Here are the 2023-24 All-Observer boys’ and girls’ swim teams
Charlotte Latin’s Norvy Clontz and Ardrey Kell’s Eliza Wallace headline the 2023-24 All-Observer boys’ and girls’ swim teams, respectively.
▪ Clontz, the boys’ swimmer of the year, won the NCISAA Division I state championship in the 200 freestyle in a state meet record time of 1:36.70.
Clontz also helped his school’s 200 medley relay (1:31.25) and 400 freestyle relay (3:02.34) to state titles in state meet record times.
Clontz was the state runner-up in the 500 freestyle, setting a school record with a 4:21.20, while helping the Charlotte Latin boys’ swim team to a NCISAA Division I state championship.
Clontz will continue his academic and athletic career at the University of California, which is the defending national champion.
Clontz, a top-five recruit nationally, is also a member of the U.S. Junior National swim team.
▪ Wallace is girls’ swimmer of the year after winning the NCHSAA 4A state title in the 100 breastsroke, while swimming a meet record time of 59.67 seconds.
Wallace also led the Knights’ 200 medley relay to a 4A state championship in 1:42.26.
And, she was the 4A state runner-up in the 100 freestyle in an Observer-area best time of 50.30.
▪ Charlotte Country Day’s Ben Keast and Myers Park’s Ben Sharrer share The Observer’s girls’ coach of the year award.
Keast led the Buccaneers to the NCISAA Division I state title, breaking up Cary Academy’s seven-year run as champions.
The Charlotte Country Day girls’ swim team won eight of the 10 events at the state championship meet to win by 43 points.
Sharrer led the Mustangs’ to their third straight NCHSAA 4A state title in his first year as the head coach.
The Mustangs won by 20 points over the field with only one individual state title — won by sophomore Avery Klamfoth in the 200 individual medley.
▪ Marvin Ridge’s Melissa King-Pierce is boys’ swimming coach of the year. She led Marvin Ridge to the N.C. 4A state title this season, beating the next best team by 100 points. Marvin Ridge had been state runner-up for the previous three seasons.
All-Observer boys’ swim team
First Team
50 freestyle: Christopher Zhang, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ senior, a Brown University commit, finished third at the 4A state championships in an Observer-area best time of 20.35.
100 freestyle: Christopher Zhang, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ senior was the 4A state runner-up in 44.53.
200 freestyle: Norvy Clontz, Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ junior, a University of California commit, won the NCISAA Division I state title in a state meet record 1:36.70.
500 freestyle: Santi Alzate-Celin, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ sophomore set a state meet record in winning the NCISAA Division I state title, in 4:20.62.
200 individual medley: Charles Heisig, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks’ senior, a Notre Dame commit, was the 4A state champion in 1:47.88.
100 backstroke: Aidan Hill, Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ senior, a University of Tennessee commit, won the NCISAA Division I state championship in 48.74.
100 butterfly: Aidan Hill, Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ senior doubled as a state champion, winning the NCISAA Division state title here in a state meet record 48.26.
100 breaststroke: Jordan Willis, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks’ junior, a University of Florida commit, was the 4A state runner-up in 54.67.
200 medley relay: Marvin Ridge (C. Heisig, J. Willis, Troy Keen, Michael Rice): The Mavericks’ quartet opened the 4A state championship meet with 4A state title in a state meet record time of 1:30.52.
200 freestyle relay: Marvin Ridge (C. Heisig, T. Keen, Gavin McCarter, M. Rice): The Mavericks’ relay set another state meet record time (1:23.25) in winning another state title.
400 freestyle relay: Charlotte Latin (N. Clontz, James Harper, Wiley Spinner, A. Hill): The Hawks’ relay won the NCISAA Division I state title in a state meet record time of 3:02.34.
Diving: Hayden Schroeder, Lake Norman Charter: The Knights’ senior, a Florida State commit, won his third straight N.C. 3A state diving title, breaking his own state record with 581.70 points in his final high school competition.
Second team
50 freestyle: Nate Hohm, East Mecklenburg, Sr.
100 freestyle: M. Rice, Marvin Ridge, So.
