Two new teams, Watauga and Providence Day, join The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll
Welcome Watauga’s girls and Providence Day’s boys into The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll.
Watauga (20-6) has won four straight, including Friday’s Northwestern 3A/4A championship game, when it beat Hibriten 48-43.
Watauga — led by sophomore Kate Sears (20.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.8 apg, 2.1 spg) — will host Chambers (11-11) in a first-round playoff game Tuesday.
Providence Day (20-12) has won three straight, including Saturday’s 49-44 upset win at Rabun Gap in the N.C. 4A Independent Schools state quarterfinals. Providence Day has won seven of its past eight games and bounced back from a five-game losing streak in December and a four-game losing streak in January.
The Chargers, No. 14 in this week’s poll, play at No. 1 Carmel Christian on Tuesday in a state semifinal. Providence Day will be trying to reach its first state final in seven years.
Boys Sweet 16
| Rk | School | Rec | Prvs |
| 1 | Carmel Christian | 27-3 | 1 |
| 2 | Myers Park | 22-4 | 2 |
| 3 | Central Cabarrus | 26-0 | 3 |
| 4 | United Faith | 30-2 | 4 |
| 5 | North Mecklenburg | 25-2 | 6 |
| 6 | J.L. Chambers | 20-6 | 5 |
| 7 | Hickory | 26-1 | 8 |
| 8 | Richmond County | 23-2 | 9 |
| 9 | Gaston Christian | 23-9 | 10 |
| 10 | Cannon | 28-7 | 7 |
| 11 | Concord Academy | 30-6 | 12 |
| 12 | Charlotte Catholic | 21-5 | 15 |
| 13 | Olympic | 22-4 | 11 |
| 14 | Providence Day | 20-12 | NR |
| 15 | Lake Norman | 18-7 | 13 |
| 16 | East Gaston | 22-2 | 16 |
Dropped Out: East Mecklenburg (4A, 20-7). Also receiving consideration: Cox Mill (4A, 19-8); Northside Christian (IND, 20-14); Hough (4A, 17-9); South Point (3A, 23-4)
Girls’ Sweet 16
| Rk. | Team | Class | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1. | Lake Norman | 4A | 26-0 | 1 |
| 2. | Cannon School | IND | 23-5 | 6 |
| 3. | East Lincoln | 3A | 23-0 | 4 |
| 4. | Mallard Creek | 4A | 23-4 | 7 |
| 5. | Shelby | 2A | 23-1 | 5 |
| 6. | North Mecklenburg | 4A | 24-2 | 2 |
| 7. | Charlotte Catholic | 4A | 21-6 | 10 |
| 8. | South Mecklenburg | 4A | 22-4 | 9 |
| 9. | Salisbury | 2A | 21-3 | 8 |
| 10. | Independence | 4A | 23-3 | 3 |
| 11. | East Rutherford | 2A | 25-2 | 12 |
| 12. | West Rowan | 3A | 25-0 | 13 |
| 13. | Marvin Ridge | 4A | 23-2 | 15 |
| 14. | Myers Park | 4A | 20-6 | 12 |
| 15. | Providence Day | IND | 21-6 | 16 |
| 16. | Watauga | 4A | 20-6 | NR |
Dropped Out: East Burke (2A, 23-2).
Note: records are through games played Saturday, Feb. 18
This story was originally published February 20, 2023 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Two new teams, Watauga and Providence Day, join The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll."