CARY — Green Hope returned most of its stars from last year’s state championship team, making it easy to assume the team would hit the ground running in 2013. But sometimes, whether it’s expectations or just your offense, you’ve got to slow things down.

The Falcons found success in a slower pace on Saturday, in one of the season’s biggest games.

Facing the team it defeated in the 2012 state title game, Green Hope came away with a 12-7 victory against visiting Charlotte Catholic.

Some of the players’ faces were the same, but this game had a much different look – a new Falcons coach and a much more deliberate approach.

“It gets us time to calm down, get composure and then do what we need to do,” said senior Maggie Auslander, who benefitted greatly.