Reader’s choice awards: Who will be your pick for the 2023-24 high school sports honors?

Here are the nominees for The Charlotte Observer’s year-end high school sports honors.

At the end of each school year, the media company celebrates the best boys’ and girls’ players and athletes of the school year. But before we make our selections, we want to hear from you all, the readers.

Each of the more than 100 schools in the area were asked to nominate athletes and coaches in multiple categories.

Find the finalists below and you may vote for your favorites as often as you want. The polls will close Friday.

Boys’ team of the year

Ardrey Kell cross-country: The Knights were SoMECK conference, 4A Western regional champions and finished fourth at the NC 4A state championships this season. Knights star Raghav Gopalakrishnan was state runner up individually.

Cannon lacrosse: Cannon finished 19-3 and won its third straight NCISAA Division I state championship.

Charlotte Christian soccer: The Knights won a share of their first CISAA conference championship since 2006. Charlotte Christian finished 12-5 overall.

Central Cabarrus boys basketball: The Vikings, who were 32-0 last season, finished 33-0 and were back-to-back N.C. 3A state champions. Their 65-game win streak is the longest in America. Over the past four years, Central Cabarrus is 95-1 and over the past three years, it is 95-1. The Vikings won their fourth straight South Piedmont conference regular-season championship and their third straight conference tournament title. They were ranked nationally in at least four polls.

Charlotte Latin swimming: The Hawks won their 13th straight CISAA conference championship and their fifth NCISAA state championship, which was the school’s 20th state title in the sport. At this year’s state finals, Latin had 462 points, nearly 200 more than second place Raleigh Ravenscroft. Latin’s Norvy Clontz (200 freestyle) and Aidan Hill (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke) won individual events and set new NCISAA records in the 200 free (Clontz) and 100 fly (Hill). Latin’s 200 medley relay (Zachary Spicer, Clontz, Hill, James Harper) and 400 freestyle relay (Clontz, Harper, Wiley Spinner, Hill) also set new NCISAA records. All were All American (automatic) swims. Latin also set seven new school records at the event.

Fort Mill soccer: The Yellow Jackets finished 16-8-1 and won their final five games of the year en route to the SC 5A state championship. Senior Braden Gritz, committed to College of Charleston, scored 25 goals.

Lake Norman basketball: The Wildcats finished 28-3 and were Greater Metro Conference champions and were a N.C. 4A Western Regional finalist. The stars of the team, Tre McKinnon and Trent Steinour, were named conference offensive and defensive players of the year. In all, five players made all-conference.

Metrolina Christian baseball: The Warriors finished 29-2 and beat No. 1 seed High Point Wesleyan in High Point to win the state championship. Metrolina lost Game 1 but won the final two. The Warriors won the Metrolina Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships.

North Mecklenburg boys basketball: The Vikings were named Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 champions after winning the school’s third NCHSAA 4A state championship, with a memorable playoff run that included a win at Myers Park when the Mustangs were ranked No. 4 in the nation. North star Isaiah Evans was named Charlotte’s top boys basketball player of the past 40 years. North Meck finished the season 30-3 and ranked among the nation’s top 15 teams.

Sun Valley football: The Spartans finished 8-4 and had their first winning season since going 10-3 in 2018. In the past four seasons, the team had seven total wins. The 2023 team topped that.

Victory Christian boys basketball: After going 4-26 and 14-14 the previous two seasons, the 2023-24 version of the Kings finished 28-8, including wins over both NCISAA 4A state finalists, Christ School and Providence Day. Victory Christian also beat national power Raleigh Word of God and were champions of the Charlotte Hoops Classic (bracket), Georgia Interstate Invitational, South Piedmont Athletic Association and NCISAA 1A Independent Schools’ state tournament.

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Girls’ team of the year

Ardrey Kell basketball: The Knights finished 22-6 and were SoMECK regular-season conference runners-up and won the conference tournament championship. After beating Butler 73-46 in the first round of the playoffs, the Knights lost, 74-70, to Northwest Guilford in the second.

Cannon School: Cannon won its fourth straight CISAA conference championship with a young team that lost all-state guard Lili Booker to Mallard Creek. The Cougars, who have a 38-game conference win streak, won the NCISAA 4A state championship.

Catawba Ridge softball: The Copperheads are 29-2 and won 12 straight games to finish the season, beating West Florence in the SC 5A state title.

Charlotte Country Day swimming: The Bucs went unbeaten and won the state championship. The team set 10 school and 35 team records, 22 of them at the state finals.

Charlotte Latin lacrosse: The Hawks won their fifth straight NCISAA state title, beating Charlotte Country Day in the state finals.

