CHAPEL HILL — The Kinston boys basketball team was in the locker room, waiting for its state title game against Waxhaw Cuthbertson to begin, when they learned that the Kinston girls had defeated Canton Pisgah, 51-40, to win their own 2A state championship.
“One of the managers came in and told us,” Kinston coach Perry Tyndall said. “The guys started clapping and cheering. You could tell they were excited that the girls had won.”
The first state title for a girls squad from Lenoir County also provided an extra measure of incentive for Tyndall’s crew, although the coach tried to temper expectations.
“I told the guys to be happy for the girls, but I didn’t want to make a big deal about it,” Tyndall said. “We’ve got kids who’ve been here before but quite a few that haven’t, and I didn’t want to put any added pressure on the ones who haven’t.”
The extra pressure was already there, according to senior Josh Dawson, who earned his third state championship medallion in the Vikings’ 56-53 victory over Cuthbertson.
“We’re glad the girls won, but I wouldn’t say there was a lot of extra pressure because they won,” Dawson said. “Almost the entire city of Kinston was in the Dean Dome. We had enough motivation just playing for the championship against Cuthbertson.”
As the boys left the locker room and headed courtside, they were able to catch a glimpse of the girls championship trophy ceremony.
“They were out there all excited and jumping around, and it made me want to feel that way too,” said senior Denzel Keyes, who scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to earn Most Valuable Player honors. “Coach told us before the game, ‘Don’t let the girls outdo you.’ We didn’t want to be the ones to let the community down. We were determined to win one, too.”
An estimated 2,000 Kinston fans watched the Vikings boys and girls become the first teams to sweep 2A titles since Catawba Bandys performed the trick in 1982.
Kernersville Bishop McGuiness was the last school to claim dual championships in any classification, winning both at the 1A level in 2009.
“It’s a special feeling to be able to bring two championships back home to the community,” Tyndall said. “I’ve lived in Kinston for all but four years of my life, and it’s always held a special place in my heart, and not just for athletics. The city deserves to celebrate what these young men and women have accomplished.”