RALEIGH — Southwest Onslow goalkeeper Nicholas Matics was selected as the Most Valuable Player on Saturday afternoon as he helped lead his Stallions to a 2-0 victory over Lake Norman Charter in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A men’s soccer championship at Dail Soccer Field at North Carolina State University.

Matics was credited with six saves on the afternoon. The Stallions, with a stout defense and Matics in goal, allowed only 13 goals in their 18-game season.

Sophomore midfielder Paul Bishop put Southwest Onslow on the board in the ninth minute as he won a challenge for the ball and then tucked it into the net for a 1-0 Stallion lead.

That goal stood until the 67^th minute when Austin Tausch, Southwest’s leading scorer on the season, crossed a ball that wound up deflecting off a Lake Norman defender  and going into the net for a 2-0 advantage.

For the game, Lake Norman Charter had seven shots on goal to four for the Stallions and had a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

Both teams were playing in their first NCHSAA men’s soccer championship, although the Stallions have made it to the regional level on four occasions. Southwest finished the season with a 14-2-2 record and won its final 12 matches, while Lake Norman Charter wound up 19-4-1 overall.

The Raleigh Sports Consortium serves as a host city sponsor for these championships, along with the city of Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2012 STATE MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dail Soccer Field, Raleigh

1-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Southwest Onslow           0            2            —            2

Lake Norman Charter      0            0            —            0

SCORING

9^th minute SWO—Paul Bishop

67th minute   SWO—own goal

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