200 freestyle: S. Alzate-Celin, Charlotte Country Day, So.
500 freestyle: N. Clontz, Charlotte Latin, Jr.
200 individual medley: Freddy Klein, Charlotte Country, Sr.
100 backstroke: Granger Bartee, Providence Day, Jr.
100 butterfly: Connor Wickerham, Cannon School, Jr.
100 breaststroke: Charlie O’Shea, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.
200 medley relay: Charlotte Latin (Zachary Spicer, N. Clontz, A. Hill, J. Harper).
200 freestyle relay: Ardrey Kell (Isaac Holtham, Elijah Setzer, Laith Ausband, Cian Post).
400 freestyle relay: Charlotte Country Day (Santi Alzate-Celin, Marshall Pifer, Freddy Klein, Sawyer Krisko).
Diving: Walker Plym, South Mecklenburg, Sr.
All-Observer girls’ swim team
First team
50 freestyle: Caroline Mallard, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ sophomore was the NCISAA Division I state champion in 23.58.
100 freestyle: Eliza Wallace, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ sophomore was the 4A state runner-up in an Observer-area best time of 50.30.
200 freestyle: Zetta Grace Bartee, Providence Day: The Chargers’ sophomore was the NCISAA Division I state champion in 1:49.34.
500 freestyle: Clarke Neace, Providence Day: The Chargers’ senior, a University of Georgia commit, won the NCISAA Division I state championship in a state meet record 4:50.94.
200 individual medley: Avery Klamfoth, Myers Park/Elle Scott, Charlotte Country Day: Klamfoth, a sophomore, won the NCHSAA 4A state title in 1:57.61. Scott, a junior and University of California commit, won the NCISAA Division I state title in 1:57.69.
100 backstroke: Aubrey Hull, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ senior, a Vanderbilt commit, won the 4A state title in 53.26.
100 butterfly: Caroline Mallard, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ sophomore won another NCISAA Division I state title in a state meet record time of 53.70.
100 breaststroke: Eliza Wallace, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ sophomore won the 4A state title in a state meet record 59.67.
200 medley relay: Ardrey Kell (A. Hull, E. Wallace, Charlotte Eckert, Olivia White)/Charlotte Country Day (Taylor Klein, E. Scott, C. Mallard, Campbell Baumgartner): Ardrey Kell won the NCHSAA 4A state title in 1:42.26. Charlotte Country Day won the NCISAA Division state championship in a state meet record 1:42.27.
200 freestyle relay: Charlotte Country Day (C. Mallard, T. Klein, Kaylee Daniell, Esme Van Orden): Another Buccaneers’ state championship relay team in a state meet record 1:34.12.
400 freestyle relay: Charlotte Country Day (K. Daniell, E. Van Orden, C. Baumgartner, E. Scott): The Buccaneers’ quartet finished off the state championship meet with another NCISAA Division I state title in a state meet record 3:26.81.
Diving: Madilyn Varnum, Lake Norman Charter: The Knights’ senior, an N.C. State commit, won the 3A state title with 487.70 points.
Second team
50 freestyle: Maddy Boland, Providence Day, Fr.
100 freestyle: Kaylee McDonald, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
200 freestyle: K. McDonald, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
500 freestyle: Charlotte LePage, Marvin Ridge, Jr.
200 individual medley: Sofia Plaza, Myers Park, Sr.
100 backstroke: Alyssa Claborn, Lake Norman, Jr.
100 butterfly: Taylor Klein, Charlotte Country Day, So.
100 breaststroke: E. Scott, Charlotte Country Day, Jr.
200 medley relay: Myers Park (S. Plaza, Avery Klamfoth, Kayman Neal, Mary Drummond).
200 freestyle relay: Myers Park (A. Klamfoth, Katherine Guenther, Julia Pou, S. Plaza).
400 freestyle relay: Myers Park (K. Guenther, M. Drummond, J. Pou, K. Neal).
Diving: Tayler Curlee, Community School of Davidson, Sr./Reagan Leckner, Charlotte Catholic, So.
This story was originally published March 16, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
