Meet the players on the All-Observer girls tennis and cross-country teams
Meet the players who made the 2021 All-Observer girls tennis and cross-country teams.
All-Observer Girls Tennis
Charlotte Catholic senior Maggie Gehrig, the Charlotte Observer player of the year, came into her final high school expecting to play for championships.
Gehrig, the Charlotte Observer girls’ tennis player of the year, rose to the challenge. She finished 23-0 in singles and 12-0 in doubles, ending her high school career with a 4A singles championship. She won the 3A title last season.
Gehrig, a Villanova University commit, had a standout career at Charlotte Catholic, going 159-2 overall, including a 3A state doubles’ title (2019).
Marvin Ridge’s Julie van Olden is the Charlotte Observer girls’ tennis coach of the year after leading her Mavericks’ girls’ team to a 23-0 record and theprogram’s first state title in class 4A.
van Olden’s team won in dominant fashion winning 176 of 181 matches played this season, shutting out 19 of their 23 opponents. Marvin Ridge won 27 of the 29 matches in their five playoff contests, including 5-0 shutout of East Chapel Hill to claim the 4A state championship.
FIRST TEAM SINGLES
Emma Carver, North Lincoln, Fr.: The Knights’ freshman was a 3A state semifinalist in her first high school season, going 20-5 in singles’ play.
Maggie Gehrig, Charlotte Catholic, Sr.: Villanova recruit finished off her career with a 4A state singles’ title.
Sophia Harris, Charlotte Christian, Fr.: The CISAA conference player of the year and all-state pick was a 12-0 in singles’ play.
Madison Hill, Jay M. Robinson, So.: The Bulldogs’ sophomore won the 2A state singles’ title going 16-0 in singles.
Jacy Noble, South Point, Sr.: The 1A state champion also won the 1A West Regional and Yadkin Valley 1A conference titles.
Ava Tan, Charlotte Catholic, Sr.: The Cougars’ senior was a 4A state singles’ quarterfinalist and was 147-8 overall in her Charlotte Catholic tennis career.
Anna Torstrick, Charlotte Country Day, Fr.: Buccaneers’ freshman earned the No. 1 spot on her team, plus all-state honors in her first high school season.
Alexis Wolgemuth, Fred T. Foard, Sr.: The Tigers’ senior closed out her high school tennis career with a 3A state title. She won a state championship (two, 2A doubles’ titles, one 2A singles’ titles) in each of her four (high school) seasons.
FIRST TEAM DOUBLES
Meredyth Barr, Jr./Ella Bumgardner, Jr., Myers Park: The Mustangs’ junior duo were 4A state doubles’ semifinalists, 4A West Regional champions and SoMeck 4A conference runner-up this season.
Jessica Brannon, Sr./Meira Volk, Jr., Hough: The Huskies’ duo was 4A state doubles’ semifinalist while also leading the team to a 4A state semifinals (dual team) run.
Mone Cary, So./Nina Lavelle, Sr., Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ all-state doubles’ team led the Charlotte Latin to its third straight NCISAA 4A state championship.
Emilee Ibsen, 8th-grader/Avery Shaffer, 8th-grader, Gaston Day: The Spartans’ all-state duo led Gaston Day to their first NCISAA 2A state title since 1990.
Avery Sager, Sr./Reese Sager, Fr., Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks’ sisters’ duo won the 4A doubles’ state title going undefeated together; Avery is a UNC Asheville commit, Reese will return to help defend their championships.
SECOND TEAM SINGLES
Alexa Allison, Newton Conover, Jr.
Arden Anton, Charlotte Country Day, So.
Claudia DeArment, Thomas Jefferson Academy, Sr.
Madeline Fowler, Independence, Sr.
Rennie Liu, Forestview, So.
Savannah Perry, Charlotte Christian, So.
Jeslyn Pratiknjo, Marvin Ridge, So.
Andersen Schubert, Pine Lake Prep, Sr.
Vivian White, Davidson Day, So.
SECOND TEAM DOUBLES
Kate Allen, Sr./Najla Sharif, Sr., Northwest Cabarrus.
Ryann Beddingfield, So./Faith Valentine, Fr., Lake Norman.
Abby Campion, Sr./Millie Wymbs, So., Salisbury.
Elle Holzman, Jr./Nicole Kozischek, Sr., Hickory.
Maggie Lu, Sr./Jessica Normille, Sr., Forestview.
Boys Cross-Country
The North Lincoln cross country team expects to compete for championships each season.
After four straight 2A state titles, North Lincoln coach Jerry Castro is the Charlotte Observer boys’ cross country coach of the year. He led his Knights’ team a fifth straight title, this time for the first time at the 3A level.
Porter Ridge junior Jacob Laney is the Charlotte Observer boys’ cross country runner of the year after winning the 4A Midwest Regional, Southern Carolinas’ conference (SCC) and Union County Championships, before he also finished as 4A state runner-up.
Laney ran the Observer area’s top time, when he posted a personal-best 15:23.30 to finish eighth in a loaded field at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary Oct. 2.
FIRST TEAM
Jacob Laney, Porter Ridge: The Pirates’ junior ran the area’s top time (personal-best, 15:23.30), and was also at his best in the biggest races, finishing as 4A state runner-up, 4A Midwest Regional and Southern Caroilnas conference champion.
