Vote for The Charlotte Observer girls HS athlete of the week l 05.26.23

Here are this week’s nominees for The Charlotte Observer girls high school athlete of the week.

Readers can vote as often as they want for their favorite. The poll closes Friday.

Vote now. Vote often.

NOTE: Poll results may NOT be shown all week. This is normal.

This week’s Nominees

Nicole Alfers, Christ the King Track: The Crusaders’ sophomore ran a personal-best 11:17.98 to finish as 1A state runner-up in the 3200-meter run at North Carolina A&T University May 19.

Alfers’ 3,200-meter time was 22 seconds faster than her previous best.

Alfers also helped the Christ the King girls’ 4 X 800-meter relay to a third-place finish at the 1A state meet.

The Crusaders’ 4 X 800-meter relay just started running together April 27, according to Crusaders’ track coach Karin Gould.

Charlotte Bell, Cuthbertson Track: The Cavaliers’ junior ran a personal-best 4:43.27 to win the 4A state championship in the 1,600-meter run at North Carolina A&T University May 20.

Bell also won the 4A state title in the 800-meter run in 2:09.89 and helped the 4 X 800-meter relay to victory at the same meet.

Bell’s efforts helped the Cuthbertson girls’ track team to a 4A state championship, beating the field by 20 points.

Bree Biddle, Cannon School Softball: The Cougars’ senior shortstop went 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBI in a 3-1 win at Charlotte Christian to win the NCISAA 4A state championship May 20.

Biddle was 0-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored in a 10-4 win over Charlotte Christian in game one of the championship series May 19.

Biddle was also 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the NCISAA 4A state semifinals May 16.

Biddle hit .588 with eight home runs, seven doubles and 32 RBI for Cannon School (19-6) this season.

Rylie Cook, Lake Norman Charter Soccer: The Knights’ senior scored four goals and had one assist in a 9-0 win over Ashbrook in the first round of the 3A state playoffs May 15.

Cook also had two goals in a 5-1 win over Crest in the second round of the playoffs May 18.

Cook has 48 goals and nine assists for Lake Norman Charter (18-1-2) this season.

Leah Correll, East Lincoln Softball: The Mustangs’ senior pitcher tossed a three-hitter, giving up just two earned runs with eight strikeouts, in a 5-3 win at West Rowan in the third round of the 3A state playoffs May 16.

Correll also tossed a three-hit, shutout with 10 strikeouts in 2-0 win at Enka in the 3A state quarterfinals May 19.

Correll is 18-1 on the mound with 157 strikeouts in 117.1 innings with a 1.55 earned-run average (ERA) for East Lincoln (21-1) this season. Correll has 15 complete games and seven shutouts.

Sadie Cunningham, East Lincoln Soccer: The Mustangs’ senior center midfielder scored a goal on a header off a corner kick, while controlling the midfield, as East Lincoln beat Fred T. Foard 5-0 in the first round of the 4A state playoffs May 15.

Cunningham also had the game-winning assist as East Lincoln won 3-1 in double overtime at Atkins in the second round of the playoffs May 18.

Cunningham has eight goals and three assists for East Lincoln (19-4-2) this season.

Nina Dominique, Charlotte Christian Track: The Knights’ sophomore won three, NCISAA Division I state titles at the NCISAA state championships at Cannon School May 20.

Dominique won NCISAA Division I state title in the 100-meter dash in 12.04, the 200-meter title in 24.63 and led the 4 X 100-meter relay team to victory in 49.39.

Dominique, who also finished seventh in the state in the 400-meter dash, led the Charlotte Christian girls’ track team to a third-place finish at the same meet.

Janiya Johnson, Statesville track and field: 100- and 200-meter champion at the NCHSAA 3A state finals Saturday. She set a new meet record in the 100 (11.70).

Johnson, named meet MVP, also anchored the state championship-winning 400- and 800-meter relay teams with Alaya Gillespie, Sakari Johnson, Nakirah Adams and Dynasty Hamilton.

JaLynn Kendall, Union Academy Soccer: The Cardinals’ sophomore scored five goals in a 12-0 victory over East Wilkes in the first round of the 1A state playoffs May 15.

