Middle Creek High School edged out 9-8 in overtime for the state championship title in men’s lacrosse

HICKORY, N.C. (WNCN) — After a hard-fought battle, Wake County’s Middle Creek High Mustangs fell just one goal short in the state championship lacrosse game Friday.

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The Mustangs, based in Apex, were part of four deciding games held at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. The final game came down to them or the Charlotte Catholic Cougars for the title.

Charlotte Catholic got the scoring underway a few minutes into the first quarter. After being down 2-0, Middle Creek finally got on the board later in the first quarter. By the time the first half was over, Middle Creek led 4-3.

Only one goal was scored in the third quarter, with Charlotte Catholic forcing a tie going into the final quarter, leaving just 12 minutes to decide the next state champions.

Early in the fourth, Charlotte Catholic scored to take the 5-4 lead. Middle Creek had a great opportunity to tie it up a few minutes later, but Charlotte Catholic’s goalie made an incredible save.

Then things turned in Charlotte’s favor with seven minutes to go.

The Cougars scored again, taking the 6-4 lead, only to make it a 7-4 lead with jus four minutes on the board.

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Middle Creek finally scored their first goal of the half with three and a half minutes remaining in the game, trailing 7 to 5. Building their own momentum, Middle Creek notched another goal seconds later, making things more interesting with just over three minutes to go.

In a strange turn of events, with just over two minutes left, Charlotte Catholic was called for an illegal stick penalty. On the ensuing power play, Middle Creek scored to tie it 7-7 with less than two minutes on the clock.

It was short-lived as Charlotte Catholic took an 8-7 lead. After two penalties were called on Charlotte, Middle Creek in true neck-and-neck fashion answered back a few seconds later to tie it at 8.

It all came down to overtime.

With the Mustangs down a man after a penalty, the Cougars capitalized with a game-winner just one minute and 21 seconds into OT. See the game-winner in the video below.

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