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Record eludes them, but Wildcats can take a bow
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Published: September 10, 2008
Mooresville's boys soccer team did something Monday that no one else has been able to accomplish the previous two seasons. The Blue Devils took down juggernaut Lake Norman.
The Blue Devils' 2-0 victory ended a 60-game winning streak dating back — fittingly – to Mooresville's 2-1 win over Lake Norman in the quarterfinals of the 2005 3A state playoffs.
Lake Norman was five victories away from tying the state record, and six from surpassing it. Asheville's Ben Lippen won 65 straight from 1963-1970.
The Wildcats' run, which included capturing back-to-back state championships, was simply amazing.
Many outside observers conclude only their talent made such a streak possible.
Not me.
I was impressed they had that much talent and put their egos aside for the betterment of the team.
In the sports writing business, we hear all the time about players complaining because they're not given enough chances to score goals and soak up the limelight.
That is just plain selfish.
Don't you think Lake Norman had a few defenders who wanted to be scoring more goals? For the record, many of those Wildcats defenders could have played striker on another team.
I think of people like Sam Dowell, Matt Easton and Matt Gwilt, just to name a few. They sacrificed individual headlines to play nearly flawless defense. During Lake Norman's championship seasons, the Wildcats allowed a grand total of 22 goals in 56 games, all of which they won.
Even if Lake Norman's offense struggled, one goal often sufficed because of how brilliantly those defenders executed their roles.
So they got tantalizingly close to a state record that has stood for nearly 40 years and didn't get it.
That is unfortunate for a hard working program like Lake Norman, but, boy, what a ride.
It was a run we'll probably never see again.
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