CAT Soccer Shuts Out Cardinal Gibbons to Win Wake County Cup

Hailey Loftin
Staff Writer

      The Apex varsity soccer team traveled to Cardinal Gibbons High School on Saturday, Sept. 19 to play in the finals of the Wake County Cup. Both teams were undefeated going into the game, but the Cougars played well and prevented Cardinal Gibbons from scoring. Seniors Patrick Bailey, Will Tomlinson, and Kian Charkhesht each scored one of the Cougars’ goals, and senior goalkeeper Corey Vodicka had nine saves throughout the game.
      Vodicka was a key factor in Apex’s victory over the Crusaders. In the first ten minutes of the game, he had four saves. He made two saves in three seconds when Cardinal Gibbons shot the ball, rebounded, and shot again. Goalkeeping against an undefeated team that is trying to win back-to-back Wake County Cups was not an easy task. It was a challenge, however, that Vodicka was ready to meet. The Cougars scored all three of their points in the first half. Neither team scored at all in the second half, but that was just fine for Apex.
      This was the third year of the Wake County Cup. Apex won against Sanderson High School the inaugural year, but last year Cardinal Gibbons defeated Sanderson to win. In the week and a half since winning the Wake County Cup, the Cougars have moved up in the rankings and are now ranked number one in the country. Apex hopes to continue their undefeated season and win the state championship in November.