Kendall also had two goals and two assists in a 9-0 win over Bethany Community in the second round of the playoffs May 19.

Kendall has scored 28 goals and has 26 assists for Union Academy (20-3) this season.

Lexi Kirby, Marvin Ridge Softball: The Mavericks’ sophomore catcher went 3-for-3 with three home runs and four RBI in an 11-1 win over Cuthbertson in the third round of the 4A state playoffs May 16.

Kirby also went 1-for-4 at the plate with a double in a 10-3 win at Alexander Central in the 4A state quarterfinals May 19.

Kirby is batting .475 with five doubles, 11 home runs and 32 RBI for Marvin Ridge (22-3) this season.

Sophia Kritzer, Community School of Davidson Soccer: The Spartans’ senior midfielder scored three goals and had one assist in an 8-0 win over East Surry in the first round of the 2A state playoffs May 15.

Kritzer also had the game-winning assist in a 1-0 win at previously unbeaten, West Davidson in the second round of the playoffs May 18.

Kritzer has nine goals and 15 assists for Community School of Davidson (12-8-2) this season.

Jaida McGrew, Mountain Island Charter Soccer/Track: The Raptors’ sophomore scored five goals and had one assist in a 9-0 win over Avery County in the first round of the 1A state playoffs May 15.

McGrew followed that up with six goals and one assist in a 9-0 win at Draughn in the second round May 18.

About 18 hours later, McGrew finished as 1A state runner-up in the 100-meter dash (12.14) at the 1A state championships at North Carolina A&T University May 19.

McGrew also helped both the Mountain Island Charter 4 X 100 and 4 X 200-meter relays to 1A state titles the same day.

McGrew has 56 goals and 17 assists for the Mountain Island Charter girls’ soccer team (17-4) this season.

Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian: The Warriors’ sophomore ran a personal and state meet record 2:12.64 to win the NCISAA Division I state title in the 800-meter run at Cannon School May 20.

Miller was the Metrolina Athletic conference (MAC) champion in the 800 and 1600-meter runs May 13.

Skylar Noll, Cox Mill Soccer: The Chargers’ senior midfielder scored a goal in Cox Mill’s 3-2 win over Ronald Reagan in the first round of the 4A state playoffs May 15.

Noll also had both goals in a 2-0 victory at Watauga in the second round of the playoffs.

Noll has 10 goals and 10 assists for Cox Mill (13-6-3) this season.

Kalea Pace, Weddington Soccer: The Warriors’ senior forward scored two goals and had two assists to lead Weddington to a 6-0 win over Mount Tabor in the first round of the 4A state playoffs May 15.

Weddington also beat Northern Guilford 7-2 in the second round of the playoffs May 19.

Pace has four goals and 10 assists for Weddington (19-4) this season.

Isabel Seifert, Davidson Day Soccer: The Patriots’ sophomore goalkeeper has allowed just three goals in four, NCISAA 2A state playoffs game in the past week.

Seifert led Davidson Day to shutouts of University Christian (1-0, third round, May 13) and Rocky Mount Academy (1-0, double overtime, semifinals, May 18).

Seifert allowed just one goal in the state quarterfinals, a 2-1 win over Caldwell Academy May 16.

Seifert also came up big as Davidson Day won the NCISAA 2A state title, 3-2, on penalty kicks over Grace Christian (Sanford) May 20. The game was tied a two in regulation.

Davidson Day (15-3) won 10 straight games to finish the season.

Claire Zhang, Charlotte Latin Soccer: The Hawks’ freshman forward scored the game-winning goal to give Charlotte Latin a 2-1 win at rival, Providence Day (No. 1 in the state, No. 3 in the country) to claim the NCISAA 4A state championship May 20.

Charlotte Latin (18-2-1) also beat Covenant Day 3-2 in the state semifinals May 16.

Zhang had four goals and one assist for Charlotte Latin this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through May 20.

How to vote

To vote in the poll, you must type “yes” into the box below BEFORE the poll will show. After you type yes and hit return, the poll will appear. To vote again, simply refresh the page. You may vote as often as you like.

If you cannot see the box on mobile, click here