High School Basketball Players of the Week

Boys' Players of the Week
Overall, Karl Barkley, North Mecklenburg: Two game-winning 3-point shots, about 24 hours apart, to upset Sweet 16 No. 1 West Charlotte and prevent a Mooresville upset.
Jacoby Davis, West Charlotte: 26 points, six steals, four rebounds and four assists in 66-57 win against Mooresville Friday. He had 33 points, six steals, four rebounds and three assists in an upset loss at North Meck Tuesday.
Alex Kilmartin, Charlotte Catholic: 27 points in 91-59 win against East Gaston Friday.
Terry Whisnant, Cherryville: School-record 46 points Monday, 30 points Tuesday and 41 in Friday's 113-48 win against Challenger.

Girls' Players of the Week
Overall, Jada Payne, Hickory girls: 33 points, 11 rebounds and five steals in Tuesday's 93-42 win over Newton Foard. Payne had 36 points in Friday's win against Alexander Central.
Kaitlin Cash, South Meck: 21 points, 8 rebounds in 51-37 win against Rocky River.
Tiffany Mitchell, Providence Day: 26 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and four steals against Country Day Friday. She had 24 points, four steals and three assists in big win against Charlotte Christian Tuesday.
Christelle Shembo, Ardrey Kell: 16 points, 14 rebounds in Friday's win against Myers Park to keep her team within one game of Butler in the league championship race.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/30/2021421/cms-to-deal-with-incident.html#ixzz1CUaoRIKe

NCHSAA to honor black history month in February

CHAPEL HILL -- Coming soon to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association web site will be a special series highlighting African-Americans and their great contributions to high school athletics, in honor of Black History Month.

Each work day during February, starting February 1, we will feature information that should be of interest for anyone who follows high school athletics in North Carolina. Profiles of outstanding African-Americans in the NCHSAA Hall of Fame; information about the old North Carolina High School Athletic Conference, the organization for historically black high schools before they joined the NCHSAA, and some historical information about NCHSAC schools will be provided.
-- NCHSAA media release

Providence Day top 50 recruit commits to South Carolina

Providence Day’s Tiffany Mitchell, a national top 50 girls basketball recruit, said committing to South Carolina and Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was a huge relief.

“A lot of stress is gone,” said Mitchell, a 5-foot-10 junior guard. “This has a been a long process. It’s not really over until I sign, but I’m happy it’s over.”

Mitchell said it’s kind of funny to remember how hard she worked to get to this point -- all the 1-on-1 skills work, and running and lifting since she was much younger -- led to all the added stress of picking a college. But she said she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

She choose South Carolina over Florida, Auburn, Kentucky and Georgia Tech.

“Just knowing this decision can impact your life so much is hard,” she said. “It’s hard to make sure you make the right decision. All the times I visited South Carolina, I had a good connection with the team and the head coach mainly, more than any other school. And it’s funny that you work so hard to get in this position and then you get so stressed out, but I think it’s better having a hard time choosing than me not having anything to choose from or me wanting a school and them not wanting me.”

Mitchell averages 18.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.9 assists for the Chargers (13-4), who have won eight straight games. Providence Day plays at Charlotte Country Day Friday.


ESPN ranks Mitchell No. 39 overall nationally in the junior class and No. 1 in North Carolina.

Four Waddell players dismissed from boys basketball team

Four Waddell players, including two starters, have been dismissed from the team after they were involved in a hotel room theft during a holiday tournament, sources told the Observer.

Last month, Waddell played in a holiday tournament in Spartanburg. MEGA 7 conference mate Olympic was also there. While Olympic was playing, one of the four Waddell players went to the front desk at the hotel and told a clerk that he’d lost his room key. Only, he asked for a key to a room that actually belonged to Olympic coach Ty Baumgardner. The clerk apparently didn’t confirm the room key was for the proper room.

Two videocameras and a watch were stolen from Baumgardner’s room. Baumgardner would not comment when contacted by the Observer. Sources said he would have the stolen items returned.


CMS police investigated last week and the players were removed from the team. They will not play for the remainder of the season for a team that is contention for a conference championship and was among the favorites to make a strong run in the N.C. 3A playoffs.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg spokesperson Lauren Bell said CMS could not comment on any disciplinary actions taken against any student and referred the Observer to the CMS code of conduct. That code considers stealing a Tier 3, 4 or 5 infraction. Penalties range from zero to 11 days of out of school suspension (Tier 3), up to 365 days out of school suspension (Tier 4) or explusion.

