Team Florida Takes the Title at the 4th Annual Charlotte Fall Classic

Concord, North Carolina – The fourth annual Charlotte Fall Classic was marked by highly competitive play all weekend.  The final game of the day on Saturday represented the spirited play throughout the tournament, as Team Florida edged Team Charlotte 8-7 in overtime.  In Sunday’s championship game, Team Florida removed all doubt as it cruised to a decisive 9-4 victory over Team Charlotte on the campus of The Cannon School.  Team Florida’s impressive win was marked by high-energy defensive pressure, unselfish ball movement, and solid goaltending.  Despite Team Charlotte’s control of  face-offs, Team Florida was able to repeatedly take the ball away or force Team Charlotte turnovers.  Team Florida long poles wreaked havoc in the open field and started transition opportunities that Team Florida attackmen gladly finished.  The win capped a perfect weekend for Team Florida as they went 5-0 and were only challenged in their first meeting with Team Charlotte.  Team Florida takes home the championship cup on their first visit to The Charlotte Fall Classic and with it, a berth into The Dick’s Sporting Goods Tournament of Champions held in Tampa, Florida on January 5th and 6th, 2008.

Above, 2007 Champions Team Florida
Below, Fall Classic Director Mike Gambril presents Team Florida Coach Tom West with the Championship Trophy

Back to back to back; Triangle Select Wins third Classic Championship!
Triangle Select Black (Chapel Hill, NC) once again defeats the Florida Possums.

The Possums took an early 2-0 lead; TSL went ahead 3-2 and then the teams traded goals to a 7-7 tie late in the game. 

TSL score 3 goals in the final two minutes for a 10-7 victory.

2006 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Triangle Select Black Three-Peat's at the Fall Classic

In the past two years what has been a two team race turned into a four team race for the championship cup when Old North State upset TSL Red in the semifinals and Team Charlotte, playing for the first year, nearly knocked off the Florida Possums in the quarterfinals.  Team Charlotte beat the Possums convincingly on Saturday 10-5 then led 8-4 on Sunday with five minutes remaining.  A series of mis-cues by Team Charlotte opened the door for the Possums as they won 9-8 in overtime to once again advance to the final versus TSL Black.  In the final the Possums jumped out to an early 2 goals lead, then TSL tied it at two and the teams traded goals late into the game for a 7-7 tie with three minutes remaining. TSL Black scored three goals in the final two and a half minutes to capture their third straight Fall Classic Championship 10-7.

 

2005 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Triangle Select Repeat as Classic Champs

TSL Goes Undefeated at the Charlotte Fall Classic (Charlotte, NC)  The

second annual Charlotte Fall Classic Championship pitted Triangle

Select against the Florida Possums for the second straight year.  TSL came

out on top once again capping an undefeated weekend. TSL registered an

8-7 victory after attackman Joe Howard (Durham Jordan HS) scored off an

assist from Tim Kihlstrom (East Chapel Hill HS) late in the second half. 

TSL was lead on offense by University of North Carolina recruit Howard, who

rang up three goals and an assists.  Tim Woolley (Durham Riverside) chipped

in two goals including a spectacular behind the back finish.  The Possums

came ready to play after a 9-2 defeat at the hands of TSL on Saturday. 

After the Triangle Select go ahead goal late in the second half, the Possums

had an opportunity to tie the game with less than thirty seconds when their

final shot hit the pipe.

2004 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

TRIANGLE SELECT TAKES CHARLOTTE LACROSSE FALL CLASSIC

Triangle Downs Northern Florida 8-5 to Win Inaugural Tournament

Charlotte, N.C. - Triangle Select avenged their only loss of the weekend by downing Northern Florida 8-5 on Sunday afternoon in the inaugural Charlotte Lacrosse Fall Classic championship game.   The previously unbeaten Northern Florida Fightin’ Possums (that’s right, Possums) was fairly dominant all weekend with the exception of their two

goal win over Triangle Select on Saturday afternoon. Triangle, made up of top players from Triangle area programs such as East Chapel Hill, Cardinal Gibbons, Durham Riverside and Jordan, jumped on them early to build a 4-1 lead midway through the first half. Northern Florida was able to cut the lead to 4-2 before halftime however.Triangle opened the second half with a pair of goals only to be answered with two by Northern Florida, leaving the game at

6-4 midway through the second half. Triangle remained poised and controlled the rest of the game to hold onto the 8-5 victory. Triangle’s championship win was spurred by a strongdefense, steady goaltending, and an up-tempo transition offense. Triangle successfully held the ball on offense throughout the final two minutes to dash the Possum’s comeback hopes and ice the victory.

Top-seeded Northern Florida came back to win their semi-final game against a determined Raleigh team, while Triangle overcame Old North State on its way to the championship game.

The inaugural Charlotte Lacrosse Fall Classic was well attended throughout the weekend, including appearances from coaches representing Duke University, Army, Limestone, Roanoke and Hampden-Sydney and New England College. The Deep South Conference was well-represented with coaches from Queens University of Charlotte, Catabwa College, Wingate University, St. Andrew’s College, Pfeiffer College, and Mars Hill College in attendance.