Here are this week’s nominees for The Charlotte Observer girls high school athlete of the week.
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This week’s Nominees
Betsey Burnett, South Mecklenburg Basketball: The 5-foot-8 senior scored 40 points and had three assists in a 78-44 win over Palisades in the SoMeck 4A conference tournament semifinals Feb. 15.
Burnett also scored 12 points and had three rebounds in a 47-43 victory over Myers Park in the SoMeck 4A conference championship game Feb. 17.
Burnett is averaging 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals per game for a South Mecklenburg team (22-4) that has won 13 straight games heading into Tuesday’s 4A playoffs.
Ella Chepul, Marvin Ridge Basketball: The 5-foot-11 junior scored 21 points and had 18 rebounds in a 61-56 win over Sun Valley in the Southern Carolinas’ conference (SCC) semifinals Feb. 15.
Chepul also had 23 points and seven rebounds in a 64-35 victory over Cuthbertson in the SCC championship game Feb. 17.
Marvin Ridge (22-4) has won 15 straight games heading into the 4A playoffs.
Chloe Galombeck, Hough Basketball: The 5-foot-5 sophomore scored 21 points and had five steals, three assists and two rebounds in a 60-33 win over West Charlotte in the opening round of the Queen City Athletic conference tournament Feb. 13.
Galombeck also had 11 points and two assists in a 61-37, tournament semifinals’ loss to North Mecklenburg Feb. 15.
Hough is 14-12 overall this season.
Cassidy Geddes, Newton Conover Basketball: The 5-foot-7 senior scored 34 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead Newton Conover to a 58-45 win over East Burke in the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A conference championship game Feb. 17.
Geddes also scored 22 points, had nine assists, seven rebounds and six steals in a 65-36 victory over Maiden in the conference semifinals Feb. 15.
Geddes started the tournament with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals in a 64-30, first round win over West Caldwell.
Geddes, a William & Mary commit, is averaging 22 points, six rebounds, six assists and six steals per game for Newton Conover (23-4) this season.
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Lake Norman Basketball: The 5-foot-10 senior scored 24 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in a 79-34 win over Cox Mill in the Greater Metro 4A conference semifinals Feb. 15.
Lewis-Williams also scored 21 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, had eight assists and two steals in a 75-67 win over Hickory Ridge in the Greater Metro 4A conference tournament championship game Feb. 17
Lewis-Williams is averaging 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and four steals per game for a Lake Norman team that is still unbeaten at 26-0 this season.
Hailey McFadden, East Lincoln Basketball: The 6-foot-2 sophomore scored 16 points, had three rebounds, three steals and one block in a 73-18 win over West Iredell in the opening round of the Western Foothills’ 3A conference tournament Feb. 13.
McFadden also scored 14 points, had five rebounds, three blocks and one assist in a 59-48 tournament semifinals’ victory over Hickory Feb. 15.
McFadden scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in a 62-52 win over St. Stephens’ in the Western Foothills’ conference championship game.
McFadden is averaging 11 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game for an East Lincoln team that is still a perfect 27-0 this season heading into the playoffs Tuesday.
Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian Indoor Track: The Warriors’ sophomore ran a 3:05.12 to win the 1,000-meter run at the N.C. Runners’ Independent Schools’ championship at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem Feb. 14.
Miller, who led from start to finish in the 1,000-meter victory, was also the NCISAA 4A state runner-up in cross country this past fall.
Elle Stone, Mallard Creek Basketball: The 5-foot-10 sophomore scored 16 points to go with six rebounds and two steals in a 91-17 victory over West Mecklenburg in the opening round of the Queen City Athletic conference tournament Feb. 13.
Two nights later, Stone added 20 points, six steals, five rebounds and two assists in a 60-40, tournament semifinals’ win over Hopewell.
Stone exploded for 30 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 69-53 win over North Mecklenburg in the Queen City Athletic conference tournament championship game Feb. 17.
Stone is averaging 19 points per game for a Mallard Creek team (23-4) that has won seven straight games this season.
Blanca Thomas, Charlotte Catholic Basketball: The 6-foot-5 junior center scored 25 points to go with six rebounds and six blocks to lead Charlotte Catholic to a 53-35 win over Independence in the Southwestern 4A (SW4A) conference championship Feb. 17.
Thomas also had 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks in a 59-14, SW4A semifinals’ win Feb. 16.
Thomas had 15 points, six rebounds and six blocks in a 65-19 win over Rocky River Feb. 13.
Thomas, a major, Division I recruit, is averaging 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and four blocks per game for Charlotte Catholic (21-6) this season.
Zoey Ward, Concord Academy Basketball: The 6-foot senior scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Concord Academy to a 70-32 win over Forsyth Country Day in the 3A state quarterfinals Feb. 18.
Ward is averaging 16 points and six rebounds per game for Concord Academy (22-7) this season.
** Information published today includes statistics through Feb. 18.
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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