Vote for The Charlotte Observer high school athlete of the week (8-23-2024)

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

Lawson Bean, Olympic soccer: The Trojans’ senior forward scored four goals and had two assists in an 8-0 win over Harding in the season opener Aug. 12.

Bean followed that up by scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory over Mallard Creek Aug. 15.

Bean has six goals and one assist for Olympic (2-0).

Morgan Bleakney, Myers Park field hockey: The Mustangs’ senior forward scored five goals and had one assist as Myers Park went 3-1 in the Kids vs. Cancer Tournament at Cary Academy Aug. 16-17.

Myers Park beat East Chapel Hill 6-0, defeated Forsyth Country Day 5-0, beat Providence Day 3-2 and lost to the defending NCFHA state champion Cardinal Gibbons 2-0.

Bleakney had 14 goals and four assists as an all-conference performer last season.

Emmett Drensek, Charlotte Catholic soccer: The Cougars’ sophomore scored two goals and had one assist to lead Charlotte Catholic to a 5-1 win over South Mecklenburg in the season opener Aug. 15.

Drensek had eight goals and four assists as a freshman for Charlotte Catholic (8-9-3) last season.

Alivia Helms, Covenant Day girls’ golf: The Lions’ freshman shot a 1-over-par 37 to earn medalist honors and lead Covenant Day to victory over Hickory Grove at Pine Lake Country Club Aug. 15.

Helms, who had the best score of her varsity career in the match, also had one birdie in her round.

Nei Hmo, Independence soccer, Sr.: The Patriots’ senior midfielder had one goal to help Independence to a 4-0 win at Richmond Senior Aug. 14.

Hmo also had the Patriots’ lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Weddington Aug. 16.

Hmo has two goals for Independence (1-1) this season.

Max Hoody, Providence Day cross-country: The Chargers’ senior ran a personal-best 10 minutes, 52.96 seconds to finish fourth in the two-mile race at Pioneer Clash of the Classes at the Watauga High course in Boone Aug. 17.

Hoody ran an 11:24 in the same race two seasons ago as a sophomore.

Sanaa Mohammed, Charlotte Country Day volleyball: The Buccaneers’ sophomore outside hitter had 12 kills, six digs and three aces in a 3-0 win at Carmel Christian in the season-opener Aug. 15.

Mohammed also had 12 kills, three aces, three digs and a block in a 3-0 win over Rabun Gap Nacoochee Aug. 17.

Alivia Pettit, Hopewell volleyball: The Titans’ senior had 22 assists, four digs and one block in a 3-1 loss at South Mecklenburg Aug. 14.

Pettit also led Hopewell (1-1) to a 3-0 win over Garinger Aug. 13.

Jay Olin, Butler cross-country: The Bulldogs’ junior ran a 17:19.62 to finish 28th out of 306 runners at the Pace Yourself Early Bird Challenge at Wake Med Soccer Park in Cary Aug. 17.

Olin’s time was 8 seconds off his personal-best time from last season.

Madison Pruden, South Point girls’ golf: The Red Raiders’ star shot a 79-76 — 11-over par, to tie for fourth at the Daniel Meggs’ Memorial Tournament at Catawba Creek Golf Club in Gastonia Aug. 12-13.

Pruden has six birdies in the two-round event.

Pruden was all-Big South conference in her freshman season, finishing 11th in the 3A state championships, while also earning Big South conference player of the year with a seventh-place finish as a sophomore in 2023.

The South Point girls’ golf team has won the last two straight Big South conference titles.

Teagan Reilly, Myers Park girls’ tennis: The Mustangs’ star started the season 3-0 in singles’ play, losing just two games in three singles’ matches this week.

Reilly won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles in a 9-0 season-opening win over T.C. Roberson Aug. 13.

The next day, Reilly won 6-0, 6-1 in an 8-1 victory at East Mecklenburg.

Reilly closed out the week with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles in an 8-1 victory at Marvin Ridge March 15.

Reilly, the reigning Charlotte Observer girls’ tennis player of the year and 4A state championship’s most valuable player, is 59-3 in her singles’ career at Myers Park.

Parker Rubinacci, Charlotte Latin soccer: The Hawks’ senior forward had three goals (hat trick) and an assist in a 9-0 win over Queens Grant in the season opener Aug. 12.

Rubinacci followed that with two more goals in a 3-1 win over Gaston Day Aug. 15.

Rubinacci, who sat out last season due to club soccer conflicts, has five goals and an assist for Charlotte Latin (2-0) in his first two games back on the team.

Eva Tiwari, Ballantyne Ridge girls’ tennis: The Wolves’ sophomore won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, and 8-4 in doubles, to help Ballantyne Ridge to the first team sports victory in school history Aug. 13.

Hannah Satterfield, South Iredell volleyball: The Vikings’ senior libero had 22 digs and five aces in a 3-2 win over North Iredell in the season-opener Aug. 13.

Satterfield also played a key role in the four games at the Rock Hill North-South Invitational. South Iredell picked up wins over Carson (2-1), Dreher (2-0) and Orangeburg-Wilkinson (2-0). It lost to Independence (2-1).

Carson Williams, Corvian Charter cross-country: The Cardinals’ senior finished second overall, running a 17:38.07, at the Run at the Farm Scholarship Invitational 5K at Denton Farm Park in Denton Aug. 17.

Williams’ run helped the Corvian Charter boys’ cross-country team to a victory at the same meet, beating the field by seven points.

** Information published today includes statistics through August 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.