Clover (SC) girls soccer: The Blue Eagles finished 20-4, winning their final five games en route to the SC 5A state championship. Marilia Nieves, a forward, scored 17 goals to lead the team and has committed to Kentucky. She played for the U17 and U20 Puerto Rican National teams.

Providence Day girls soccer: Led by All-American nominee Jaida McGrew, the Chargers finished 24-1-1 and won the conference and state championship. The Chargers are ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.

SouthLake Christian soccer: The team won back-to-back Metrolina Athletic Conference regular-season and conference tournament championships, amassing eight all-conference players. SouthLake allowed just one goal in league play, while scoring 51.

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Comeback player of the year

Henry Anthony, Cannon School football: Anthony, a junior tight end, is a football and baseball player. He was first team all-conference in football with 28 catches for 285 yards and six touchdowns, plus 31 tackles, seven QB pressures, three sacks and seven tackles for a loss. He has 22 D1 football offers. Anthony missed his sophomore year after tearing his ACL.

Morgan Boonshaft, Providence Day girls’ track: After fighting injuries for two years, Boonshaft ended her high school career by winning the NCISAA Division I state championship in the 3,200 meters earlier this month.

Kaylee Carson, Independence girls’ basketball: Carson, a senior, tore her ACL and missed her junior year. She played a shortened freshman season due to COVID. She returned in the 2023-24 season, scored her 1,000th career point and made All-Observer and all-conference. Carson signed to play with East Tennessee State.

Ava Nukols, Weddington girls lacrosse: After missing last season, Nukols returned for her senior season stronger and faster. She started on defense for an 18-3 playoff team.

HOW TO VOTE

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Boys’ coach of the year

Andy Capone, Weddington: Capone led the Warriors to the N.C. 4A state championship and a national ranking. He is 77-8 as a head coach with three state titles. In the 2023 season, Capone led the Warriors to their first unbeaten conference season in school history. Each of his teams have had at least 5,500 yards of offense, including the 2023 state title. Capone has sent 27 players to college on scholarship. Weddington finished No. 2 in The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll last fall.

Whitney Held, Ardrey Kell swimming: Held led the Knights to the SoMECK regular-season and conference titles. Ardrey Kell was 4A Western Regional runner up and finished third at states.

Grant Hodges, Lake Norman basketball: Hodges led the Wildcats to a 28-3 record and to the Greater Metro 4A conference title. Lake Norman made the 4A Western Regional, or state semifinal game.

Duane Lewis, North Mecklenburg basketball: Lewis has more than 500 wins and led his team to a 30-3 record this season, a top 15 national ranking and his third NCHSAA 4A state title.

David Paige, Charlotte Latin wrestling: Paige led the Hawks to their 25th NCISAA state championship and his eighth as a head coach. He was named Positive Coaching Alliance Regional Coach of the Year, the Charlotte Observer Wrestling Coach of the Year, and has an overall duals record of 198-32 (86-1 vs NCISAA teams).

Melvin Rendelman, Victory Christian: In his third season, Rendleman led the Kings to a NCISAA 1A state championship with win over both 4A state finals teams, Providence Day and Christ School as well as national power Raleigh Word of God. victory finished 28-8 after losing 6-11 junior Kabba Fanta, the team’s top player, to 1 of 1 Prep at the Christmas break.

Steve Schattner, Cannon lacrosse: Led team to a third straight NCISAA state championship. His team has won four straight conference titles.

Nicolas Sosa, Charlotte Christian soccer: Led the Knights to their first winning season in seven years, completely changing the team culture in his first year. Charlotte Christian finished 12-5 and won a share of the CISAA league title. The year prior the Knights were 3-13.

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Girls’ coach of the year

Kelvin Drakeford, Cannon School basketball: Drakeford led a young team to a 23-7 record and the NCISAA 4A state championship. Cannon won its fourth straight CISAA conference championship and extended its conference win streak to 38 games. Drakeford is 124-57 in his career.

Todd Grear, Pine Lake Prep golf: Grear led his team to the NCHSAA 1A/2A state championship, the first in school history. Pine Lake Prep won by 16 shots over the field at Stonebridge Golf Course in Monroe.

Latavia Dixon, Ardrey Kell basketball: Dixon led her team to a 22-6 record and the SoMECK conference tournament championship. Her team reached the second round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs and Dixon was named District coach of the year.

Lauren Galvani, Independence basketball: Galvani’s team finished 23-6, posting its fourth straight winning season and third in four years with at least 19 wins. The Patriots won the Southwestern 4A tournament championship and reached the second round of the 4A playoffs.

Kayleigh Thies Ferlan, Charlotte Country Day field hockey: Thies Ferlan’s team won the NCISAA 4A state championship, beating Cary Christian 2-0. The season before, her team finished as state runner-up.

