Spring sports season ends

Not a lot of updates recently as several county schools - in several different sports - kept advancing in the playoffs, leaving us pretty busy. But now that Mooresville baseball, Lake Norman tennis and Lake Norman soccer have been bounced from the playoffs, things have slowed. Here's a few observations on some of the area sports.

Mooresville baseball
In case you didn't catch this story, the Blue Devils were bounced from the 3A playoffs in the most heartbreaking of ways. Leading East Rowan, winners of 21 straight entering the game, by four runs entering the final frame, the Mustangs bolted out of the gate - my one obvious horse reference - and scored five times without registering an out.

It's tough to see any team end its season that way, but this was especially true considering how perfect Mooresville had played up to that point. Senior pitcher Aubrey Meadows, on the mound despite a tired arm, danced his way around an incredibly dangerous lineup for six weeks. Meadows was perfect through three innings and allowed six base runners the next three innings.

Matt Markofski again hit a big home run, and Dylan West's three-run bomb in the sixth inning appeared like it would seal the victory.

I think it's also important to note that Mooresville skipper Jeff Burchett coached a great game. There was one brilliant call he made that I never would have considered.

It was the fourth inning, the score 0-0 and East had a runner on second with two outs. A very fast runner. Clean-up batter Corbin Shive forced a 3-1 count. Burchett called for an intentional walk and the next batter grounded out on the first pitch. Just a great thinking-man's decision. On a 3-1 count, you have to throw a strike. Typically, it's a fastball. Rather than pitching a fastball for strike to an clean-up batter waiting to launch it out of the park , Mooresville took its chances with the next guy.

I also don't buy the notion Burchett left Meadows in too long. Meadows is the ace, senior leader and was a big reason why the Blue Devils even advanced that far in the playoffs. He wanted the ball, and he wanted to finish the seventh inning. You leave him in.

Mooresville has some key seniors to replace, namely Meadows, West, Markofski and Chris Beaver. But the Blue Devils have a lot of underclassmen who contributed on varsity this year along with the best JV program in the North Piedmont 3A. They could be back in the regional semifinals next season.

Lake Norman soccer
I'll admit that, before the 3A soccer playoffs started, I wasn't a believer in Lake Norman. In the two games I covered this year, I came away with the impression that this was a talented team, but not an elite one.

Wrong.

The Wildcats advanced to the regional finals - essentially the Final Four of the 3A soccer bracket - before losing 2-1 to T.C. Roberson, the No. 1 ranked team in the country.

I stand corrected.

Mooresville track
I think Mooresville's streak of winning state titles in the running sports will stretch to five next year. The Blue Devils won a state title in outdoor track (spring, 2007), cross country (fall, 2007), indoor track (winter, 2008) and outdoor track (spring, 2008).

But after a potential cross country title, which would be three in a row, I'm not sure. Mooresville's program has such incredible depth, but it will be a challenge to replace the talent they have graduating, particularly in the field events.