The four players did not play in Friday’s 60-44 win over Garinger or in Tuesday’s 73-66 loss to Harding. Waddell is 13-6 overall and 5-2 in the MEGA 7 conference, tied for second place with Harding.

Sweet 16 poll: Butler girls continue unbeaten quest; not much change in boys poll

Butler’s pursuit of perfection continues.

The Bulldogs girls (17-0) have won 29 straight games and remain No. 1 in the Sweet 16. Butler is trying to become the first unbeaten Mecklenburg County public school team in 25 years.

Butler is ranked No. 24 in USA Today’s national poll and No. 26 by ESPN.

The Bulldogs play at Rocky River (0-14) Tuesday night (Jan. 25) at 6.

-- In the girls poll, South Caldwell (13-4), Monroe Parkwood (15-2) and Harding (12-5) dropped out, and Charlotte Christian jumped two spots to No. 10. Hickory joined the poll this week at No. 12. Also returning to the poll are No. 14 Ardrey Kell and No. 15 West Mecklenburg.

-- In the boys’ poll, there’s not much change. No. 10 Fort Mill is down three spots after dropping two close games adn No. 12 Weddington fell three after losing a close game to rival Indian Trail Sun Valley. That allowed No. 7 Butler to jump three spots and No. 9 Lawndale Burns to jump three, too.


Boys Sweet 16
Team    Class    Record    Previous
1. West Charlotte    4A    14-1    1
2. Olympic    4A    18-1    2
3. Charlotte Christian    IND    16-3    3
4. Concord    3A    14-1    4
5. Gastonia Huss    3A    14-2    5
6. Hickory    3A    13-2    6
7. Butler    4A    14-3    10
8. North Mecklenburg    4A    15-2    8
9. Lawndale Burns    3A    12-2    12
10. Fort Mill    3A    14-3    7
11. Hickory St. Stephens    3A    14-3    7
12. Weddington    3A    17-2    9
13. East Rutherford    2A    12-1    13
14. Cherryville    1A    12-2    14
15. Berry    2A    11-2     15
16. West Caldwell    2A    15-1    16

Girls Sweet 16
1. Butler    4A    17-0    1
2. Salisbury    2A    12-1    2
3. Berry    2A    13-1    3
4. Mallard Creek    4A    14-3    4
5. Hopewell    4A    14-2    5
6. Providence Day    IND    13-4    6
7. Shelby    2A    13-0    7
8. N. Iredell    3A    12-1    8
9. Gastonia Forestview    3A    11-3    9
10. Charlotte Christian    IND    15-1    12
11. South Point    3A    13-1    6
12. Hickory    3A    13-2    --
13. Newton-Conover    2A    14-1    13
14. Ardrey Kell    4A    14-3    --
15. West Mecklenburg    4A    13-2    --
16. Catawba Bandys    2A    13-2     16

Sweet 16 basketball polls: Butler girls, W. Charlotte boys keep top spots

The top six spots in the boys Sweet 16 poll remain the same, led by West Charlotte’s Lions.

Hickory’s boys, No. 6 in the poll, beat former No. 7 Hickory St. Stephens and St. Stephens dipped to No. 11. Three new teams join the boys poll this week: No. 10 Butler, No. 15 Berry and No. 16 West Caldwell. Seven teams in the poll have only one loss.

-- The top five spots in the girls poll are the same, led by No. 1 Butler. The Bulldogs moved up one spot to No. 24 in USA Today’s national rankings this week. They are No. 27 in ESPN’s national poll.