Nikki Williams, Charlotte Latin lacrosse: Williams led her team to its fifth straight state championship in May. The Hawks finished 15-3, winning their final six games, despite dealing with multiple injury issues this season.

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Boys’ athlete of the year

Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg basketball: The first player to ever win Mr. NC Basketball twice, Evans was a McDonald’s All-American who led North Mecklenburg to its third state championship. Signed to Duke, Evans was named the best high school basketball of the past 40 years by The Observer in April.

Raghav Gopalakrishnan, Ardrey Kell cross-country, track: Gopalakrishnan is a two-time state runner-up in 4A cross-country and has twice been runner-up outdoors in the 3,200. He owns six school records and has qualified for numerous national meets, including earning top 40 national recognition at the Foot Locker National Championships. Gopalakrishnan will run in college at Penn.

Chase Kiker, Metrolina Christian baseball: Kiker led Metrolina Christian to the NCISAA state championship and a 29-2 record. He was 11-1 with an 0.41 ERA, while striking out 127 batters in 67.2 innings. He also hit .480 with 27 RBIs and four home runs.

Eli Murray, Lake Norman wrestling: Murray was a two-time NCHSAA state champion and was state runner-up in 2023. He’ll wrestle at Duke next season.

Colin Salema, Providence golf: The Clemson-bound senior was four-time Southwestern 4A conference golfer of the year and was a four-time NCHSAA state championship qualifier. Salema was state runner-up as a junior and was 4A Western Regional champion as a senior.

Cameron Stinson, Mallard Creek wrestling: Stinson won four straight NCHSAA state championships and finished his career undefeated. He was The Observer’s wrestler of the year. Stinson was 62-0 this season and 205-0 for his career.

Tre Wilfong, Charlotte Christian wrestling: A four-time state champion, Wilfong won more than 100 matches in his four-year career. He will wrestle at N.C. State next season.

Brevin Wilson, Cannon School lacrosse: Wilson, a UNC commit, had 62 goals, 47 assists, 34 ground balls and 11 takeaways for the state champions. He was named a high school All-American as well as all-conference and all-state.

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Girls’ athlete of the year

Mary Bonner Dalton, Myers Park cross-country, track: The Notre Dame signee was named NC Gatorade runner of the year after her fall cross-country season. She finished fourth at the national Foot Locker championships late last year to earn All-American honors. To qualify for that event, Dalton recorded the second-fastest 5K ever run by a NC girls’ high school athlete at the Foot Locker South Regionals, where she ran a personal best time of 16:53.80 to finish sixth. Dalton was named The Observer’s girls runner of the year.

Aubrey Hull, Ardrey Kell swimming: A Vanderbilt recruit, Hull has been all-state in each of her four seasons in high school. This year, she set new school records in the 100 back, 200 medley and 400 free relay. She won the state title in the 100 back and swam on the winning 200 medley relay team, where she swam All-American times. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 backstroke two weeks ago.

Elektra Koulouris, Weddington lacrosse: The Weddington senior set school records for draws, goals and points. She is second all-time in assists. Koulouris has 59 goals and 18 assists this season.

Arianna Lopez, Cannon School volleyball: Lopez led her team to the NCISAA 4A state championship, the CISAA conference title and was the conference player of the year. Lopez, an all-state pick, had 101 kills, 73 aces, 17 blocks, 242 digs and 574 assists.

Camryn Massey, Ashbrook track: Massey, the 3A indoor state champion in the shot put, won the shot put and discus titles at the 3A outdoor state championships. She’s signed to Auburn.

Blane McElroy, Providence Day girls soccer: McElroy helped her team earn the NCISAA state championship and a No. 1 national ranking. A junior, McElroy finished the season with 39 goals and 31 assists.

Caleigh Suddreth, Lake Norman High School wrestling: Suddreth is a three-time NCHSAA state champion and won the Tricia Saunders award for the best female wrestler in North Carolina.

Ellie Wilkins, Charlotte Country Day field hockey: Tufts recruit is a three-sport athlete (field hockey, basketball and soccer) and was all-conference in each sport. In field hockey, Wilkins is a two-time state champion (2021, ’23).

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Boys’ scholar-athlete

Tommy Beason, Charlotte Latin Baseball: Beason was first team all-conference and is a two-year team captain. This year he was named his team’s most valuable player. He takes five AP classes and has better than a 4.0 GPA. Beason was inducted into Latin’s prestigious Cum Laude Society and is also a member of the CLS Service Society, for volunteering more than 125 hours. Beason will attend UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall and plans to major in economics and journalism.

