Championship Night in Durham
Woods Charter High School captured the 1A girls soccer state championship on Tuesday, defeating Summit Charter by a 3‑0 margin in front of a packed crowd at the Durham Sports Complex.
The Wolves’ star forward, Lucy Poitras, delivered a hat‑trick that left the opposition stunned, opening the scoring in the 29th minute with a curling free‑kick from 25 yards out before adding two more goals in the second half.
Poitras’s first strike bent over the wall and into the top corner, a moment that set the tone for a dominant performance. She doubled the lead in the 43rd minute with a quick turn and shot, and sealed the victory in the 65th minute after a defensive scramble.
Summit Charter had started strongly, controlling possession for the opening twenty minutes and testing the Wolves’ back line, but a disciplined defensive shift after the first goal shut down their momentum.
The win marks Woods Charter’s first state title after four appearances in championship matches over the past five years, a milestone that has been celebrated by students, alumni and the local community.
Beyond the scoreboard, the game highlighted sportsmanship, with both teams naming a Sportsmanship Award winner: Lucy Poitras for Woods Charter and Kayleigh Bonner for Summit Charter.
Coach Victoria Clement praised her squad’s resilience, noting that the team’s preparation and belief in each other were key to overcoming a side that had never fielded a varsity program until recent years.
The triumph also brings a first state runner‑up plaque to Summit Charter, a historic achievement for a school that only recently added high school grades and sports to its curriculum.
The Wolves will now look ahead to next season, aiming to defend their title while the N.C. High School Athletic Association celebrates the milestone as a testament to the growing competitiveness of charter schools in the state.