Boys Sweet 16
Rank, Team, Class, Record, Previous
1. West Charlotte, 4A, 11-1, 1
2. Olympic, 4A, 16-1, 2
3. Charlotte Christian, IND, 15-3, 3
4. Concord, 3A, 13-1, 4
5. Gastonia Huss, 3A, 12-2, 5
6. Hickory, 3A, 12-2, 6
7. Fort Mill, 3A, 14-1, 8
8. North Mecklenburg, 4A, 14-2, 9
9. Weddington, 3A, 16-1, 15
10. Butler, 4A, 11-3, --
11. Hickory St. Stephens, 3A, 13-3, 7
12. Lawndale Burns, 3A, 12-2, 14
13. East Rutherford, 2A, 10-1, 13
14. Cherryville, 1A, 11-2, T16
15. Berry, 2A, 10-2 --
16. West Caldwell, 2A, 14-1, --
Girls Sweet 16
1. Butler, 4A, 15-0, 1
2. Salisbury, 2A, 10-1
3. Berry, 2A, 12-1
4. Mallard Creek, 4A, 13-3
5. Hopewell, 4A, 12-2
6. Providence Day, IND, 12-4, 7
7. Shelby, 2A, 12-0, 9
8. N. Iredell, 3A, 11-1, 10
9. Gastonia Forestview, 3A, 10-3, --
10. South Caldwell, 4A, 12-1, 6
11. South Point, 3A, 13-1, 6
12. Charlotte Christian, IND, 14-1, 12
13. Newton-Conover, 2A, 12-1, 13
14. Monroe Parkwood, 3A, 14-1, 15
15. Harding, 3A, 11-4, --
16. Catawba Bandys, 2A, 11-2 --

Country Day QB Morgan Roberts commits to Clemson

Charlotte Country Day quarterback Morgan Roberts, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior, committed to Clemson Tuesday, Bucs coach Bob Witman told the Observer.


Roberts had offers from Marshall, Elon, Ball State, Dartmouth, Harvard and Old Dominion, Witman said.


"Clemson is getting a tall, rangy kid that's quick and that can throw the ball a mile," Witman said. "I think he has a decent shot there, I really do. If he fits with the new offense they're bringing in and he can develop physically, and put on another 10-15 pounds, I think he'll do just fine."


Roberts led Country Day to a 10-2 record and a N.C. Independent Schools 3A state title this season.

CMS athletics director Vicki Hamilton to retire next month

Vicki Hamilton, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ director of athletics, has announced her plans to retire after 34 years in education and the last 17 years as the district’s athletic director. Hamilton’s last day in CMS is February 28.

Appointed in 1994, Vicki Hamilton was the first – and for five years, the only – female athletic director of a city/county district in North Carolina. Hamilton is in her 17th year as athletics director.

Get more on this breaking story in Wednesday's Observer.

N.C. Preps statewide basketball polls

1A BOYS
1. East Surry (8) 11-0 – 129
2. Cherryville (3) 11-2 – 116
3. Princeton (3) 13-0 – 111
4. Murphy 7-1 – 72
5. Riverside-Martin 11-3 – 48
6. North Edgecombe 6-1 – 45
7. Rocky Mount Prep 10-5 – 40
8. North Rowan 9-3 – 37
9. Lejeune 11-3 – 36
10. Hendersonville 7-3 – 34
HONORABLE MENTION: Camden (110-2) – 31; Perquimans (9-3) – 26; Pender (6-4) – 13; Rosewood (7-2) – 10; Albemarle (4-1) – 6; Plymouth (6-3) – 5; North Wilkes (8-5) – 4; Highland Tech (10-3) – 4; Monroe (6-4) – 3;
2A BOYS
1. Smoky Mountain (7) 12-0 – 109
2. West Caldwell (2) 11-1 – 108
3. Cummings 10-1 – 82
4. East Rutherford (1) 9-0 – 69
5. Jordan-Matthews 10-1 – 62
6. Kinston (2) 7-3 – 53
6. Fairmont (2) 8-0 – 53
8. Berry 10-2 – 50
9. Clinton 10-2 – 36
10. HP Andrews 9-2 – 33
HONORABLE MENTION: Beddingfield (10-2) – 20; Northwood (10-2) – 19; Whiteville (9-1) – 14; Mountain Heritage (8-4) – 13; Northeastern (8-3) – 10; West Stokes (11-5) – 9; West Bladen (11-3) – 8; Reidsville (9-4) – 7; Northside-Jax (8-2) – 5; Richlands (9-1) – 4; North Pitt (7-1) – 3; Bertie (9-4) – 2; East Burke (10-4) – 2;
3A BOYS
1. Concord (5) 13-1 – 117
2. Erwin (5) 13-0 – 110
3. Huss (1) 13-2 – 91
4. North Buncombe (1) 13-1 – 76
5. Weddington (2) 15-1 – 71
6. Burns 10-2 – 56
7. Westover 12-2 – 55
8. NE Guilford 11-3 – 44
9. Rocky Mount 11-4 – 33
10. Southern Lee 11-3 – 30
HONORABLE MENTION: Hickory (11-2) – 21; Waddell (12-5) – 19; Southern Wayne (9-2) – 12; Forestview (8-1) – 11; Chapel Hill (8-2) – 10; Ashbrook (10-3) – 7; Parkwood (7-2) – 7; Northern Guilford (N/A) – 5; Triton (9-2) – 2; Freedom (7-3) – 2;
4A BOYS
1. Reagan (7) 13-0 – 126
2. West Charlotte (4) 11-1 – 104
3. Garner (1) 11-0 – 84
3. Mount Tabor 14-1 – 84
5. Middle Creek 14-1– 76
6. Olympic 15-1 – 74
7. Terry Sanford 12-2 – 66
8. Laney 12-1 – 60
9. Wakefield 12-1 – 34
10. Dudley 8-4 – 25
HONORABLE MENTION: North Meck (13-2) – 13; Hoggard (10-3) – 11; Richmond County (9-1) – 10; New Hanover (9-3) – 8; Pine Forest (13-3) – 4; Millbrook (8-7) – 1;

