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Zach Kerner and Brown Parker made sure to show up under the bright lights Friday night.
The Team 91 Carolina 2025 duo and Cardinal Gibbons seniors came up big for the Crusaders. Both scored five goals to lead the way in a 16-14 win over Charlotte Catholic in a battle between two of the best teams in North Carolina. It was a perfect way for the Crusaders to open their season, even if that wasn’t by design.
“We’ve been waiting for this game since May when we had a bad taste in our month after losing in the state semis to Green Level,” Kerner said. “Our first game got cancelled, so this ended up being our opener. Everyone was really fired up.”
It helps to have someone like Kerner step up in the big moment. The Albany commit smartly picked up on the Charlotte Catholic defense’s weak spots, seamlessly working off-ball to get open and finish the opportunities sent his way.
“My teammates were winning their matchups and the defense was sliding fast, so I was just keeping my stick up and getting open,” Kerner explained. “I was just working off of them and playing off of them, and they found me a couple of times.”
Sights Set on a State Title
There’s a lot to like about Gibbons’ team this year. It’s a group that’s got plenty of talent, and it’s talent that’s familiar with each other. That’s a major reason why the Crusaders feel like they can make a run at a state championship.
“We have really high expectations for this season,” Kerner said. “Everyone has been playing together for so long. This is a culmination of everything we’ve been doing since we were nine yearsold.:
High Point commit Joey Jonske (Team 91 Charlotte) snapped home a hat trick for Cardinal Gibbons.
Check out the NLF full game highlights at the video player above. Highlights are courtesy of Twan Flip.
