Spring sports rewind: Monday’s Charlotte-area schools and our first honor roll
It was a win, a loss, and a draw in Monday’s season-opening games for three of last year’s Charlotte-area softball powers.
Hickory Ridge, the 4A state runner-up a year ago, opened with a big victory.
Cannon School, the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 4A champion, had to settle for a tie.
And last year’s 3A champion, East Lincoln, dropped a narrow decision to another 3A power.
Hickory Ridge looked every bit the part of a state power again, in its 14-4 victory over Covenant Day. Starting pitcher Kristyn Embler and relievers Alexis Smereka and Cayleb Hurley limited Covenant Day, and NCISAA 4A playoff team last season, to four hits.
The Ragin’ Bulls opened their 2024 season in a big way, scoring eight times in the top of the first inning.
Cannon School had to settle for a 5-5 tie with South Rowan, in a game halted in the fifth inning by darkness.
Starting pitcher Maddie Sturgill, a key to the Cougars’ state title run in 2023, didn’t allow an earned run, as errors hurt the defending champions.
East Lincoln dropped a 1-0 nine-inning decision to visiting Central Cabarrus, in a meeting of 3A state powers. Central Cabarrus sophomore Taryn Jenkins scattered three hits and struck out 12. Peyton Smith singled home Rachel Pressley with the winning run in the ninth inning.
East Lincoln senior first baseman Tatum Martin had two of her team’s hits.
Also of note Monday: Mooresville beat visiting Alexander Central 4-1 in a meeting of 4A softball powers. Senior Campbell Schaen was the winning pitcher, limiting the Cougars to two hits and striking out seven. Ava Chapman had both of Alexander Central’s hits, one of them a home run.
Monday’s honor roll
Chase Ghantt, North Gaston baseball: Ghantt started his senior season in style, pitching a one-hitter as his team beat Highland Tech 11-1. At the plate, Ghantt had two hits, scored twice, and drove in three runs.
Mia McLaughlin, Providence girls’ soccer: A senior, McLaughlin was credited with three saves as the Panthers opened their season with a 2-0 victory over visiting Cuthbertson.
Natalya Salo, Porter Ridge softball: Salo, a senior and a Wofford commit, tossed a one-hitter and struck out 17 in her team’s 1-0 extra-inning victory over Legion Collegiate. Hayden Stamey’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth drove home Braelyn Bevington for the only run.
Tejas Sridhar, Lake Norman Charter boys’ tennis: A perennial tennis power, Lake Norman Charter has four new players in its starting lineup this season. One of them is Sridhar, a sophomore, and he posted a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Dylan Parrish in No. 1 singles, as his team blanked West Rowan 9-0.
Cole Stankavage, Ardrey Kell boys’ lacrosse: Stankavage had an auspicious start to his high school lacrosse career. A freshman, he scored six goals as the Knights trounced visiting Porter Ridge 21-2.
Monday’s results
BASEBALL
South Piedmont 3A
East Rowan 19, Central Cabarrus 2
Lake Norman Charter 4, West Rowan 2
Mecklenburg nonconference
Concord Academy 7, Corvian Community 6
Hopewell 18, Berry Academy 0
Hunter Huss 6, West Charlotte 0
Independence 10, Pine Lake Prep 8
Mallard Creek 7, Palisades 5
Myers Park 15, East Mecklenburg 0
West Davidson 22, Queen’s Grant Charter 0
Area nonconference
Bandys 10, West Iredell 5
Bessemer City 8, Piedmont Community Charter 7
Burns 4, South Point 0
East Gaston 8, Forestview 1
East Lincoln 6, Kings Mountain 2
Jay M. Robinson 8, West Cabarrus 4
Metrolina Christian 10, Carolina Royals 0
Mountain Island Charter 4, Gray Stone Day 2
North Gaston 11, Highland Tech 1
North Stanly 5, Piedmont 2
West Lincoln 13, Cherryville 2
S.C. nonconference
Andrew Jackson 14, South Pointe 4
Westwood 11, Great Falls 6
GIRLS’ SOFTBALL
Mecklenburg nonconference
Charlotte Latin 4, Central Academy 1
Hickory Ridge 14, Covenant Day 4
Independence 11, Mallard Creek 0
Kings Mountain 8, Butler 4
Myers Park 6, East Mecklenburg 0
North Mecklenburg 20, North Rowan 1
Providence Day 5, Metrolina Christian 1
Area nonconference
Buford 6, Cuthbertson 5
Cannon School 5, South Rowan 5 (5 innings, darkness)
Central Cabarrus 1, East Lincoln 0 (9 innings)
Concord Academy 18, Piedmont Community Charter 0
Cuthbertson 15, Central Pageland 0
Gray Stone Day 5, Mountain Island Charter 3
Lincoln Charter 17, West Cabarrus 1
Mooresville 4, Alexander Central 1
Porter Ridge 1, Legion Collegiate 0 (9 innings)
S.C. nonconference
Buford 6, Cuthbertson 5
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Mecklenburg nonconference
Harding 5, Albemarle 3
Porter Ridge 7, Independence 1
Providence 2, Cuthbertson 0
Sun Valley 11, Mallard Creek 2
Area nonconference
A.L. Brown 8, Montgomery Central 0
Chase 5, Cherryville 0
Hickory 9, Lincolnton 0
Metrolina Christian 3, Anson County 2
Mount Pleasant 1, Jesse Carson 0
Piedmont Community Charter 2, West Lincoln 2
Pine Lake Prep 1, Cox Mill 1
West Cabarrus 9, Concord 0
West Iredell 7, West Caldwell 0
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Mecklenburg nonconference
Ardrey Kell 21, Porter Ridge 2
Charlotte Catholic 17, Christ the King 7
Lake Norman Charter 10, Marvin Ridge 9
Legion Collegiate 11, South Mecklenburg 10
Area nonconference
Lincoln Charter 17, Mountain Island Charter 2
S.C. nonconference
Fort Mill 10, Blythewood 5
Mauldin 12, Catawba Ridge 4
Legion Collegiate 11, South Mecklenburg 10
Nation Ford 14, Clover 3
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Catawba Ridge 16, Butler 3
South Mecklenburg 14, Legion Collegiate 13
BOYS’ TENNIS
Lake Norman Charter 9, West Rowan 0
