Wildcats girls soccer falls to Hough

Lake Norman High’s girls soccer team entered its game against Hough High on March 29 looking to pad its undefeated record.

After the Huskies defeated the Wildcats 2-1, Hough got in the driver’s seat for the I-MECK 4A conference championship and the untainted record was no more.

Despite the loss, Lake Norman’s 12-1 record and 7-1 mark in league games has the Wildcats in position to strike if Hough loses. But the chance to grab hold of the No. 1 spot slipped away thanks to goals by the Huskies’ Sarah Moon and Hannah Robinson.

“We took too long to get going,” Lake Norman coach Jon Mertes said. “We were slow getting to the ball in the first half, we weren’t communicating on the field. And from that we started getting beat up on the field.

“That’s not a good combination.”

Lake Norman saw an opportunity for its first goal denied due to an offside call. Sam Condron’s 74th-minute goal wasn’t enough, and the Wildcats – who entered the contest averaging over five goals per game – saw their spotless record trampled.

“We got beat, plain and simple,” Mertes said.

Hough’s victory means the Huskies can win out and capture the league crown, but both teams will square off at Hough on May 1.

“We’re thrilled we won,” Hough coach David Smith said. “But this is far from over. Lake Norman’s not going to go away quietly, and we know we’ll have a war on our hands when we play them again.”

Lake Norman Charter softball wins key road game

Brittany Buckstad went 4-for-4, with two doubles and two RBIs, and Rachel Gebelein pitched a three-hitter in Lake Norman Charter’s 4-1 softball victory against Cherryville in a Southern Piedmont 1A/2A conference road game March 28.

The Knights (6-4) broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the top of the seventh. The key hit was Sarah McIntosh’s two-run single. Gebelein struck out four, and the lone run she allowed was unearned.

Fucigna leads Davidson College women’s lacrosse

Sophomore Ann Fucigna continued her torrid scoring pace with three goals, but it wasn’t enough as Oregon beat host Davidson College, 8-4, on March 27 at Richardson Stadium.

Fucigna, fresh off being named National Lacrosse Conference Offensive Player of the Week, pushed her season goal total to 24. She’s tallied 11 goals in the past three games, good for 17 points overall.

Davidson (4-6) fell behind 6-0 after a half of play and never was able to recover, though it held the Ducks to just two goals in the second period. Mary Leonard added the Wildcats’ other goal for her 11th of the season with 23 minutes, 58 seconds left in the game to make it 7-2.

The two teams where playing each other for the first time since 2007. Davidson finished up its non-conference slate with a 3-6 record.

Senior softball scores: Week 2

Scores from March 28 games in the Huntersville Parks and Recreation Department’s Senior Softball League:

Hoidas Engineering 12, Sun, Glass & Door Co. 11; Retirement Income Advisors Inc. 15, Cameron M. Harris & Company 12; Keller Williams Reality 13, Chico’s Mexican Grill 8; Huntersville Family Chiropractic 18, American Dry Cleaners 17; Jet’s Pizza  24, Cactus Team Six 13.

Register for powerlifting event

Lincoln Charter School’s Denver campus will host the USA Powerlifting N.C. State Championships on June 2. Participants must register by May 23 to be eligible. For more information, go to carolinapowerlifting.com or contact Jennifer Thompson at jennier@132poundsofpower.com.

Summer basketball camp

Registration is open for the Back 2 Basix summer basketball camp for players ages 5-16. The camps will be at Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatic the weeks of June 11-15, June 18-22, July 9-13 and August 13-17. Campers must provide their own lunch. Each camper will receive a certificate and Back 2 Basix memorabilia.

A parent orientation meeting will be held June 3 at 3 p.m. at the HFFA’s Craighead meeting room. Register at www.ba2ba.org, or mail forms to Back 2 Basix, P.O. Box 853, Huntersville, NC 28070.

The camps will be directed by Thomas Turner, a former Gardner-Webb player. For information, call 704-999-3781.

Register for Boot Camp

The Cornelius PARC Department is offering a fitness Boot Camp for anyone age 18 and older.  This six-week program will be held on Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 from April 21 through June 2 (no class May 26).  Classes will be held at the Bailey Middle School track, 11900 Bailey Road in Cornelius.

Boot Camp is an outdoor fitness program that offers fitness instruction, nutritional counseling and motivational training.

Jeff Heal, owner of Fitness Together in Cornelius and Davidson, will lead the class. Registration costs $40 for Cornelius residents and $48 for others. Register in person at Cornelius Town Hall or online at www.cornelius.org/parc.

For information, call the Cornelius PARC Department at 704-896-6031 ext. 160.

– Compiled by Cliff Mehrtens and Aaron Burns