Jay’s Featured Stars: JT Killen a big hit for Charlotte Christian’s Knights

J.T. Killen has accomplished a lot in four years as a starter on the Charlotte Christian baseball team.

But the 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-hander, who is all-state performer for both the Knights’ baseball and football team, had one of the most memorable moments of his Charlotte Christian career when he launched a home run 480-plus feet early in the 20-2 win at Charlotte Latin April 25.

“That home run he hit at Charlotte Latin was farthest I’ve ever seen a high school player hit a ball, it hit the grass at SwimMAC (building),” said Charlotte Christian baseball coach Greg Simmon. “The ball easily went 480-feet when we measured it with a phone app. And 480 is a conservative guess. It probably went farther. J.T. (Killen) does things you can’t coach. He has more power (at the plate) than anyone I’ve ever coached.”

Killen says his power comes naturally.

“I have to say my power comes from genetics,” said Killen, crediting his dad, Jay, and his grandfather, Jimmy Killen, who both played football at University of South Carolina. “I’ve always been able to hit the ball far.”

Killen does a little bit of everything for this Charlotte Christian team.

He is the team’s No. 1 pitcher, going 4-0 this season with 62 strikeouts in 34.1 innings of work, while boasting a 1.2 earned-run average (ERA). Killen consistently throws his fastball 90 to 92 miles per hour.

Killen is hitting .468 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and seven doubles.

Killen was at his best this past week, going 10-for-12 at the plate in wins over Cannon School, Charlotte Latin (twice) and Christ School.

He hit for the cycle against Cannon School, going 4-for-4 at the plate with a single, double, triple, home run and four RBI in the 10-0 victory, Apr. 22.

Two days later, despite throwing up for an hour before the game, Killen came in and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing only one run while striking out seven in a 4-2 win over Christ School.

The very next day, Killen launched his 480-foot homer against Charlotte Latin to give the Knights their fourth win in as many days.

Killen is quick to credit his teammates.

“I have to give a shout out and give credit to my teammate, Brett Adams, for really pushing me this year, because he’s up there close to me in batting average, home runs, and pitching,” Killen said. “He’s been a big part of my success this season.”

While the Knights are in the midst of another strong season, coach Simmons and the Knights are eager to prove they can contend for a state championship.

Charlotte Christian has lost one-run games to Wesleyan Christian in each of the past two, seasons in final game of the NCISAA 3A state championship series.

This year, the Knights, especially seniors -- in Adams, Killen, Trey Donathan, Matt Mayers and Shane Russell -- hope the final game of their high school careers is a victory.

Coach Simmons has helped Charlotte Christian to 13 state championships in his tenure.

“Winning a state championship is something we’ve all wanted, and we’ve all grown up watching Charlotte Christian (baseball team) win championships,” Killen said. “On our clubhouse, there is a little window to mark every state championship team, and there’s one little window left that we need to fill. We see it every day and think about what it be like to be a part of that championship tradition.”

Killen will play both baseball and football at Coastal Carolina beginning this summer.

He is a rare athlete as he can pitch, play in the outfield and he plays linebacker on the football field.

“It’s exciting for me to be able to keep playing two sports in college and I know it’s going to be a huge challenge, but I’m going to give it my best effort” Killen said. “In football, I’d really like to play in a bowl games and of course in baseball, I want to get Omaha (College World Series). Playing at Coastal Carolina gives me the opportunity to do both.”

“J.T. has a bright future in baseball because he can really hit and pitch,” Simmons said with a laugh. “But man he is also a heck of a football player.”

Nolan DeVos, Hickory Ridge Baseball: The Hickory Ridge senior had another dominant performance on the mound, tossing a complete-game, shutout with nine strikeouts to lead the Ragin’ Bulls to a 7-1 victory over Cox Mill in the East Rowan Spring Break Tournament April 22.

DeVos also hit a three-run homer in the same game to help his effort on the mound.

DeVos, a Davidson College commit, is 6-1 with 99 strikeouts in 45 innings of work while boasting a 1.85 ERA on the mound this season. He is also hitting .314 with two home runs, 10 RBIs at the plate for Hickory Ridge.

Gage Smith, Lake Norman Baseball: The Lake Norman senior went 6-for-8 at the plate with a home run, six RBIs as the Wildcats won three straight games in as many days to win the Intimidator Classic Tournament in Kannapolis.

Smith, a Mars Hill University signee, had his best game of the week in a 13-2 win over Carson in the tournament finals, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and five RBI in the victory.

Lake Norman also beat Weddington, April 22 and Jay M. Robinson April 23.

Smith is batting .364 with two home runs and 19 RBI for Lake Norman this season.

Chancelor Crawford, Mallard Creek Track: The Mallard Creek senior broke a 26-year old Mecklenburg County record in the discus, throwing a meet, personal and school record 192-0 (No. 3 all-time in state history) to win the event at the Blue Ridge Classic April 27.

Crawford’s record discus throw broke the previous Mecklenburg County mark set by Providence’s Ben Huff in 1993 (182-0), and was the No. 1 throw in the state and No. 10 in the nation this outdoor season.

Crawford also won the shot put at the Blue Ridge Classic.

Crawford has college track interest from University of North Carolina, N.C. State and Tennessee, according to Mallard Creek track coach Donald Littlejohn.

Metrolina Christian 800 Sprint Medley Relay Team: The Metrolina Christian quartet, including Aiden Sankowski, Tate Johnson, Jadus Davis and Jed Wooten, ran the state’s best time in the 800-meter sprint medley relay (1:35.91) at Gaston Christian April 23.

Sankowski, Johnson, Davis and Wooten’s time, which was a school record (No. 21 all-time in state history), also qualifies them for the Championship Division at the New Balance Outdoor National Track and Field meet at North Carolina A&T June 13-16.

