MOUNT HOLLY — For Mountain Island Charter girls soccer coach Darren Johnson, his team’s NCHSAA 2A West regional final Tuesday, May 26 was something he’d seen one too many times.
Old nemesis Christ the King once again halted a Raptor playoff run, this time ending its bid for back-to-back NCHSAA state titles with a 1-0 victory at Raptor Stadium in Mount Holly.
Fouled in the penalty box with under eight minutes remaining, Christ the King junior striker Addison Peirce sent her penalty kick past Mountain Island Charter net minder Kendall Spence for the game’s only goal.
The goal came minutes after play resumed following a lightning delay which stopped play for approximately an hour. Following the game, Johnson couldn’t shake what he perceived as a case of deja vu.
“I just hate to see a game so contested be decided in that way,” he said. “This is the second time this has happened to us (against Christ the King) where there’s been a rain delay in a playoff game, we come back out and they are granted a penalty kick and win. It’s just tough because you’d rather judgment calls not decide playoff games.”
Christ the King has now ended three of Mountain Island Charter’s last four playoff runs. The only exception was 2025, when the Raptors defeated Christ the King 3-0 in the NCHSAA 1A West regional final on their way to a state championship.
The teams spent much of the first half feeling each other out, neither side producing much in the way of shots on goal. Mountain Islsnd Charter’s Harmoni Carter made Christ the King hearts skip a beat in the 26th minute, her shot from 15 yards blocked by Crusader goalkeeper Paige Roche.
Action picked up immediately after the break, with a Carter shot hitting the crossbar, MICS teammate Cheyenne Painter’s shot straying wide of the target and a Raptor corner kick missing its mark. Christ the King also had its share of opportunities, though outstanding defensive plays thwarted such threats.
“I think we had the better of the opportunities, and you know, if any of those go in, the game is over,” Johnson said. “But it’s soccer. That’s just the way it is sometimes.”
Before leaving the pitch, Johnson allowed a decorated group of seniors — which leave with 74 wins and a state championship — to address the team.
“It was tough because these eight seniors, I’ve coached them since their freshman year,” he said. “I owe a lot of my success to them; they are responsible for our success the past four years. It’s tough to say goodbye to them.”
Mountain Island Charter’s season ends with a 19-3 record.
Another decorated senior class saw its NCHSAA title pursuit end Tuesday, South Point 4-0 to Hickory in the 5A West final. Its season ends with a 24-3-1 mark.
Winners of 85 games the past four seasons, the loss ended the Red Raiders’ streak of state final appearances at three.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Mountain Island Charter, South Point girls soccer fall in NCHSAA regionals
