Jay’s Featured Stars: Charlotte Catholic golfer hopes to lead another state title run
Jack Heath came into his junior year at Charlotte Catholic hoping to play his best golf.
Heath has been doing just that in the last two weeks, as he is 17-under par in the 67 holes he has played for the Cougars.
Heath led Charlotte Catholic to an impressive win at the Atlanta Athletic Club Invitational, shooting a 7-under par in just 13 holes as the event was cut short due to lightening.
Two days later, Heath shot a one-under par 35 to help Charlotte Catholic win its fourth straight Southern Carolinas’ conference (SCC) match by 11 shots.
Heath also won the North State High School Challenge at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, shooting a 65 on the final day of the tournament March 23.
Heath, who is averaging 34.9 per nine holes this season, has improved his game by adding about 15 yards of distance to his drive, and can consistently hit the ball 300 yards off the tee, according to Charlotte Catholic coach, Shawn Panther.
“Since freshman year, the strength of Jack’s (Heath) game has always been his wedge play and short game,” said Coach Panther, noting Heath is a major, Division I golf recruit. “The key to his recent success is that he is now also driving the golf ball at an elite level. He has enough length that almost any time he’s in the fairway, he has a wedge into a par four or can reach a par five in two. His improved driving means he has more chances at birdie. His wedge play and putting continues to be solid so he’s converting many of those birdie chances.”
Heath has paired well with senior Drew Hackett, who has also had a standout season, averaging a 35.4 per nine holes this season.
Hackett, who is the reigning SCC player of the year and a UNC Wilmington commit, pairs with Heath to make a strong one-two punch for a Charlotte Catholic team eager to repeat as 3A state champions.
“The key to our success so far this season has been having Jack (Heath) and Drew Hackett playing at a high level,” Panther said. “All of the best teams in the state have at least one player that can go low at a tournament, but we are at an advantage because we have two players at every tournament that are capable of winning medalist in any field we play.”
Charlie Barr, Cannon School Golf: The Cannon School sophomore won the individual title at the inaugural HV3 Invitational at Cramer Mountain Golf Club March 29-30.
Barr fired a three-over par, 75, on the first day, trailing the leader by two shots.
However, the next day, Barr shot a two-under par, 70, to post the only under par round of the tournament to win the even by three shots.
Barr, ranked No. 16 in the state by the Tarheel Youth Golf Association, also helped his Cannon School golf team to a 3rd-place finish the HV3 Invitational.
Ryan O’Neil, Cuthbertson Golf: The Cuthbertson senior shot a 4-under par 68 to win the Union County Golf Classic at Rolling Hills Country Club, March 26.
O’Neil helped his team to a runner-up finish against the nine-team, 48-player field.
O’Neil, a Nicholls State University commit (LA), is averaging a 36.1 per nine holes this season.
John Miralia, Providence Day baseball: The Providence Day star tossed a complete-game, two-hitter with 14 strikeouts to lead the Chargers past rival Charlotte Christian March 29.
Miralia, a Duke University commit, also had a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Providence Day a 4-1 lead.
Miralia is 3-0 on the mound with 31 strikeouts in 15 innings of work with a 1.40 earned-run average (ERA) for the Chargers (7-3) this season. He is also hitting .227 with two home runs and 11 RBI at the plate.
Kyle McKernan, Marvin Ridge Baseball: The Marvin Ridge junior pitcher tossed his second straight complete-game shutout to lead the Mavericks to a 3-0 victory over Parkwood March 27.
McKernan allowed just three hits in the same game with 11 strikeouts and only one walk.
McKernan is 4-0 on the mound with 36 strikeouts in 25 innings of work with a 1.1 ERA for Marvin Ridge (10-2) this season.
Jordan Little, Hickory Grove Baseball: The Hickory Grove sophomore had a monster week at the plate going 6-for-8 with four home runs, eight RBI, while scoring five runs in three Lions wins.
Little had his biggest game of the week in the second game of the doubleheader with Westminster Catawba, where he hit two home runs in a 6-4 victory March 26.
He also got the win on the mound in Hickory Grove’s 6-2 win at Concord First Assembly, March 28, going the all seven innings with seven strikeouts in the victory.
Little is hitting .531 with five home runs, 16 RBI and eight stolen bases, while going 2-0 on the mound with 25 strikeouts in 21 innings of work on the mound, boasting a 1.31 ERA for the Lions (8-3-1) this season.
Connor Mackey, Charlotte Latin Lacrosse: The Charlotte Latin junior returned with a bang after missing four games with a knee injury, scoring seven goals and dishing out one assist to lead the Hawks to a 10-9 win over Durham Academy, Mar. 29.
Mackey has 13 goals and three assists in four games for Charlotte Latin (3-5) this season.
