N&O football previews (9-12)

No. 9 Panther Creek Catamounts

• Panther Creek's surprised us all last year. The Catamounts lost senior leaders who weathered close games, dramatic comebacks and a tough schedule, but an outstanding offensive line will help. Read the preview by clicking here.

No. 10 Leesville Road Pride

• They've had a coaching change and only five defensive starters return. But the Pride has been one of the best Triangle programs in recent years and has some playmakers. Read the preview by clicking here.

No. 11 Fuquay-Varina Bengals

• Fuquay-Varina may have lost some of last year's stars, but the program speaks for itself. The Bengals are one of three 4-A programs to have won at least 11 games in each of the last five seasons. Read the preview by clicking here.

No. 12 Millbrook Wildcats

• The Wildcats are aiming for consistency this season after ending last season poorly. Millbrook has one of the nation's fastest players in Keith Marshall. Read the preview by clicking here.

High school football teams will have their first official practices tomorrow morning. Most schools in the area have already had mini camps, but tomorrow coaches will start to get an idea of the number of players they will have with incoming freshman allowed to participate.

Since it’s the first day of practice, players will dress in helmets, shorts and football shoes. There can be no body-to-body contact. The News & Observer will be at many of the practices tomorrow morning to provide news updates and photos – especially for schools in the Cap Eight 4-A conference.

Leesville Road, a school that won state championships in boys golf and girls soccer a few months ago, has added lacrosse as a varsity spring sport.

Jack Rogers, Leesville Road’s athletic director, has seen the recent impact lacrosse has had on other schools in the area, especially in the Cap Eight 4-A conference. Rogers said he and Principal Scott Lyons made the decision a few weeks ago to offer the sport next year.

“I think it’s exciting for not only our students, but for everybody,” said Rogers, who expects the lacrosse programs to add points to the schools’ Wachovia Cup standings next year. “It’s exciting for us as an athletic department to add a new sport. I think we’ll be competitive.”

Leesville Road’s Caroline Gentry was named as the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association girls soccer player of the year at its annual banquet on Sunday.

Carter Jenkins of Leesville Road won the Rex Hospital Open junior invitation on Sunday by shooting two rounds of 2-under par 69. Jenkins total score of 138 was three strokes better than his Pride teammate Grayson Murray, who won the event last year by having a 5-under-par 66 in his second round.

Leesville Road, Ravenscroft and Cardinal Gibbons each land three players on the soccer coaches' all-state team.

CARY -- This season was always about pushing forward for Leesville Road’s girls soccer team. The Pride did it again and again. The season-ending injuries to Kelsey Reeves and Kelsey Weiss. Coach Paul Dinkenor playing inexperienced freshman Zaria Maynard in goal. Even the tough, demanding victories in overtime of these playoffs.

The Pride just kept pushing.

By playing with poise and structure in the midfield, the Pride pushed past previously unbeate Charlotte Ardrey Kell – for the third time in four years – to take a 3-0 victory for the NCHSAA 4-A state title.

The regional semifinals are Tuesday. Winners will play against each other in a best-of-three series starting on Thursday for the regional titles. The state championships are next weekend, with two of the classes playing a best-of-three series at Five County Stadium and the other two at N.C. State's Doak Field.

Leesville Road, Cardinal Gibbons and Carrboro will each host East regional finals this week. The state championships are this Friday and Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park.

In 4-A: Wilmington Laney at West Johnston; Clayton at Fayetteville Britt; Garner at Scotland; Northern Durham travels to Holly Springs; Apex is at Wake Forest-Rolesville; Leesville Road is at Person; Riverside is at Fuquay-Varina