconds later.

Though Carrboro lost, there was no question the Jaguars had the goal of the game when Chad Osbourne scooped up a ground ball and flipped it behind his back with 7:20 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Mavericks ended the game with back-to-back goals with 5:51 and 5:36 to go in the final stanza from Thomas Harding and Ben Cook.

After getting a taste of playing in a state championship game, the Jaguars are hungry for more.

“This program didn’t make the playoffs four years ago, and now we’re in the playoffs,” Cline said. “It’s becoming a dynasty because we’re just going to get better and better to get back next year and build upon this.”

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Carrboro falls to Marvin Ridge in NCHSAA 1A/2A/3A boys lacrosse championship."