A season’s worth of grinding games in the Mid-Carolina Conference resulted in Cedar Ridge lacrosse earning its first state playoff win since 2022.
Junior Joshua Hart scored five goals and two assists as the Red Wolves defeated Voyager Academy 12-3 at Voyager Middle School in the 2nd round of the 3A/2A/1A/ State Playoffs. The Red Wolves, which received the #12 seed in the East Region, will travel to Cameron to face Union Pines in the round of 16 on Tuesday night.
The Red Wolves last win in the state playoffs came on May 5, 2022 when they dominated Western Alamance 18-5 at Red Wolves Stadium.
Cedar Ridge is now guaranteed to finish with at least a .500 record for the first time since 2022. It was a decisive win after the Red Wolves finished the 2024 season with a disappointing loss to West Carteret in the opening round of the playoffs in Hillsborough. It turned out to be the final game for Cedar Ridge attacker Jacob Driver, who now plays at Mount Olive.
Hart, who has 49 goals on the season, now has 87 career goals. He also tallied two assists and has 67 points this year, which leads the team.
It was the first playoff win for Cedar Ridge head coach Joe De Leo, now in his second season.
Junior Grant Thole, Devon Clark and Alex Desrosiers each scored two goals. Desrosiers also had four ground balls.
Longstick defensemen Gavin Scher had four takeaways and six ground balls.
Goalkeeper Mike O’Melia made 12 saves and kept the Vikings behind the entire game.
Cedar Ridge has won five of its last six games They will face a Union Pines team that has won four in a row and is 15-8 overall after a 10-6 victory over Northwood in the 2nd round. The Vikings finished as the top 3A team, 2nd overall, in the 4A/3A Sandhills Conference.
