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.

RALEIGH – Word of God came up short the first two times the Holy Rams played in the NCISAA 8-man football state championship game with losses in 2006 and 2008. But not this time.

There was no chance of coming up short in 2010 with Qwentareus Yarborough going the distance on touchdown runs of 64 and 77 yards to open the third quarter en route to a 67-28 win over Cary Christian Friday night at Ravenscroft.

KNIGHTDALE – Two second half touchdowns were enough to give Knightdale its second straight win in the battle for the U.S. 64 Sword. The Knights held East Wake scoreless in the second half in the 28-14 victory.

DURHAM -- In his final regular season game, Durham Hillside senior quarterback Vad Lee treated the crowd at Durham County Stadium to a show.

The 6-foot-2 quarterback -- and Georgia Tech recruit -- ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns and threw for another 161 yards and two more scores, as the Hornets -- the No. 1 team in the N&O rankings -- completed a perfect regular season and captured the outright Piedmont Athletic Conference title with a 38-6 victory over Northern Durham.

CARY - Cary Christian finally got the defensive stop it needed and then two Knights quarterbacks hooked up for the game-winning touchdown with just 17 seconds to play Friday as Cary rallied to defeat Northeast Academy 57-56 in an absolutely wild football game that pushed the Knights into the NCISAA 8-man football championship game next week.

DURHAM – Southern Durham's game against rival Northern Durham on Friday night served as a microcosm of its entire year. Just like their season, the Spartans started slow, but turned it on in the fourth quarter and finished the regular season by rallying to beat the Knights 13-6 at home on Senior Night.

The win was the Spartans' fifth in a row -- all in conference play -- after losing it's first six games. It also tied them for second place in the Piedmont Athletic Conference with Northern, a game behind Durham Hillside.

CARY - Just as soon as underdog Halifax Academy rallied to briefly hold the lead early in the fourth quarter, what Vikings coach Brian Biggerstaff feared the most happened.

Cary Christian star runningback Sam Casucci broke away for touchdown runs of 49, 45, and 96 yards in the final quarter to lift the Knights to a 48-34 win in the NCISAA eight-man football playoffs. Cary (8-2) is seeded second behind Raleigh Word of God. The Knights will host either Northeast Academy or St. David's next week in the state semi-finals.

KNIGHTDALE – West Johnston won a key Greater Neuse 4-A football game, slipping past Knightdale 7-6 on the strength of a second quarterback touchdown and a resilient defensive effort.

West's Cameron Umphrey scored on a one-yard run in the second period for the Wildcats' only touchdown. Gustazo Gonzalez booted what proved to be the decisive point after.

GARNER -- North Raleigh Christian defeated Wake Christian 43-41 in a wild N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Big East Conference contest.

Down 41-37 with 1:48 left in the fourth quarter, the Knights covered 70 yards in a chaotic nine-play drive that ended when NRC quarterback John Cook found Josh Jares in the corner of the end zone with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left.

DURHAM — It’s been quite a while since things were going so well for Northern Durham on the football field, and it got even better for the Knights Friday night.

Xavier Taylor scored two early touchdowns on the ground and Deandre Melvin caught Charah Wheeler passes for the final two scores as the Knights rolled to a 41-14 homecoming win over PAC-6 4-A rival East Chapel Hill on at Durham County Stadium.