Laney edges New Hanover; Bucs advance to 4-A state soccer finals

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This was simply unprecedented. Two Wilmington high schools went head to head on Tuesday for the right to advance to the state soccer finals. Laney gets to move on with a 1-0 victory. The season ends for New Hanover. Laney junior Tristan Nelson scored the only goal of the night on a header in the second overtime period.

“Nobody had ambitions that it was going to be a 3-0 or 4-0 game,” Laney head coach Jamie Noble told WWAY. “I felt that we were fortunate to be scoreless at the half because they had a couple golden chances that we were able to dodge. We kept trying to turn the screw and luckily we were able to find a goal on a corner kick which is kinda ironic because we were so worried about defending their set pieces and we scored off one.

“Coach told me to crash the goal. Sam Shifflett played a perfect ball in, I just jumped up over the defenders and played a perfect ball in,” Tristan Nelson said. “This is the best feeling in the world. First time in history for Laney going to states. I am planning on winning it.” Laney will face South Mecklenburg in Raleigh on Saturday in the 4-A state title game at 11:00 a.m. in Raleigh at the Dail Soccer Complex on the NC State campus. South Mecklenburg won the 4-A west title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Providence.