1A GIRLS
1. Mount Airy (5) 15-1 – 127
2. River Mill (5) 19-1 – 120
3. Bishop McGuinness (4) 11-5 – 103
4. East Wilkes 11-2 – 83
5. SW Onslow 10-2 – 73
6. Cherokee 7-1 – 55
7. Southside 6-1 – 50
8. Chatham Central 7-2 – 37
9. Murphy 6-2 – 36
10. Jones Senior 7-2 – 23
HONORABLE MENTION: Goldsboro (8-3) – 15; Avery (8-5) – 13; Robbinsville (6-4) – 9; Lakewood (9-4)  – 8; Mitchell (N/A) – 6; Highland Tech (9-1) – 5; East Surry (N/A) – 4; North Stokes (8-5) – 3;
2A GIRLS
1. Salisbury (8) 9-1 – 107
2. Shelby (2) 12-0 – 105
3. North Surry 11-0 – 102
4. East Bladen (3) 15-1 – 97
5. Newton-Conover 10-1 – 54
6. Bunn 8-0 – 53
7. Granville Central 13-1 – 42
8. Berry 11-1 – 38
9. Northside-Jax 11-1 – 33
10. Thomasville 11-1 – 32
HONORABLE MENTION: - Ashe (11-1) – 29; Bandys (10-2) – 23; Graham (8-1) – 13; Bertie (10-2) – 11; Jordan-Matthews (10-1) – 7; Clinton (11-2) – 7; Wilkes Central (11-3) – 6; Reidsville (9-2) – 3; North Stanly (10-3) – 3; East Davidson (10-3) – 2; Graham (9-1) – 1; Central Davidson (9-2) – 1:
3A GIRLS
1. North Iredell (6) 11-1 – 122
2. Asheboro (3) 13-1 – 100
3. Parkwood (1) 12-1 – 86
4. South Central (1) 9-3 – 74
5. Forestview (2) 10-3 – 68
6. South Point 13-1 – 63
7. Erwin 11-2 – 51
8. Rocky Mount 13-2 – 40
9. Williams 9-1 – 30
10. Eastern Guilford 11-2 – 30
HONORABLE MENTION: - Union Pines (13-2) – 26; Hickory (11-2) – 26; Freedom (12-4) – 18; RS Central (10-4) – 14; Harding (10-4) – 9; Ledford (10-3) – 3; Northern Guilford (8-3) – 2; West Carteret (10-2) – 2; Marvin Ridge (9-4) – 1; Tuscola (8-4) – 1; JM Robinson (10-3) – 1;
4A GIRLS
1. Butler (14) 13-0 – 140
2. Green Hope 13-1 – 103
3. South View 14-0 – 102
4. Dudley 12-1 – 85
5. South Caldwell 9-0 – 60
6. Millbrook 14-1 – 60
7. T.C. Roberson 10-1 – 46
8. Hopewell 11-2 – 28
9. Riverside 11-1 – 27
10. Mount Tabor 11-2 – 22
HONORABLE MENTION: - SW Guilford (12-1) – 21; SE Raleigh (9-2) – 21; HP Central (9-2) – 12; Porter Ridge (9-1) – 10; Clayton (9-3) – 7; Ashley (11-2) – 5; Mallard Creek (12-3) – 5; Northern Durham (7-1) – 4; E.E. Smith (11-3) – 4; West Meck (11-2) – 4; Hoggard (9-3) – 2; Hillside (9-4) – 2;

Watauga's Darby Middlebrook named Gatorade N.C. Cross Country athlete of the eyar

In its 26th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Darby Middlebrook of Watauga High School as its 2010-11 Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Middlebrook is the first Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Watauga High School. 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Middlebrook as North Carolina’s best high school girls cross country runner. 

