A pair of Chatham Central athletes were recently honored by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association as all-state selections for the 2023 spring season.
Sophomore Matt Murchison and junior Anthony Lopossay were named all-state, the only two Chatham County players to make the NCBA’s teams. The pair were crucial in leading the bears to a 15-8 record and a trip to the second round of the 1A playoff this spring.
Murchison was Central’s top hitter for most of the season. He finished the year with a .397 batting average along with a team-high 31 hits and 34 RBI. His seven triples were the most in Chatham County, and the second most of any player in the 1A east this season.
Lopossay, on the other hand, shined as Central’s ace on the mound, compiling a 7-4 record with a 1.81 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 54 innings pitched. He was also solid at the plate, batting .333 with 19 hits and 16 RBI.
Both Lopossay and Murchison will be back for the Bears in 2024, and both are currently competing on Chatham County’s American Legion summer team.
3 Woods Charter players earn honors
After carrying their team to a second straight 1A state finals appearance, three members of the Woods Charter girls soccer team received all-state honors for their contributions this season.
The three Wolves selected for the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association 1A all-state team — senior Lucy Miller and juniors Leyla Noronha and Sienna Gray.
Gray was the team-leader in points scored this spring, compiling 101 via 38 goals and 25 assists. This was the junior’s first season with Woods Charter after transferring over from Northwood during last offseason. Over the past two seasons, she has totaled 50 total goals.
Noronha totaled 50 goals as a sophomore in 2022, but she had a much more balanced statistical profile this season while sliding back to center attacking mid. Noronha tallied 28 goals and 25 assists, and was often responsible for creating Woods’ best chances in the attacking third.
A senior captain in 2023, Miller finished the year with 13 goals and 14 assists. She ends her career with the Wolves having scored 38 goals and dishing out 32 assists over the past two seasons.
Miller was one of five seniors for Woods Charter this spring and served as a team captain.
Seven Northwood lax players make all-state teams.
One of the biggest stories of the 2023 spring season was the success of both Northwood lacrosse programs, and both had members picked as all-state selections.
The Northwood boys, which made it all the way to the 1A/2A/3A state finals before losing to Lake Norman Charter, had six players earn honors across the four teams. Making the first team were seniors Taylor Laberge, Will Smith and William Johnson. Senior defender Taylor Zelhof made the second team, while senior attacker Jason Walden and junior midfielder Carson Fortunes made the third team.
Laberge (74 goals, 42 assists), Smith (69 goals, 40 assists) and Walden (60 goals, 27 assists) carried the Chargers’ offense this spring, while Johnson and Zelhof anchored the defense. Fortunes (44 goals, 24 assists) will be Northwood’s returning leader in goals and assists next season.
The Northwood girls lacrosse team saw junior defender Ella Boecke make the girls first-team. Leading from the back this spring, Boecke had 13 goals, three assists, 74 ground balls and 46 draw controls.
The Chargers girls team made it to the state semifinals this spring before falling to Croatan, 15-8. They finished the year with a new program record of 13 wins.