Cougars Lacrosse Ranked #1 in the State

The Cougars lacrosse team is heading into the NC 4A State Championships as the #1 overall seed  without a loss in the regular season. Their success can be credited to a lineup that boasts seven Division one recruits, led by senior captain Jack Ransom. A 21-goal victory over 16-seed Davie County last Friday night, followed by a closer than expected one goal victory in the third round of the state playoffs over 8-seed Myers Park has set the Cougars up with a date against familiar foe Marvin Ridge High School this Friday night. 

Head Coach Bo Turner, who has been with the team since its inception in 1995, spoke highly of his men during a recent interview. “We have great leadership, really good players,” he explained. “They work hard, they’re hungry, and they want to win.” During the regular season,  the Cougars achieved a perfect 20-0 record, outscoring opponents by an average margin of victory of over 8 and a half goals. According to Coach Turner,  early season victories at Cannon School when Catholic dethorned the then-state #1 Cougar and later at Lake Norman Charter have been the toughest tests on the road to perfection. 

The Cougars stellar play has been headed by Ransom, who is “the best player in the state,” according to coach Turner. The numbers certainly provide evidence for Coach Turner’s claims. According to MaxPreps, the Georgetown University commit ranks 2nd nationally in total goals (94) and leads the team in a variety of categories, including goals per game (4.9) and assists per game (2.7). A few weeks ago, Ransom appeared on the front page of The Charlotte Observer’s sports page. Coach Turner also recognized several other Cougar starters for their outstanding play, including all members of the attack unit and the starting defensemen, as well as “rock-solid” goalie Brady Kam and face-off man Canon Ridinger, who has been successful on over 80% of his tries.

With just three possible games remaining, all eyes are focused on the main prize: the state championship game on May 18th in Durham. The Cougars will look to add their 4th championship to the trophy shelf, joining the 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2014 clubs.