Hans Roemer, North Rowan Tennis: The North Rowan senior captain went a perfect 6-0 in singles’ matches last week.
Roemer, who plays No. 1 for the Cavaliers, won all three of his dual team singles’ matches in straight sets, losing just four games in three matches against South Stanly (March 25), Uwharrie Charter (March 27) and North Stanly (March 28).
Roemer capped his week with three more victories in the same day to win the Yadkin Valley conference tournament at West Stanly March 30.
Roemer is a perfect 13-0 in singles’ play for North Rowan (7-3) this season.
Charlotte Observer Girls’ Athletes of the Week
Falon Spearman, Providence Day Track: The Providence Day freshman proved she can run and jump with the state’s best, winning the 100 and 300-meter hurdles at the Weddington Invitational March 30.
Spearman set a personal-record running a 44.58 in the 300-meter hurdles at Weddington, which was also the No. 1 time run in the state this outdoor season.
She also won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.38 seconds, the No. 3 time run in the state this outdoor season.
Spearman also helped the Providence Day 4 X 100-meter relay to a runner-up finish, while the Chargers’ sprint medley relay quartet finished 3rd-place, both at the Weddington Invitational.
Gabby Castro, Cuthbertson Track: The Cuthbertson also had big weekend on the tracking setting three different personal bests at the UNC-Wilmington Track Invitational March 30.
Castro won the 1,600-meter run in a career-best 5:07.04 at Wilmington, which is also the sixth-best time run in the state this outdoor season.
She was also runner-up in 800-meter run at the same meet in a personal-record, 2:20.41.
Castro capped her week by helping the 4 X 800-meter relay – with Kaitlyn St. Hilaire, Madeline Hill and Leah Helms – to victory in Wilmington, running the state’s No. 1 time (9:46.36) this outdoor season.
Brook Lavelle, Marvin Ridge Soccer: The Marvin Ridge sophomore defender had a big week for the Mavericks’ offense.
Lavelle scored all three goals in Marvin Ridge’s 3-1 victory at rival, Weddington March 26.
Two days later, Lavelle had the game-winning assist in a 1-0 win over Sun Valley to help the Mavericks (11-1, 6-0 in the SCC) stay atop the league standings.
Lavelle had seven goals and six assists for Marvin Ridge this season.
Sully Williams, Charlotte Latin Soccer: The Charlotte Latin senior center back, captain played big roles on both the Hawks’ offense and defense in wins over Covenant Day and Durham Academy.
Williams led Charlotte Latin defense to a 4-0 shutout of Covenant Day, while contributing one assist on the Hawks’ offensive effort March 26.
Three days later, Williams scored two goals in a 4-1 victory over Durham Academy.
Williams scored on a free kick from 40 yards out and chest trapped a pass off a corner kick and buried the ball in the corner of the net to score her second goal of the game.
Williams, who plays primarily in a defensive role for the Hawks, has three goals and one assist for Charlotte Latin (6-1) this season.
Helen Summerell, West Iredell Soccer: The West Iredell senior forward had six goals and four assists in wins over Bunker Hill and Hibriten.
Summerell had four goals and four assists in a 9-2 victory at Bunker Hill, Mar. 26.
Three days later, Summerell scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Hibriten.
Summerell, a Catawba College signee, has 27 goals and nine assists for West Iredell (10-2) this season.
Sophie Lee, South Stanly Softball: The South Stanly sophomore pitcher tossed a no-hitter in a 3-0 victory over Anson County March 27.
Lee didn’t give up a run in three victories on the mound last week, beating Anson County and South Davidson twice. She also went 3-for-6 at the plate with a double, a triple and three RBI.
Lee is 9-1 this season with 35 strikeouts in 46 innings of work, including eight complete games and five shutouts with a 1.71 ERA. She is also hitting .609 with three home runs for South Stanly (11-1) this season.
Mason Paradine, Hickory Lacrosse: The Hickory senior midfielder had 11 goals and four assists in two games to help the Red Tornadoes to wins over Lake Norman and St. Stephens.
Paradine, a University of North Carolina commit, had her best game in a 16-14 win over Lake Norman, March 28, where she poured in seven goals, had three assists, five draw controls and four groundballs.
Paradine has 32 goals and 13 assists for Hickory (6-1) this season.
Caileigh Brady, Charlotte Catholic Lacrosse: The Charlotte Catholic senior attacker scored on a pass from teammate, Riley Lowe, with 1.8 seconds left to give the Cougars a 12-11 win over Jackson (OH), Mar. 25. Brady had four goals in the victory.
Brady has 12 goals and three assists this season for Charlotte Catholic (6-1).
** Information published today includes statistics through March 31.
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.