Jay Edwards’ Spotlight Stars: Weddington’s Kyle Durham, a shy track standout
Charlotte Observer Boys’ Spotlight Stars
Kyle Durham, Weddington Track: Kyle Durham admits he is the “shy” type of person who prefers not to be in the spotlight.
But the Weddington senior made himself the center of attention when he won two individual state crowns and teamed up for another relay title to help the Warriors to their second consecutive N.C. 3A state indoor championship at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem Feb. 8.
Durham earned the 3A state championship’s most valuable player (MVP) for his efforts, which included setting a new all-classification record in the 1,000-meter run (2:28.85).
Durham also won the 1,600-meter run state title as well as the 4 X 400-meter relay state championship with teammates Emerson Douds, Jackson O’Hara and Jake Toomey.
While Weddington enjoyed a team in winning their seventh track/cross country state title (three state indoor titles, 2016, 2018, 2019; two state outdoor titles, 2017, 2018; three state cross country titles, 2013, 2015, 2018) in the last four years, this time it was Durham on center stage after the meet.
“Looking back on the (indoor) state championship meet, I felt really good about the way I ran in all three events,” Durham said. “I was projected to be first in both events (1000 and 1600) coming into the meet, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Everyone steps up at states (championship).”
His coach didn’t expect much else.
“Kyle (Durham) is a very shy guy, so to see him have to get up on that stage and be recognized for what he accomplished was great,” said Weddington track coach, Rick Spencer, now in his 12th year. “I knew he could do it (win state championships), but to go out and execute it and do it on that kind of a stage is impressive.”
Durham won his two individual state indoor titles in a span of 45 minutes.
Durham started out his day by leading the 1,600-meter race from nearly start to finish.
However, with approximately 150 meters left, Cuthbertson senior Kyle Stamper passed him for the lead.
But Durham chased Stamper down and passed him for the lead, and the state title near the finish line.
Meanwhile, 45 minutes later, Durham raced to a personal-best and all-class state indoor championship record time of 2:28.85, to win the 1,000-meter state title.
“Winning that (1000-meter race) in a record time was great, it’s probably the best feeling I’ve had after a race in my life,” Durham said.
Durham won’t waste much time celebrating his championship performance, and is his usual humble fashion his focus is already on the outdoor season, where he says “he’s eager to improve his PR’s (personal records) and keeping getting faster.”
Durham’s first individual state championship of his career came last outdoor season (2018), when he won the 3A 800-meter state championship.
Now, his goal is to finish his Weddington career with at least one more state championship run.
His track career with continue as he has committed to run at the next level at N.C. State.
“We’ve counted on Kyle to run a little bit of everything for us at Weddington over the last four years,” said Spencer, noting he runs anything from the 400-meter to the 5,000-meter and everything in between at times. “Once he gets to N.C. State, they will allow him to specialize more at what he does best, which is middle distance (800, 1000, etc.).
…I think that will allow him (Durham) to keeping getting faster and faster.”
Nathan Dugan, Lake Norman Wrestling: The Lake Norman senior earned the 4A West Regional’s most outstanding wrestler after beating West Mecklenburg standout Eric Hudson Jr. to claim the 195-pound title.
Dugan, a Princeton University commit, is 53-4 for Lake Norman this season.
Dugan, the defending 4A state champion at 182 pounds, is also currently ranked No. 10 in the nation at 195 pounds, according to flowrestling.org.
Charlotte Latin Wrestling Team Senior Class: The Charlotte Latin wrestling team’s senior class continued their historic run, winning their fourth straight CISAA conference title at Cannon School Feb. 7. The Latin wrestling team has won 10 straight CISAA conference championships overall.
The Latin wrestling team’s seniors – including Walker Finke, Cameron Fletcher, McRae Gage, Kase Mermans, Smith O’Leary and Taylor Pearce – are now 100-19 in the last four years, including a perfect 44-0 against NCISAA competition.
Latin coach David Paige got individual CISAA championships from Marshall Harrison (126 pounds), Jake Mermans (138), Jack Davis (145), Kase Mermans (152) and Dean Omirly (195).
Tristan Maxwell, North Mecklenburg Basketball: The North Mecklenburg junior had a game to remember, pouring in 39 points, including seven three-pointers, in a 102-67 win over Mallard Creek Feb. 8.
Maxwell had 16 points and four rebounds in a 69-35 win at Hough three days earlier.
Maxwell is being recruited by teams from the ACC, Big 10, SEC and more, according to North Mecklenburg basketball coach, Duane Lewis.
Maxwell is averaging 23 points, six rebounds and two assist per game for North Mecklenburg (18-3, 11-1 in the I-Meck 4A conference) this season.
Luke Stankavage, Ardrey Kell Basketball: The Ardrey Kell junior guard continued his hot play as Stankavage has averaged 21 points per game over the last six contests, shooting 57 percent from the field, including 45 percent from three-point line in that span.
Stankavage had 29 points on 10-for-14 shooting to lead the Knights to a 63-56 win at Harding, Feb. 5.
Three nights later, Stankavage had 14 points, three rebounds and three assists in a 76-55 win over Berry.
Stankavage is averaging 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game for Ardrey Kell.