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Middlebrook joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-7 sophomore raced to the Class 4A individual state championship this past season with a course-record time of 17:49.70, leading the Pioneers to second place as a team. A DyeStat Cross Country Top 25 series Honorable Mention selection, Middlebrook placed 13th at the Foot Locker South Regional championships in 17:48. Middlebrook captured first place at the High Country Classic, the Northwestern 3A/4A Conference Championships and the Class 4A West Regional.

Middlebrook has maintained a 4.36 weighted GPA in the classroom. In addition to donating her time as a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, she has volunteered on behalf of the Watuaga Women’s Fund to benefit area women in need.

“I have never seen a runner get the confidence she did so quickly,” said Watauga head coach Randy McDonough. “She likes to sit back for the first part of the race, and then take off. She doesn’t go out slow, but she doesn’t lead. Once she gets the lead, she is not giving it back.”

Middlebrook will begin her junior year of high school this fall.

Middlebrook joins Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year Adrianne Soo (2009-10, 2008-09 & 2007-08, Durham Academy) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
-- Gatorade Media Release

CMS athletic events postponed, new dates coming

With school out for today's heavy snow, tonight's basketball games, per CMS policy, will also be postponed. Those games will be rescheduled, along with scheduled wrestling and swimming events.

Friday's Harding at West Meck boys basketball game, which was stopped by a fight just after the game began, will also be rescheduled.

CMS teams were off after tonight until Friday due to exams scheduled to be held this week. The next regular playing date is Friday.

Here are Monday's basketball games to be rescheduled:

Butler @ South Meck
East Meck @ Providence
Myers Park @ Independence
Rocky River @ Ardrey Kell
Lake Norman @ Hough

Here are Friday's scheduled CMS games:
Providence @ Ardrey Kell
Independence @ Butler
South Meck @ East Meck
Myers Park @ Rocky River
Garinger @ Harding
East Gaston @ Waddell
North Meck @ Hopewell
Hough @ Mallard Creek
Vance @ West Charlotte
Cuthbertson @ Berry
West Meck @ Olympic

Butler's Kris Frost commits to Auburn; M. Creek's Williams enrolls at UNC

Butler High linebacker Kris Frost committed to Auburn Saturday during the US Army All American football game in San Antonio.

Rated the No. 39 player in the nation overall by rivals.com, Frost chose Auburn over Michigan and LSU.

Mallard Creek quarterback Marquise Williams honored his commitment to North Carolina and has enrolled this weekend, he told the Observer via text message Saturday night.

Williams, the Observer's offensive player of the year, led Mallard Creek to a 13-1 record and a N.C. 4AA quarterfinal appearance this season.

Accelerate helping to elevate area players' games

Last summer, I wrote about a trend I noticed had been growing: former pro athletes providing training to younger kids and teenage athletes in the area. You can click here to read that.

I think one of the reasons Mecklenburg County athletics have been exploding recently with a historic run of championships that is only going to grow, is this specialized training kids are getting from former athletes who know what they're talking about.

Former Florida Gator football star Tony George's Heat Fitness is a perfect example of this. I've seen kids go in looking one way, and performing one way, and come out totally different. And it's not just George. Former NBA players Jeff McInnis and Muggsy Bogues have trained some of the best players to come out of this area recently. They know what it takes and what you need to get to the next level.

Charlotte is chock full of training options as people have found ways to further monetize athletics. Trainers at Carolina Courts, Velocity Sports and Athletic Republic all do a wonderful job, I've seen and heard, with helping athletes of all ages improve.

After getting a torrent of emails lately about this topic, I decided to revisit one of the facilities: Accelerate Basketball in Indian Land. This place is devoted to basketball and owner/operator Brandon Payne, a former college basketball coach, has turned his love of basketball and his love of fitness into quite an impressive basketball factory.