Ethan Snyder, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks’ senior and Auburn University commit finished third at the 4A state meet. He also ran a personal-best 15:33.30 at McAlpine Creek Park Sept. 2.
Zachary Willer, Stuart Cramer: The Storm senior and East Carolina University commit was the 3A state champion and 3A Midwest Regional champion He ran a personal-best 15:36.20 to win the Friday Night Lights’ Invitational Sept. 10.
Patrick Gibbons, Ardrey Kell: N.C. State University commit was the 4A West Regional champion, also finished fourth at the 4A state championships. He ran a personal-best 15:38.10 to win the CXC Autumn Nights’ Invitational Oct. 9.
Caleb Roesch, South Mecklenburg: The Sabres’ junior ran a personal-best 15:42.60 to finish as runner-up at the CXC Autumn Nights’ Invitational; also fifth at the 4A West Regional.
Nicholas Willer, Stuart Cramer: The East Carolina commit was 3A state runner-up, 3A Midwest Regional runner-up, Big South conference champion and ran a personal-record 15:44 at Friday Night Lights Invitational.
Griffin Horner, Lake Norman: The Wildcats’ senior finished fifth at the 4A state meet, ran season-best 15:45 at Friday Night Lights’ Invitational.
Gavin Sweeney, Lake Norman: The Wildcats’ senior, a Liberty University commit, was the Greater Metro 4A conference champion. He ran season-best 15:45 at Adidas Challenge in Cary Sept. 18.
Tanner Smith, Mooresville: The Blue Devils’ senior was the Greater Metro 4A conference runner-up. He ran a personal-best 15:47 at Adidas Challenge.
Isaac Clark, Weddington: The Warriors’ senior finished strong with an 11th-place finish at the 4A state meet, third-place finish at the 4A Midwest Regional and ran a personal-record 15:49.10 to win the Speed Week Invitational at McAlpine Creek Park Oct. 6.
SECOND TEAM
Sam Bland, Weddington, Sr.
Austin Brotemarkle, Forestview, Sr..
Chauncey Chen, Weddington, Jr.
Dominic Conroy, Porter Ridge, Sr.
Aneesh Duggirala, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
Stephen Fernetti, North Lincoln, Jr.
Raghav Gopalakrishnam, Ardrey Kell, So.
Alec McMillan, South Mecklenburg, Sr.
Ian Pierce, Charlotte Catholic, Jr.
Ben Timberlake, Weddington, Sr.
Girls Cross-Country
The Cuthbertson girls’ cross country team had won four straight 3A state championships coming into this season.
This year, the Cavaliers’ coach, Kirk Walsh, helped lead his to another. He is the Charlotte Observer’s girls coach of the year.
Cuthbertson junior Alyssa Preisano is the Charlotte Observer girls’ cross country runner of the year after being the only area girls’ runner to break 18-minutes this season. She ran a personal-best 17:57.80 to win the Speed Week Invitational at McAlpine Creek Park Oct. 6.
Preisano also finished fourth individually at the 4A state championships and won the 4A Midwest Regional title this season.
FIRST TEAM
Alyssa Preisano, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers’ junior ran a personal-best 17:57.80 to win the Speed Week Invitational, finished fourth at 4A state championships and was 4A Midwest Regional champion.
Lillian Nasta, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers’ junior also ran a personal-record 18:02.20 at Speed Invitational (third-place); 11th at the 4A state championships.
Emma Jones, Weddington: The Warriors’ senior, a Furman University commit, was Southern Carolinas’ Conference (SCC) champion. She finished fifth at the 4A state championships and ran a personal-best 18:02.90 at the Speed Week Invitational.
Stella Kermes, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers’ sophomore was 4A Midwest Regional runner-up, ninth at the 4A state championships and ran a personal-record 18:09.70 at the Speed Week Invitational.
Lilly Walters, Hough: The University of Alabama commit, a Huskies’ senior, was the Queen City Athletic Conference and 4A West Regional champion. She ran a personal-best 18:11.60 at the Hare and Hounds Invitational at McAlpine Creek Park Sept. 10.
Elizabeth Ritter, Weddington: The Warriors senior was SCC runner-up, fourth at the 4A Midwest Regional, eighth at the 4A state meet and ran a personal-best 18:12.10 at the Speed Week Invitational.
Grace Hanson, Weddington: The Warriors’ junior finished third at both the SCC and 4A Midwest Regional championships. She ran a personal-record 18:13.10 at the Speed Week Invitational.
Mary Bonner Dalton, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ sophomore set a new personal-best time of 18:13.39 to finish seventh at the 4A state championships.
Kasey Cone, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ sophomore won the NCISAA 4A state title while leading the Charlotte Country Day team to its first-ever state crown. She also won the CISAA conference title in a personal-record time of 18:15.10.
Maddie Huecker, Lake Norman: The University of North Carolina commit ran a personal-best 18:22.70 to finish 10th at the 4A state championships.
SECOND TEAM
Carly Arrington, Providence Day, So.
Charlotte Bell, Cuthbertson, So.
Caroline Blanton, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
Linde Fonville, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.
Natalia Martin, Olympic, Jr.
Blane McElroy, Providence Day, Fr.
Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian, Fr.
Justine Preisano, Cuthbertson, So.
Reagan Rainey, Hough, Fr.
Lauren Tolbert, Highland Tech, Sr.
Audrey Wright, Weddington, Jr.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
