Charlotte Catholic’s Molly Baumgratz headlines the All-Observer girls lacrosse team
Molly Baumgratz, who dominated faceoffs and gave Charlotte Catholic possession of the ball two-thirds of the time this season, is this year’s Observer girls lacrosse player of the year.
And Charlotte Latin’s Nikki Williams, who coached her team to its fourth state championship in five years, is this season’s coach of the year.
They are top honorees in a season when one Charlotte-area team, Latin, won a state title, and two others, Providence Day and Charlotte Catholic, were state runners-up.
Baumgratz was a faceoff specialist in midfield for the Cougars, who compiled a 17-4 record and lost a tight 15-11 decision to Cardinal Gibbons in the public schools’ 4A state finals.
Baumgratz, a senior who will play next season at Delaware, won the draw 66 percent of the time. She was conference player of the year and selected to both the all-state and all-America teams.
She topped a superb group of girls lacrosse players that also included all-America selection Evie McMahan of Charlotte Latin. McMahan, a Virginia commit, averaged seven goals per game this season.
Her coach, Connecticut native Nikki Williams, was a standout goalkeeper at St. Lawrence University and entered the coaching ranks about 20 years ago, working in the Atlanta area.
She came to Charlotte in 2012. She became head coach at Charlotte Latin in the 2017 season and guided the Hawks to state runner-up finishes in both 2017 and ’18.
The Williams-coached Hawks won the 2019 state championship and picked up where they left off after the 2020 COVID break, winning state titles in 2021 and ’22.
This year’s team finished 19-5 and dominated the state championship game, beating Providence Day 18-4.
▪ NOTE: Players had to be nominated by a coach to earn all-Observer honors.
All-Observer first team
ATTACKERS
Evie McMahan, Charlotte Latin, junior: McMahan had 110 goals, 40 assists, 37 ground balls and 28 forced turnovers. She earned all-America and academic all-America honors.
Kate Daniels, Charlotte Catholic, junior: Daniels had 69 goals, 8 assists and 23 ground balls and scored six goals in the Cougars’ state finals loss to Cardinal Gibbons.
Elektra Kolouris, Weddington, junior: Kolouris totaled 100 points (61 goals, 39 assists), won 133 draws and finished with 33 ground balls.
MIDFIELD
Molly Baumgratz, Charlotte Catholic, senior: Baumgratz can do more than win the drsw. She also scored 61 goals and added eight assists this season and was conference Player of the Year.
Crawford Fisher, Charlotte Latin, senior: A Dickerson College commit, Fisher was an all-state selection three years and was captain of the state championship Hawks.
Lauren Kelly, Myers Park, senior: Kelly, a Virginia Tech commit, totaled 44 goals, six assists, 40 ground balls and 20 takeaways.
DEFENSE
Julia Nelson, Charlotte Catholic, junior: Nelson committed only seven turnovers all season and had 13 takeaways and 33 ground balls. She also was an offensive threat, scoring seven goals.
Kira Kleinschmidt, Ardrey Kell, junior: In earning her team’s most valuable player honors, Kleinschmidt had 22 goals, five assists and 49 ground balls.
Elliette Zukowski, Cannon School, junior: Zukowski totaled 29 takeaways, won 12 draws, and collected 35 ground balls to lead a young defense.
GOALKEEPER
Madilyn Wargo, Weddington, junior: Nicknamed “Gator,” Wargo made 126 saves, playing what coach Robert Salminen described as “an aggressive style” in goal.
Second team
ATTACKERS
Isabella Pierce, Davidson Day, freshman
Lucy Dyer, Providence Day, sophomore
Ally McNulty, Weddington, junior
MIDFIELD
Carter Covington, Ardrey Kell, senior
Grayson Anne McCurdy, Charlotte Country Day, sophomore
Ardyn Henry, Charlotte Latin, junior
DEFENSE
Lindsay Tarkimowicz, Charlotte Catholic, junior
Ella Struble, Lake Norman, junior
Caitlin Russo, Marvin Ridge, senior
GOALKEEPER
Aubrey Hamm, Lake Norman Charter, junior
Third team
ATTACKERS
Sadie Wood, Charlotte Country Day, senior
Evelyn Scallion, Marvin Ridge, senior
Finley McLeod, Ardrey Kell, senior
MIDFIELD
Ella Kungi, Cannon School, senior
Barbara Tucker, Charlotte Catholic, senior
Mary Amelia Wood, Myers Park, junior
DEFENSE
Emma Berg, Weddington, senior
Anna Montgomery, Myers Park, junior
Caroline Beasley, Charlotte Country Day, junior
GOALKEEPER
Shaye Foley, Charlotte Catholic, senior
Honorable mention
London Barnhardt, midfield, Cannon School, freshman
Meghan Barr, goalkeeper, Marvin Ridge, senior
Ciara Cacciatore, midfield, Mooresville, junior
Alex Emery, attacker, Providence Day, sophomore
M.C. Farley, midfield, Charlotte Catholic, junior
Brooke Lattanzi, attacker, Marvin Ridge, junior
Kendall Middleton, midfield, Butler, junior
Marie Montgomery, attacker, Myers Park, senior
Ava Purser, midfield, Lake Norman Charter, sophomore
Juliz Zayachowsky, attacker, Porter Ridge, senior
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