Shaurya Bharadwaj, Providence Day: The Chargers’ tennis star is ranked top 15 nationally in his age group. He’s suffered just one loss in high school tennis in two years and has a 4.27 GPA.

Ryan Burke, Legion Collegiate (SC): Burke, a Liberty baseball recruit, carries a 5.340 GPA and is ranked No. 1 in the school’s senior class.

Jayden Chapman, Victory Christian: Chapman won the NCISAA 1A cross-country state championship and also played basketball and soccer for the Kings. He has a 4.2 GPA.

Andrew Chen, Charlotte Latin: Junior tennis player was all-conference and all-state. He was inducted into his school’s Cum Laude Society, the highest academic honor an 11th grader can at Latin. Chen took seven classes, choosing an academic subject over adding a study hall. Five of those classes had honors or AP distinction.

Liam Gibbons, Cannon School: Gibbons played on his school’s lacrosse team and ran cross-country. He’s committed to MIT for lacrosse and carries a 4.42 weighted GPA. He was inducted into the school’s Math, English, Spanish, History and Cum Laude honor societies. Gibbons was a captain on the school’s 2024 state championship lacrosse team.

Kyle Van Dam, Providence Day: Van Dam was an all-state lacrosse player who had 122 ground balls and 75 takeaways. He has a 4.2 GPA and has committed to Colgate.

Billy Wilkes, Providence: The Panthers’ football star has a 4.23 GPA, a 33 ACT score and is part of his school’s National Honor Society and Executive Board. Wilkes, who will play at Clemson, won the 2023 Charlotte Touchdown Club’s Luke Kuechly defensive player of the year. He was an All Charlotte Observer football pick who had 132 tackles, eight sacks, two interceptions and two blocked punts.

Bryce Young, Charlotte Christian: A Notre Dame football recruit, Young had a 3.964 GPA and was the school’s scholar-athlete award winner. He was all-state and a finalist for the N.C. Gatorade player of the year award.

Christopher Zhang, Ardrey Kell: While maintaining a 4.6 GPA and ranked 32nd in a class of 898, Zhang has been a a four-time all-state swimmer who set five school records (50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay) this season. All four years of high school he has been a robotics team mentor and volunteered 250 hours as an assistant coach for a summer league swim team.

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Girls’ scholar-athlete

Lauren Asuma, Southlake Christian: A two-year girls’ soccer captain, Asuma scored 11 goals this season to go with 16 assists. She’s been a member of her school’s National Honor Society for two years. She’s also been part of her school’s Student Missions Fellowship for two years and carries a 4.18 GPA. She is also a varsity football manager and plays varsity girls’ lacrosse.

Tyler Glover, Ardrey Kell: A four-year track and field athlete, Glover is a four-time shot put state champion and has been ranked No. 1 in North Carolina and top 20 nationally for the past two years. Glover also won the discus as the outdoor state championships this season. Glover has set new school records 16 times in her events and carries a 4.604 GPA. She is a member of her school’s National Honor Society, Mathematics Honor Society. Glover is also a second degree black belt.

Abbie Hege, East Lincoln: Hege carries a 4.64 GPA and will graduate with 20 Gaston Community College credits. She’s made all As and one B since third grade. Hege won the East Lincoln Female athlete of the year award and was selected to play in the East-West all-star girls’ soccer game in July as well as the Clash of the Carolinas NC/SC all-star game. She’s a three-time all-state and all-conference selection in soccer. This season, she had 23 goals and 16 assists. In basketball, Hege was a three-time all-conference player and helped lead East to an 98-10 record in her career.

Anika Johnson, North Mecklenburg: Johnson is ranked No. 1 in the senior class with better than 4.6 GPA taking all IB class. The girls’ soccer player will attend North Carolina.

Nicole Ratterman, Cannon School: Ratterman ran cross-country and was captain on Cannon’s softball team. She is the 2024 class valedictorian with a 4.46 GPA. Ratterman is a member of her school’s math, history, Cum Laude and Theater societies. She was also chosen to work at UNC Charlotte as a professor’s assistant in the professor’s biomechanics research. In softball, Ratterman hit .421 with seven RBIs and a home run.

Lily Thorson, Independence: Thorson swam for the Patriots and played tennis. She was a Junior Marshall and was secretary for the Bee Club, Art Club, Pickleball Club and HOSA club. She’s president of her school’s National Honor Society with a weighted GPA of 4.59. She’ll graduate top three in her class.

Ellie Wilkins, Charlotte Country Day: Wilkins, a senior, played field hockey, basketball and soccer. She was all-conference and all-state in field hockey and is a two-time field hockey state champ (2021, 2023). She’s ranked No. 26 in her class with a 4.3 GPA.

HOW TO VOTE

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