Two for One: Cross Country, Soccer Win State Championships on Same Weekend

In what could only be described as “championship weekend,” the Christian Brothers Academy cross country and soccer teams both won their respective state championships in the span of 36 hours.

It was the 29th title for cross country and the seventh win for soccer. Read more below from CBA Athletics’ LetsGoColts.com.

Cross Country

Shaw Powell got his first crack at CBA Cross Country history on Saturday afternoon and he didn’t squander his opportunity. Running in 16:14, the junior won the Non-Public A race to lead the Colts to their 29th state championship in program history.

“Everything here is a team effort,” Powell told MileSpilt after the race. “Being part of the Colts, it’s more of a group thing. While I took the win, the team took the win, and that’s what we care about.”

Powell becomes the 14th CBA runner to win the individual state championship, following up now-graduated Brian Hill’s winning effort from last fall.

Junior Mike Morris finished fifth and sophomore Tristan Amell was ninth in the race, as CBA went 1-5-9-11-17 in their top-five. The Colts won the championship by 41 points over second place St. Peter’s Prep.

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Soccer

It will forever be an iconic moment in Christian Brothers Academy Soccer lore.

With just 19 seconds remaining on the clock in the second overtime, senior Luke Pascarella lined up for a free kick. After nearly 100 minutes of play, the state championship against Delbarton was tied at one with penalty kicks looming to determine a champion.

But the dramatic title game ended there, as Pascarella delivered a score past the outstretched arms of the Delbarton goalie to win the seventh state championship in CBA Soccer history.

It’s the seventh title in program history and second in three years. The 2016 team was expected to win the title, but the 2018 team faced adversity along the way.

“This group stuck together all season and believed in each other right down to the final seconds of the season,” head coach Tom Mulligan said. “There were times when they could have surrendered and lost hope, but that’s not the CBA way. These young men continued put in the work, push each other in practice, and support each other through the difficult times. Their relentless attitude continued through the final moments of the season, and they’re state champions because of it.”

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