State champs! Cardinal Newman captures SCISA 4A crown with win over Hammond
Cardinal Newman’s dominance in SCISA boys soccer continues.
Playing in front of a large crowd Saturday at Sebastian Stadium, Duncan Wilson had a hat trick and the Cardinals defeated rival Hammond 4-0 to win the Class 4A SCISA state championship.
It was Cardinal Newman’s first title in 4A — with the others coming in 3A — as the S.C. Independent School Association expanded to four classifications this year.
Cardinal Newman won the title in 2019, 2021 and 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season in 2020.
“I’m really proud of this team,” Cardinal Newman coach Will Eudy said. “It takes a group of kids who see something. Then you’ve got a group of seniors who leave and the next group comes in and does the same thing. That’s why the seniors get the trophy. It is their work at the end of the day.”
Cardinal Newman (21-4) didn’t lose to a SCISA opponent all season, with its losses coming against North Augusta, nationally ranked Oceanside Collegiate, Chapin and Brentwood (Tenn.). Twelve of its wins came by shutouts.
The Cards got another big performance from Wilson, who began his high school career at Cardinal Newman before going to play for Charlotte FC Academy for a couple of years. The junior wanted to come back to Cardinal Newman to play one season of high school soccer with his younger brother and friends.
Wilson will spend the fall semester at Cardinal Newman before graduating early and heading to play soccer at Clemson University.
“All my friends go to school here, and Coach Eudy has been influential on my life since I was little,” Wilson said. “It was an easy decision to come back. This place is everything you dream of when you want to come back and play high school soccer.”
It was the third meeting of the season between Cardinal Newman and Hammond, with the Cardinals winning 5-0 on May 3 and 2-0 on March 24.
They got off to a quick start Saturday as Wilson scored in the third minute and then added another in the 15th minute to make it 2-0.
Matthew Harrison converted off a nice pass in front of the goal to make it 3-0, and Wilson got his third goal on a penalty kick in the 55th minute to make it 4-0.
“A hat trick in the state championship is a great way to top it off,” Wilson said.
Eudy had high praise for Wilson and the rest of his team — and he went on to name each player individually. He also had praise of his team’s defense, which gave up one goal in league play and the tough non-conference schedule.
“He has been great,” Eudy said of Wilson. “But the rest of the group was awesome, too. He was the cherry on top that glued us together.
“... We played a really good schedule and played some tough games, and I am so proud of this group.”
SCHSL championship scores
——Friday——
Class 4A Girls: Eastside 1, James Island 0
Class 4A Boys: Riverside 4, James Island 1
Class 5A Girls: Wando 1, J.L. Mann 1 (Wando wins in PKs, 5-4)
Class 5A Boys: Ashley Ridge 2, Clover 0
——Saturday——
Class A Boys: St. Joseph’s 4, Christ Church 2
Class 2A Girls: Oceanside Collegiate 3, Christ Church 1
Class 2A Boys: Oceanside Collegiate 2, Gray Collegiate 0
Class 3A Girls: Waccamaw 5, Travelers Rest 1
Class 3A Boys: Daniel 3, Beaufort 0
SCISA championship scores
——Saturday——
Class A Boys: Charleston Collegiate 8, Holy Trinity 0
Class A/2A Girls: Beaufort Academy 3, Holy Trinity 1
Class 2A Boys: Greenwood Christian 3, Beaufort Academy 1
Class 3A Girls: Hilton Head Prep 6, Christian Academy 0
Class 3A Boys: Pinewood Prep 2, Oakbrook Prep 1 (OT)
Class 4A Girls: Pinewood Prep 2, Porter-Gaud 1 (OT)
Class 4A Boys: Cardinal Newman 4, Hammond 0
This story was originally published May 13, 2023 at 9:25 PM.