Sankowski and Wooten ran 100-meter dashes in the relay, while Davis ran the 200-meter dash portion and Johnson finished off the race with a personal-record 51-second, 400-meter dash to win it.

Davis also set a personal-record in the open 400-meter dash last week, running a 51.22 at Charlotte Christian, Apr. 24.

Marcus Woods, Charlotte Country Day Track: The Charlotte Country Day sprinter ran the No. 1, 200-meter dash by a NCISAA (private school) runner this season with a 21.53 to win the event at a home meet April 25.

Woods’ winning, 200-meter time was also No. 4 in the state this outdoor season regardless of classification.

Woods, a Yale University signee, also led the Bucs’ 4 X 100 and 4 X 200-meter relays to victory at the same meet.

Gage Turner, Ardrey Kell Lacrosse: The Ardrey Kell sophomore goalkeeper had 18 saves to lead the Knights to a 9-6 victory over Myers Park to clinch their first ever Conference 15 championship April 26.

Turner also had six saves in Ardrey Kell’s 19-1 win over Butler, Apr. 24.

Turner has 118 saves (64.4 percent save rate), allowing only six goals per contest in 13 games for Ardrey Kell (16-2, 6-0 in Conference 15) this season.

Thomas Eubanks, Myers Park Golf: The Myers Park senior shot a one-under par, 71, to finish tied for 4th at the Pinehurst Invitational at Pinehurst No. 8, Apr. 25.

Eubanks, a University of Maryland commit, had two birdies in his round to help the Mustangs’ team to a runner-up finish at the same event.

Eubanks is also ranked No. 7 in the state on the junior golf circuit, according to the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA).

Narayan Mohan, Cannon School Golf: The Cannon School sophomore shot a one-under par 71, to finish tied for fouth at Pinehurst Invitational at Pinehurst No. 8 April 25.

Mohan, the defending NCISAA 3A individual state champion, had five birdies in his round to help the Cougars’ team to a fourth-place finish.

Mohan is also ranked No. 41 in the state on junior golf circuit, according to the TYGA.

Charlotte Observer Girls’ Athletes of the Week

Bella Carney, Concord First Assembly Soccer: The Concord First Assembly junior scored back-to-back, game-winning goals in two Eagles’ 1-0 victories last week.

Carney scored the game-winner with 20 minutes left in a 1-0 win over Northside Christian April 22.

The next day, Carney scored the game’s lone goal with 15 minutes left to beat Gaston Day 1-0.

Carney also had two goals and one assists in a 4-0 win at SouthLake Christian April 25.

Carney had six goals and four assists for Concord First Assembly this season.

Hannah Austin, South Pointe (SC) Soccer: The freshman had two goals and two assists to lead the Stallions to a historic, 7-2 win over Westwood, April 22.

Austin’s efforts helped the South Pointe girls’ soccer team to clinch its first Region III AAAA title in school history.

Savannah Bizjack, Ardrey Kell Soccer: The Ardrey Kell senior center back has been a “game-changer,” for a Knights’ defense that has posted five straight shutouts and given up 10 goals in 18 games this season.

Bizjack helped Ardrey Kell (12-3-3, 7-2 in the SoMeck7 conference) to three straight shutouts last week, blanking Olympic 4-0 (April 23), South Mecklenburg 1-0 (April 24) and Fort Mill 2-0 (April 26).

Bizjack is responsible for marking the opposing team’s best player in almost every game, according to Ardrey Kell coach, Kim Montgomery.

Kelsey Havican, Union Academy Soccer: The Union Academy junior had five goals and two assists in two, Cardinals’ wins last week as she returned from a knee injury that forced her to miss the five previous contests.

Havican scored two goals and had one assists in her first game back to help Union Academy to an 8-0 at Queens Grant, April 24.

Two days later, Havican had three goals and one more assist in a 7-0 victory at Bradford Prep.

Havican has 16 goals and nine assists in 10 games for Union Academy this season.

Deanna Poteat, East Lincoln Soccer: The East Lincoln freshman forward came up big for the Mustangs with all three goals in a 3-2 win at Dixon, April 25.

Poteat recorded her hat trick as the Mustangs had only 11 players available because of sicknesses and injuries on the East Lincoln girls’ soccer team. She played three different positions in the game, including holding midfielder, attack center midfielder and forward in the win, according to Mustangs’ coach, Jason Dragoon.

The Mustangs played a man down for most of the Dixon win.

Jala Wright, Providence Day: The Providence Day junior led the Chargers to three CISAA conference wins in a four-day span last week.

Wright went 8-for-12 at the plate, while collecting two wins and 26 strikeouts on the mound in wins over Charlotte Latin and at Charlotte Country Day and at Covenant Day.

Wright’s best performance last week came in 13-6 victory at Charlotte Country Day (April 24), where she was 5-for-5 at the plate with three RBI, while earning the win on the mound with 15 strikeouts.

Wright is 8-3 on the mound with 103 strikeouts and 2.21 ERA, and is also hitting .581 at the plate for Providence Day (8-3, 6-2 in the CISAA) this season.

Kate Roberts, Davidson Day Lacrosse: The Davidson Day senior scored 11 goals and had nine assists in two Patriots’ victories last week.

Roberts started her week with three goals, five assists and three draw controls in a 14-7 win over Forsyth Country Day April 23.

The next day, Roberts poured in eight goals, had four assists and five draw controls in a 18-6 win at Pine Lake Prep.

Roberts, a Southwestern University (TX) commit, has 50 goals, 21 assists, 47 groundballs, and 61 draw controls for Davidson Day (7-4) this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through April 28.

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 perform

This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 2:02 PM.