Vote for The Charlotte Observer athlete of the week (09.13.24)

Below are the nominees for The Charlotte Observer high school athlete of the week.

The poll closes Friday.

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This week’s nominees

Harrison Akers, Carmel Christian cross-country: The Cougars’ freshman ran the Boys’ 5K in 18 minutes, 48 seconds to win the Myers Park Invitational Sept. 7.

Akers beat the field in the “Green Race” by more than nine seconds.

Anne Bradley Bing, Gaston Day volleyball: The Spartans’ senior had 23 kills and 13 digs to lead Gaston Day to 3-0 win at Concord Academy Sept. 3.

Bing also had 34 kills, 21 digs and a block in a 3-0 sweep at SouthLake Christian Sept. 5.

Bing recorded 30 kills, 25 digs, three aces and three blocks in a 3-0 victory over Spartanburg Christian Sept. 6.

Bing has 286 kills, 233 digs, 18 aces and seven blocks for Gaston Day (6-6) this season.

John Capps, Metrolina Christian cross-country: The Warriors’ freshman ran the second-fastest 5K time (16:47.4) for a freshman in school history to finish 17th out of 140 runners at the Wilmington Beach Blast in Olsen Park Sept. 6.

Capps helped the Metrolina Christian boys’ cross country team to a runner-up finish at the same event.

Bryce Cooke, Parkwood cross-country: The Wolfpack sophomore ran a 16:40 to finish 13th out of 317 runners in the Boys’ 5K at the Friday Night Lights’ Invitational in Kernersville Sept. 6.

Cooke helped the Parkwood boys’ cross country team to a 10th-place finish out of 36 teams.

Lucy Curtis, Myers Park field hockey: The Mustangs’ senior goalkeeper had one save, while recording a shutout in a 8-0 win at Providence Sept. 3.

Curtis also had 11 saves in a 3-2 loss to Cardinal Gibbons in a rematch of last year’s state championship game on Sept. 5.

Curtis, an Ohio State commit, has 28 saves and three shutouts for Myers Park (3-1) this season.

Tina Garofoli, Providence Day field hockey: The Chargers’ junior scored all three goals in a 3-0 win over Ravenscroft Sept. 6.

Garofoli also created a lot of the attack in a 1-0 loss to Cary Academy Sept. 7.

Garofoli has nine goals and one assist for Providence Day (4-3) this season.

Adam Haggart, Charlotte Country Day cross-country: The Buccaneers’ freshman ran a 16:46.40 to break the freshman school record while finishing 17th outof 140 runners in the Wilmington Beach Blast at Olsen Park Sept. 6.

Haggart helped the Charlotte Country Day boys’ cross country team to a third-place finish at the same event.

Sienna Jauch, Carmel Christian girls’ golf: The Cougars’ senior shot a 5-over- par 41, with one birdie in her round, to finish second at Raintree Country Club’s south course (front nine) in a tri-meet with Cannon School and Charlotte Latin Sept. 3.

The next day, Jauch shot a 13-over-par 85, with one birdie in her round, at the Charger Invitational at Cleghorn Golf Club in Rutherfordton.

Jauch is averaging a score of 41.5 per nine holes this season.

Grayson Anne McCurdy, Charlotte Country Day field hockey: The Buccaneers’ senior scored three goals and had one assist in a 4-1 win over Cary Academy Sept. 6.

McCurdy also had one assist in a 4-0 win at Forsyth Country Day Sept. 4.

Charlotte Country (5-2) also beat St. Mary’s 5-0 Sept. 7.

McCurdy is James Madison University (JMU) lacrosse commit.

Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian cross-country: The Warriors’ senior ran a 18:07.8 to win the Girls’ Championship 5K at the Wilmington Beach Blast at Olsen Park Sept. 6.

Miller helped the Metrolina Christian girls’ cross-country team to a runner-up finish at the same event.

Miller is a Furman University commit.

Gwyn Neels, East Lincoln volleyball: The Mustangs’ senior outside hitter had 29 kills, 15 digs and five aces to lead East Lincoln to a 3-2 win over North Lincoln Sept. 5.

Neels also had 12 kills, five digs, two aces and one block in a 3-0 loss at North Iredell Sept. 3.

Neels has 147 kills, 108 digs and 17 aces for East Lincoln (7-7) this season.

Payton Popp, Mooresville soccer: The Blue Devils’ junior forward scored three goals and had one assist in a 5-0 win over Central Cabarrus Sept. 5.

Mooresville (7-2-1) also tied 1-1 at East Mecklenburg Sept. 5.

Popp has 11 goals and two assists for Mooresville this season.

Mason Poveromo, Charlotte Catholic soccer: The Cougars’ senior exploded for two goals and three assists to lead Charlotte Catholic to a 6-1 win over T.C. Roberson Sept. 4.

Poveromo had just one goal this season coming into the game.

Poveromo has three goals and three assists for Charlotte Catholic (5-1) this year.

Parker Rubinacci, Charlotte Latin soccer: The Hawks’ senior forward scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win at Ravenscroft Sept. 5.

The next day, Rubinacci had three goals in a 5-0 victory at North Raleigh Christian.

Rubinacci finished off the week with both goals in a 2-1 win over Cary Academy Sept. 7.

Rubinacci has 18 goals and three assists for Charlotte Latin (9-1) this season.

London Stewart, Lake Norman Charter volleyball: The Knights’ sophomore had 13 kills, two digs and two assists in a 3-0 win over East Rowan Sept. 3.

The next day, Stewart had 17 kills, 16 digs, five aces and one assist in a 3-1 victory over Christ the King.

Stewart has 64 kills, 56 digs and 16 aces for a Lake Norman Charter team that was 8-0 through Sunday.

Kinton Surface, Cannon School soccer: The Cougars’ junior scored one goal and had one assist in a 3-0 win at Metrolina Christian Sept. 3.

Surface also had two goals and one assist in a 7-0 victory at North Raleigh Christian Sept. 5.

The next day, Surface added one more goal and two more assists in 4-0 win at Ravenscroft.

Cannon School (8-5) also lost 2-1 at Durham Academy Sept. 7.

Surface has nine goals and five assists for Cannon School this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through September 7.

If you want to nominate an athlete: Athletes of the week highlights high school players with outstanding performances. The goal is to recognize all athletes in all sports, both the most accomplished and the underrated or underappreciated players. If you want to suggest someone to be included in the athletes of the week column, send email to Jay Edwards at edwardswork23@gmail.com. Please include the athletes’ name, school, class and applicable game performance statistics. Coaches must be willing to verify information.

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