TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 4/22/14

The Fort Mill boys and J.L. Mann Academy girls claimed the first state championships of the year Monday night at White Knoll High School in Lexington.

Fort Mill won its first state crown since 2011 when it defeated two-time defending champion Wando, 15-13, as Mitch Russell (Duke signee) scored six goals and Wright Bailey added three.

“Winning the state title has been the team’s goal ever since Fort Mill won 3 years ago,” said senior midfielder Carlo Harneit. “Losing in the championship last year was hard and made us work even harder in the off season and the regular season this year.

“The hard work paid off when we were able to finally hold the trophy.”

The game was 10-10 late in the third period when the Yellow Jackets (13-3) went on a 4-1 surge to end the quarter up 14-11.

“When Wando began to come back we had to pull ourselves together and remind ourselves why we were there,” Harneit said. “We knew we wanted it more than them.

“We left everything we had on the field. There’s not a different group of guys I would’ve rather won the title with. The team is successful because we have been playing together for years and have really formed a strong connection on and off the field.”

Fort Mill sophomore defenseman Ben Davidson said his team made some key adjustments when the game got close.

“We talked over every Wando goal and in the end decided that our back side slides were a little late and we needed to address that ASAO,” said Davidson, recently named the state’s Defensive Player of the Year. “We got our slide packages in order on defense.

“Once our offense kicked it into high gear we knew we had the victory. Our team plays by the chant FQO -meaning the fourth quarter is ours!”

Wando finished 15-3 with one of its other defeats coming to Fort Mill, 14-9.

In the girls’ finale, J.L. Mann repeated as state champion with a 13-11 victory over Wando for its 34th straight win over a South Carolina team. The Patriots finish 16-3 while Wando closes at 13-2.

J.L. Mann led, 9-4, but Wando scored four straight to pull within 9-8, and later 10-9, but the Patriots could not tie it up.