Yahoo Movies The Charlotte Observer’s 2022-23 winter sports all-star teams
This week, The Observer named its winter sports all-star teams, honoring the best of the season.
Scroll down to meet all the teams and players.
Boys basketball
It’s probably no surprise that North Mecklenburg’s Isaiah Evans is The Charlotte Observer’s boys high school player of the year and headlines the 2022-23 All-Observer all-star team.
Evans, a 6-foot-7 forward, has already captured North Carolina’s top high school honor, Mr. Basketball, and he’s also been named the MaxPreps state player of the year. Evans averaged 26 points per game and scored more than 40, including a 62-point performance against Chambers in the N.C. 4A state quarterfinals, in multiple games.
The coach of the year is Central Cabarrus’ James Baker, who led his team to 32-0 record, a national ranking and an N.C. 3A state championship, the school’s first state title since 2000. Baker’s team is 62-1 in the past two seasons and became the first public school boys team from Cabarrus County to finish the season with an unbeaten record.
In all, 25 players made the All-Observer teams. And, for the first time, The Observer is adding a sixth man of the year award, as well as most improved player and all-defensive and all-freshman teams. Teams were selected by The Observer’s high school sports staff along with Talking Preps co-hosts Randall Clark and Rick Lewis. All high schools were asked to nominate players for possible inclusion.
Click here to see the entire team
Girls basketball
A state championship coach and a player who led her team to its first state championship appearance headline the 2022-23 Charlotte Observer girls high school all-star basketball team.
In all, 25 players made the All-Observer team. And for the first time, The Observer is adding a Sixth Player of the Year award, as well as Most Improved Player and All Defensive and All Freshman teams.
Lake Norman High’s Kirsten Lewis-Williams is The Observer’s regional player of the year. The media outlet’s coverage zone, which is now changing, covered 164 schools in 18 counties last season.
Lewis-Williams led her team to a 31-1 record and a national ranking. She averaged 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Wildcats, who lost to Cary’s Panther Creek High School in the N.C. 4A state final.
The coach of the year is West Rowan’s Ashley Poole, who led her team to a 31-0 record with a 60-50 win over Rocky Mount in the state final. West Rowan won its first girls basketball state championship.
Mr. Unbeaten
Mallard Creek’s Cam Stinson has never lost a high school match, and repeats as The Observer’s wrestler of the year. Our profile is here
Boys and girls wrestling
A pair of state championship wrestlers and a state championship coach headline the 2022-23 Charlotte Observer high school wrestling team.
Mallard Creek junior Cameron Stinson is the Charlotte Observer wrestler of the year. Stinson was 70-0 this season, which ended with him winning the 120-pound state title in 4A.
Stinson, who won the 106-pound, 4A state title as a freshman and the 113-pound state crown as a sophomore, is still unbeaten at 141-0 in his Mavericks’ wrestling career.
Stinson repeats as Charlotte Observer wrestler of the year honor.
▪ Monroe Parkwood senior Savannah Bramhall came into this season with championship expectations after winning state titles in each of her first three high school seasons.
This year, The Observer girls’ wrestler of the year was a perfect 33-0 on her way to a 165-pound state title, the fourth state title of her career.
Bramhall, was also unbeaten as a junior going 25-0, is also only the second athlete in Parkwood school history to win four straight state title in the same event.
▪ Newton Foard’s Mike Carey repeats as The Observer’s coach of the year, after leading Foard to its third consecutive 3A state championship, defeating Union Pines 54-24.
The Tigers (37-1 this season) are 140-3 in the last four years, and have been unbeaten in conference play for the last 10 straight seasons.
Fred T. Foard also won its fifth state title since 2013.
Click here for the wrestling teams
Boys and girls indoor track
Porter Ridge High’s Jacob Laney and Albemarle’s Akala Garrett, a pair of seniors, headline the 2022-23 Charlotte Observer boys and girls all-star track teams.
Laney repeated as 4A state champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs this season. He’ll run at North Carolina next season.
Garrett won three 1A/2A state titles in the 55-meter hurdles plus the 300- and 500-meter dashes. The University of Texas recruit was named MVP of the 1A/2A state finals. Garrett also won a world championship in the 400-meter hurdles at the World Athletic U20 Championships when she was 17.
▪ East Burke’s Kenneth Byrd is the field athlete of the year after finishing runner-up in the shot put at the 1A/2A state finals. The girls field athlete of the year is Stuart Cramer’s Alexis Willis, who won 3A state titles in the long jump and triple jump.
▪ Cuthbertson’s Dustin Allen is boys and girls coach of the year. His boys team won their second straight state 4A title. His girls also repeated as state champions.
▪ The Observer changed its coverage area beginning with spring sports coverage. After the winter sports All-Observer teams are named, only athletes in the new coverage zone will be considered for inclusion for future teams. The revised coverage area includes schools in counties that touch Mecklenburg: Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union.
Click here for full indoor track team
Boys and girls swimming
Charlotte Latin’s Novy Clontz and Myers Park’s Kiley Wilhelm are The Charlotte Observer boys and girls high school swimmers of the year.
Clontz gets the award after winning both the NCISAA Division state titles in the 200 and 500 freestyle. He also helped both the Hawks’ 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay to state meet record times in route to state championships.
The Charlotte Latin boys’ swim team also earned their fourth straight, NCISAA Division state championship (team).
Clontz also excelled nationally last summer winning the 400 freestyle at the Speedo Junior Nationals, swimming the second fastest time ever in his age group.
Wilhelm won 4A state titles in four different events to earn the 4A state championships’ most outstanding swimmer honors in public school.
Wilhelm, a Harvard University commit, won the 4A state title in both the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly, while also helping Myers Park to state championships in both the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
▪ Myers Park girls coach Mary “Mimi” Goudes is the girls coach of the year after leading the Mustangs to their second straight 4A state championship.
The Mustangs were dominant in their championship victory this season, beating the field by 101.5 points.
▪ The boys coach of the year is Providence’s Bill Davis, who led the Panthers to the NCHSAA 4A state championship.
Providence was 11 points better than state runner-up, Marvin Ridge at the 4A state championship meet.
