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Five North Mecklenburg High athletes, in four sports, signed with colleges Wednesday: Alison Cooke (volleyball, Wingate), Aaron Spano (baseball, Appalachian State), Sara Allen (softball, Winthrop), and swimmers John Stilley (North Carolina) and Jake Matysek (N.C. State).
Boys' soccer
Marvin Ridge athletics director Tony Guylitto said the school's 3A state semifinal with Asheville will be played at 7 p.m. today at Marvin Ridge. The winner advances to Saturday's N.C. 3A state championship game.
Baseball
Carter Bumgardner, a Charlotte native who played at Charlotte Country Day and is now at IMG Baseball Academy in Bradenton, Fla., signed with Maryland.
Three Charlotte Christian players, who were all-Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association last year and helped the Knights win the 3A private-school title, signed: outfielder John Kincaid (Appalachian State), infielder Trey Laney (Western Carolina) and middle infielder Jake Watson (South Carolina).
Volleyball
North Mecklenburg's Ali Cooke is the I-MECK 4A player of the year, and Sandi Skidmore (North Mecklenburg) is coach of the year.
The all-conference team: Blair Atkinson, Sarah Wiese and Cameron VanNoy (North Mecklenburg); Hannah Early, Chaniel Nelson, Adrian Eppley and Rachel Eppley (Hopewell); Molly Markley and Bri Enroth (Mooresville); Fallon Davis and Lauren Steiner (Lake Norman); and Kelsay Manning and Ginny Young (Mallard Creek).
Softball
Butler catcher Chelsea Ingersoll, an All-Observer pick and all-state last season, signed with Charlotte. She has started since she was a freshman, played on two state title teams and played for the Lady Blues Elite ASA/USA team, which finished seventh in the nation last summer.
Girls' basketball
Butler, which reached the N.C. 4A semifinals last season, starts the 2009-10 season ranked No. 23 nationally by USA Today, the only ranked N.C. team. The Bulldogs are No. 1 in the Observer's Sweet 16 poll, No. 36 in ESPN's poll.
