The No. 3 Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders took a big step toward the CAP-6 conference championship with a 38-7 road win over the No. 11 Leesville Road Pride on Friday night.
Cardinal Gibbons (HSOT East No. 5) outlasted No. 2 Wake Forest, 10-9, on Friday in a defensive battle. Wake Forest, which never led, had a chance to win late, but sophomore kicker Evan Helfrich had his 53-yard field goal attempt blocked on the final play of the game.
After losing its first two games of the season against stiff competition, Cardinal Gibbons (HSOT East No. 5) returned home and picked up its first win of the year with a 31-0 victory over Richmond.
For Cardinal Gibbons football, the third time was the charm. Appearing in a championship game for the third time in as many years, the Crusaders earned the first state title in program history with a 14-2 win over two-time defending champions and week one opponent Chambers in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A championship on Saturday at Carter-Finley stadium.