He's got a roster of more than 100 kids of all ages regularly training and some of the area's top players frequently stop by, including former Charlotte Christian star Seth Curry, now at Duke. Payne's services have spread by word of mouth and YouTube video to as far away as California and London. A group of California teens plan to visit to work out over a spring break and a 20-year-old London player will also come in soon. Also Payne said he's had interest from out of state businessmen about franchising.

Why the interest? Winning the college scholarship has gotten awful competitive and parents are willing to try to get their kid every advantage. And Payne has a very unique way of developing basketball players using drills involving tennis balls and ropes and ladders and steps. He's become well versed in exercise physiology and brings in experts, like chiropractors and specialized fitness trainers, to help fill in the gaps.

Players sign up on a website for hour-long classes which are offered at fairly convenient hours, even for working folks, seven days a week. For a flat fee, you can take unlimited classes with a group, almost like a YMCA workout class, or you can register for one-on-one sessions or other specialized training regimens.

Accelerate also offers a "shooting gun," a contraption that passes balls towards you that you then shoot in the hoop. For a fee, you can use the gun and have your sessions videotaped, allowing Payne's team to coach you on form.


Accelerate also offers video services to tape players during games for coaching "film" sessions or to create those YouTube highlight videos that parents send to college coaches (or just post on YouTube to brag about their 9-year-old's dribbling ability).

I have visited almost all of the local facilities and I think we are lucky to have these kinds of options locally. I would always consult with my doctor if my young ones were starting this kind of training and to make sure it was offset with other kinds of physical activity and didn't include heavy weights before, say, teenager years. But I do think training makes a difference, and we've got some excellent options, like Accelerate, here.

Char. Christian at Hickory/Myers Park wrestling canceled

Due to approaching winter storms, tonight's Charlotte Christian at Hickory basketball games and Saturday's Sandiford Wrestling Invitational at Myers Park have been canceled.

No new date has been set for Christian at Hickory. The boys game matched two teams ranked in the top 10 of the Observer's Sweet 16 poll.

W. Charlotte moves to No. 1 in Observer's Sweet 16 poll

West Charlotte’s boys planned to play a Christmas Tournament this year, but the heavy snowstorm that hit the Carolinas Christmas Day forced the Lions to postpone a trip to the Maryland area.

So the Lions got an extended break. Still, West Charlotte resumes play tonight as the No. 1 team in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll. The Lions replace Olympic, which lost in a Christmas tournament on a jump shot at the buzzer. No. 3 is preseason No. 1 Charlotte Christian. And this week’s Sweet 16 is actually 17 teams. Salisbury and Cherryville tied for 16th.

In the girls poll, Butler is No. 1, one spot ahead of preseason No. 2 Salisbury. Berry, the Bojangles’ Shootout champion, is No. 3.
Butler has a key game tonight at No. 11 Ardrey Kell.


Boys Sweet 16
Rank, School, Record, Class
1. W. Charlotte, 9-1, 4A
2. Olympic, 13-1, 4A
3. Charlotte Christian, 12-2, IND
4. Concord, 3A, 10-1
5. Gastonia Huss, 10-2, 3A
6. Hickory, 10-2, 3A
7. Hickory St. Stephens, 3A, 10-2
8. Fort Mill, 3A, 11-1
9. N. Mecklenburg, 4A, 12-2
10. Vance, 4A, 7-3
11. Waddell, 3A, 6-1
12. Morganton Freedom, 3A, 9-2
13. East Rutherford, 2A, 8-0
14. Lawndale Burns, 3A, 10-1
15. Weddington, 3A, 13-1
16T. Cherryville, 1A, 9-2
16T. Salisbury, 2A, 6-3
Girls Sweet 16
1. Butler, 12-0, 4A
2. Salisbury, 7-1, 2A
3. Berry, 9-1, 2A
4. Mallard Creek, 10-3, 4A
5. Hopewell, 4A, 10-1
6. South Caldwell, 4A, 9-0
7. Providence Day, IND, 8-4
8. Belmont South Point, 3A, 12-0
9. Shelby, 2A, 10-0
10. N. Iredell, 3A, 10-1
11. Ardrey Kell, 4A, 10-2
12. Charlotte Christian, IND, 11-1
13. Newton-Conover, 2A, 8-1
14. W. Mecklenburg, 4A, 9-1
15. Monroe Parkwood, 3A, 10-1
16. R-S Central, 2A, 9-3