Vote for The Charlotte Observer girls’ athlete of the week: Feb. 23

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

The poll closes Friday.

You may vote as often as you like.

Note: Poll results may not always be shown.

This week’s nominees

Justice Alexander, Concord Academy basketball: The 6-foot-1 eighth-grader scored 26 points, had eight rebounds and three steals in a 60-26 win over John Paul II Catholic in the NCISAA 3A state quarterfinals on Feb. 17.

Alexander is averaging 20 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game for Concord Academy (20-3).

Tyler Baughan, Community School of Davidson basketball: The 5-5 senior scored 18 points, had six steals and five rebounds in a 53-47 win at Pine Lake Prep that secured the Catawba Shores’ 1A/2A conference title for the Spartans on Feb. 16.

Baughan is averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 7.7 steals per game for a Community School of Davidson team (22-1) that had won 12 straight games through Monday.

Molly Burns, Ardrey Kell: In her final two regular-season games last week, Burns had 21 points against Olympic, including made 5-of-7 3-point attempts, plus seven steals and two rebounds. Against Palisades, she had 32 points and was 6-of-10 from 3-point range and had five assists and four rebounds.

Lucy Brown, SouthLake Christian swimming: The Eagles’ eighth-grader won the NCISAA Division II state championship in the 200 individual medley in a personal-best time of 2:13.38 on Feb. 12.

Brown also swam a personal and school record 58.46 to finish as state runner-up in the 100 butterfly.

Brown anchored the 400 freestyle relay to a fifth-place finish at states in a school record 4:11.29.

Brown also led the SouthLake Christian girls’ swim team to a seventh-place finish at the NCISAA Division II state championships.

Madison Drayton, Cannon School basketball: The 5-11 sophomore scored 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 77-28 win over North Raleigh Christian Academy in the NCISAA 4A state quarterfinals on Feb. 17.

Drayton is averaging 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.3 steals for Cannon School (21-7, through Monday).

Drayton has college basketball scholarship offers from Furman, North Carolina A&T and UNC Wilmington, according to Cannon School basketball coach Kelvin Drakeford.

Delanie Hill, Providence basketball: The 5-7 senior point guard scored a career-high 33 points to go with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a 75-57 win at Garinger on Feb. 13.

Hill also scored 22 points, had six assists, four steals and two rebounds in a 67-24 victory at East Mecklenburg on Feb. 16.

Hill, a University of Albany commit, is averaging 22.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, four assists and 2.4 steals per game for Providence (12-11).

Jayden Holmes, Olympic wrestling: The Trojans’ junior finished fifth in the 165-pound weight class at the first sanctioned NCHSAA girls’ state championships at the Greensboro Coliseum Feb. 17.

Holmes was 31-3 overall this season.

Chaya James, Olympic: James had a career-high 23 rebounds, plus 17 points and three blocks against Harding last week.

Jaida McClure, Providence Day basketball: The 5-9 sophomore scored 15 points, had five assists, two rebounds and one steal in a 54-36 win over Ravenscroft in an NCISAA 4A state quarterfinal on Feb. 17.

McClure is averaging 14.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals for Providence Day (20-9).

Makenzie Michael, Rocky River basketball: The 6-2 sophomore scored 13 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, had seven blocks, two assists and two steals in a 58-54 overtime win over Garinger on Feb. 16.

Michael also scored 13 points, had nine rebounds, seven blocks and a steal in a 70-37 loss at Independence on Feb. 13.

Michael is averaging 8.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game for Rocky River (7-16).

Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian indoor track: The Warriors’ junior ran a 3:01.11 to win her second straight NCRunners’ Independent Schools’ Division I state title in the 1,000-meter run at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem on Feb. 13.

Miller also ran a 2:14.72 on her leg of the 4 X 800-meter relay to help Metrolina Christian to a come from behind victory at the same meet.

Miller anchored both the 800- and 1,600-meter relays to third place finishes at the state meet.

Elle Scott, Charlotte Country Day swimming: The Buccaneers’ junior won NCISAA Division I state titles in the 200 individual medley (1:57.69) and 100 breaststroke (school-record, 59.91) at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center on Feb. 13.

Scott, a University of California Berkeley commit, also led both the 200 medley relay (1:42.27) and 400 freestyle relay (3:26.81) to state championships in state meet record times the same night.

The Charlotte Country Day girls’ swim team also won the NCISAA Division I state championship, stopping Cary Academy’s streak at seven state titles in a row.

Caleigh Suddreth, Lake Norman wrestling: The Wildcats’ star capped her Lake Norman High career by winning her fourth straight NCHSAA state title, this time at 152 pounds at Greensboro Coliseum on Feb. 17.

Suddreth, who went 11-0 this season, made her fourth state title a historic finish as it was the first sanctioned NCHSAA girls’ state championship.

Sophia Zoerb, Hough basketball: The 5-9 junior scored 25 points, including six three-pointers, had three assists in a 60-7 win at Hopewell Feb. 16.

Zoerb also scored 10 points, had three rebounds and two assists in a 63-32 victory over Harding Feb. 13.

Zoerb, a Barry University (FL) commit, is averaging 10 points per game for Hough (16-8) this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through February 17.

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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