Sunday, May. 15, 2011

Wake Christian wins soccer, baseball titles

Amanda Wesley missed the first seven games of the Wake Christian Academy girls soccer season to perform on the stage, but the senior returned in time to lead the Bulldogs to the N.C. Christian School Association 3-A championship.

Wesley scored three goals in Saturday's 4-0 NCCSA championship victory over Wilson Christian. She ended the year with 28 goals in 13 games.

Wake Christian coach Wayne Helder had no problem with his star missing part of the season.

"She is very good in drama, and we wanted her to have this opportunity," Helder said.

"We had known for a while that she would miss the first few games this season. She is just a wonderful person with different talents. We wanted to support her."

Wesley, the daughter of former Carolina Hurricanes player Glen Wesley, performed the lead role of Beauty in the Christian Youth Theater's production of "Beauty and the Beast." It was her third production with the group.

Wake Christian was 5-2 when Wesley returned to the soccer squad. In her first game back, she scored three goals, one of five games in which she scored three or more goals, and the Bulldogs won 12 of their last 13 games.

They zipped through the playoffs in Greensboro, blanking Raleigh Friendship 4-0 in the quarterfinals and rallying to stop Winston-Salem Gospelight 3-1 in the semifinals.

Wesley helped Wake Christian average 4.2 goals per game this season, but the defense was solid, too.

Sweeper Nicole Smith and stopper Aimee Mulligan joined with Wesley, Catherine Bowers, Jayna Duckenfield and Carrie Pinkston to lead WCA to three state titles in the past four years.

Bulldogs win baseball: Wake Christian won the NCCSA baseball championship on Saturday, capping a record-breaking season, with a 10-0 win over Wilson Christian.

"Top to bottom, this was probably the best baseball team the school has ever fielded," Wake Christian coach Randy Johnson said.

"Pitching, defense, hitting. We were solid all around."

The club (26-1-1) set school records with 25 home runs, 325 runs and 325 hits.

Dillon Brown, one of two seniors, hit .500 (45-for-90) and finished with six homers and 47 RBIs.

Storm Baker (11-0) threw a two-hitter in the championship game, and junior Dillon Garrison (9-1) gave up three hits and struck out 11 in an 8-1 semifinal win over Ramseur Faith.