Salisbury’s Hornets win Observer’s 2022-23 Sweet 16 girls basketball championship
The Salisbury High Hornets are the 2022-23 Sweet 16 girls basketball champions. The school will receive its first banner since winning the Sweet 16 in 2011.
The Sweet 16 poll ranks teams in The Charlotte Observer’s coverage area considering a team’s results, strength of schedule and strength of classification.
Salisbury won 16 straight games to finish the season. The Hornets lost to 4A state champion Panther Creek, N.C. 2A regional finalist North Pitt and 28-1 Carroll County (VA).
In the state final, the Hornets beat Seaforth 48-39.. Seaforth beat North Pitt 53-41 in the state semifinals.
Salisbury finished No. 1 in the statewide 2A rankings and moved up from No. 9 in the previous Sweet 16 rankings to claim the top spot after winning back-to-back state championships in its class.
The Hornets finished one spot ahead of West Rowan, which moved up from No. 12 to No. 2. West Rowan, which played a mostly local schedule, finished 31-0 and won the N.C. 3A state title.
West Rowan finished No. 1 in the 3A statewide rankings.
Girls’ Sweet 16
| Rk. | Team | Class | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1. | Salisbury | 2A | 27-3 | 9 |
| 2. | West Rowan | 3A | 31-0 | 12 |
| 3. | Lake Norman | 4A | 31-1 | 1 |
| 4. | Concord Academy | IND | 24-7 | NR |
| 5. | Cannon School | IND | 24-6 | 2 |
| 6. | Northside Christian | IND | 23-10 | NR |
| 7. | East Lincoln | 3A | 31-1 | 3 |
| 8. | Charlotte Catholic | 4A | 25-7 | 7 |
| 9. | East Lincoln | 3A | 31-1 | 3 |
| 10. | Shelby | 2A | 26-2 | 5 |
| 11. | North Mecklenburg | 4A | 27-3 | 6 |
| 12. | East Burke | 2A | 27-3 | NR |
| 13. | Watauga | 4A | 23-7 | 16 |
| 14. | Mallard Creek | 4A | 24-5 | 4 |
| 15. | South Mecklenburg | 4A | 24-5 | 8 |
| 16. | Independence | 4A | 25-4 | 10 |
Past winners
2021-22: Chambers
2020-21: Vance (Chambers)
2019-20: Vance (Chambers)
2018-19: Davidson Day
2017-18: Mallard Creek
2016-17: Providence Day
2015-16: Providence Day
2014-15: Myers Park
2013-14: Myers Park
2012-13: Harding
2011-12: Providence Day
2010-11: Salisbury
2009-10: Butler
2008-09: West Charlotte
2007-08: Concord
2006-07: Providence Day
2005-06: Providence Day
2004-05: Providence Day
2003-04: Victory Christian
2002-03: Charlotte Christian
2001-02: Victory Christian
2000-01: Providence Day
1999-00: Charlotte Christian
1998-99: Hickory
1997-98: Hickory
1996-97: Charlotte Latin
1995-96: York (SC)
1994-95: Freedom
1993-94: Bandys
1992-93: Chester (SC)
1991-92: Hartsville (SC)
1990-91: McDowell
1989-90: Providence Day
1988-89: Union (SC)
1987-88: Bandys
1986-87: Bandys
1985-86: West Caldwell
1984-95: McBee (SC)
1983-84: North Iredell