Tyrese McNeal, North Gaston Basketball: The North Gaston junior had a historic week that started with him being honored as the first Wildcats’ junior ever to break the 1,000 career points mark.
McNeal celebrated that honor with the first triple-double of his career, scoring 17 points, grabbing 12 rebounds while dishing out 10 assists in a 75-61 win over Crest, Feb. 8.
Three days earlier, McNeal had 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 63-56 victory at Stuart Cramer.
McNeal is also 100 points shy of setting the all-time scoring record at North Gaston, which he should have chance to accomplish this postseason (conference tournament/playoffs).
McNeal is averaging 20 points, six rebounds and three assists per game for North Gaston this season.
Jack Walker, Myers Park Swimming: The Myers Park senior had a record-breaking day in the pool at the 4A state championship meet at the Triangle Aquatic Center, Feb. 7.
Walker broke set all-classification, state meet records in winning both the 200 (1:35.34) and 500 freestyle (4:20.67) state championships. His 500 freestyle time was nearly five seconds faster than the previous record set 13 years ago.
Walker, a University of Virginia signee, was also named the Southwestern 4A swimmer of the year earlier this season.
Markus Wennborg, Hopewell Swimming: The Hopewell senior won 4A state championships in 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley at Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary Feb. 7.
Wennborg, the I-Meck 4A conference swimmer of the year, raced to All-American times in both events with a 55.01 in the 100 breaststroke and a 1:49.02 in the 200 individual medley.
Wennborg, a N.C. State commit, is also a standout in the classroom at Hopewell, where he boasts a 4.42 grade-point average and is No. 5 in his class.
Charlotte Observer Girls’ Spotlight Athletes
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Jessica Timmons, North Mecklenburg Basketball: The North Mecklenburg sophomore guard had another big week averaging 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists in wins over I-Meck conference foes, Hough and Mallard Creek.
Timmons’ biggest game of the week came in a 68-57 upset victory over Mallard Creek as the Vikings’ standout poured in 35 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out six assists.
Timmons is averaging 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals per game.
Timmons is already a major, Division I recruit with interest from ACC, SEC and Big 10 conference schools, among others, according to North Meck basketball coach, Jennifer Baker.
Jada McMillan, Concord First Assembly Basketball: The Concord First Assembly senior averaged 28 points per game last week to help the Eagles to a Metrolina Athletic conference (MAC) tournament title.
McMillan had 26 points to lead Concord First Assembly to a 52-39 win over host, Hickory Grove in the MAC semifinals, Feb. 7.
McMillan came up big again the next night with 30 points, including several clutch free throws down the stretch, to help the Eagles to a 55-50 victory over Gaston Day in the MAC championship game.
McMillan is averaging 16 points, six rebounds and three assists per game for Concord First Assembly (20-6, 7-0 in the MAC) this season.
Nyla McGill, Providence Basketball: The Providence sophomore guard averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals to help the Panthers stay atop the SoMeck7 conference standings last week.
McGill had her biggest game of the week with 28 points, eight rebounds, eight assist and four steals in a 67-50 win over Olympic, Feb. 8.
McGill is averaging 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assist and four steals per game this season for Providence.
McGill already has interest from several Ivy League schools and a from few other Division I teams, according to Providence basketball coach Jennifer Bean.
Ella Mainwaring Foster, Providence Track: The Providence junior helped set three different school records at the 4A state indoor championship track meet at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, Feb. 9.
Mainwaring Foster won the 4A state indoor title in the 500-meter dash, running a personal-best and school record 1:16.34. Her record-breaking time was the fifth-best, 500-meter time run in the state this indoor season.
Mainwaring Foster also helped the Panthers’ 4 X 400-meter relay team to a state title, running a school-record 3:54.36 with teammates Amanda Watson, Ariana Rivera and Nimeesha Coleman.
She helped the Providence 4 X 200-meter relay team to a state runner-up finish, running another school-record of 1:42.86 with teammates, Coleman, Holly Klug and Rivera.
Ellie VanNote, Marvin Ridge Swimming: The Marvin Ridge senior was the 3A state championship meet’s most outstanding swimmer for the second straight season at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, Feb. 8.
VanNote won 3A state titles in both the 200 freestyle (1:48.65) and 100 butterfly (53.92), racing to automatic, All-American times in each event.
VanNote, a University of North Carolina signee, also helped the Mavericks 200 and 400 freestyle relays to 3rd-place finishes.
The Marvin Ridge girls finished third overall as a team.
Kensley Merritt, Hough Swimming: The Hough junior captain helped her Huskies’ team to a 4A state runner-up finish at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary Feb. 7.
Merritt won the 4A state title in 200 freestyle, while finishing as state runner-up in the 100 backstroke.
Merritt also helped Hough’s 200 medley relay to a third-place finish with teammates Cate Davis, Marissa Lassell and Elizabeth Sowards.
Megan Rose, Statesville Diving: The Statesville senior became the first diver in the 128-year history of the school to qualify for both regional and state competition last week.
Rose finished seventh at the 3A state meet in Greensboro, Feb. 7.
Rose, who will continue her diving career at James Madison University, just started diving this past summer.
Rose plans on majoring in forensic science in college and hopes to ultimately be in the FBI.
** Information published today includes statistics through February 10.
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.
This story was originally published February 13, 2019 at 7:55 PM.
