Meet the 2024 All-Observer cross-country teams, the best runners in the Charlotte region
Marvin Ridge senior David Rivlin and Lake Norman Charter junior Kasey Dingman are the 2024 Charlotte Observer boys’ and girls’ cross-country runners of the year.
Dingman, the girls’ winner, turned in the state’s second-fastest time this season, and a personal-best 17:15.70, to finish at the Virginia Showcase in Mechanicsville, Virginia, on Oct. 19.
Dingman was also the Greater Metro 4A conference champion, 4A Midwest Regional champion and finished seventh at the 4A state championships this season.
Rivlin won the boys’ runner of the year after turning in The Observer area’s best time this season and personal record of 15:11.10 to finish ninth at the Adidas Challenge in Cary.
Rivlin also finished fourth overall at the 4A state championships, was 4A Midwest Regional runner-up and took fifth place at the Union County championships this season.
▪ North Lincoln’s Jerry Castro is girls’ coach of the year after leading the Knights to their fifth straight 3A state championship.
Castro’s team beat the field by 69 points in the state finals with junior Olivia Ferraro (third place), senior Bella Green (fourth place) and Cambelle Reffner (12th place) all finishing in the top 12.
▪ Marvin Ridge coach Kailyn Lockie is the boys’ coach of the year after guiding the Marvin Ridge team to its second straight 4A state title.
Lockie’s team had a 28-point victory over the field with four runners in the top 23 at the 4A state championships, including David Rivlin (fourth), David Firestone (10th), Michael Rivlin (13th) and Ishan More (23rd).
Girls’ All-Observer
First Team
Nicole Alfers, Christ the King: The Crusaders senior ran a season-best 18:21.98 to win the Catawba Shores’ 1A/2A conference title. She also was 1A West Regional runner-up and was third at the 1A state championships.
Kasey Dingman, Lake Norman: The Wildcats junior ran an Observer-area and personal-best 17:15.70 at the Virginia Showcase. She was also the Greater Metro 4A conference and 4A Midwest Regional champion, and she finished seventh at the 4A state championships.
Olivia Ferraro, North Lincoln, Jr.: The Knights junior ran a personal-best 18:06.63 to finish third at the N.C. Runners’ Elite Invitational. She was also Western Foothills’ Athletic Conference champion, third at the 4A Midwest Regional and third at 3A state championships.
Savannah Gentille, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks freshman ran a personal-best 18:07.50 to finish fourth at Union County championships in her first high school season.
Caitlin Kasten, Covenant Day: The Lions all-state sophomore was the NCISAA 4A state champion, CISAA conference champion, and ran a personal-best 17:36.10 to finish fourth at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary.
Julia Mayer, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks senior ran a personal-best 18:16.10 to finish fifth at the Union County championships. She was also sixth at the 4A Midwest Regional.
Colby McCollum, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers freshman ran a personal-best 18:0.4.50 to finish third at the Union County championships. She also finished third at the 4A Midwest Regional and fifth at the 4A state championships in her first high school season.
Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian: The Warriors senior, a Furman University commit, ran a personal-best 17:42.60 to win the Union County title. She also won the Metrolina Athletic conference championship for the sixth straight season and finished as NCISAA 4A state runner-up.
Josie Schihl, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers junior was Union County runner-up in a personal-best time of 17:58.90 and finished eighth at the 4A Midwest Regional.
Elizabeth Weltz, South Mecklenburg: The Sabres junior ran a personal-best 18:17.30 to earn SoMeck 4A conference runner-up and finished sixth at the 4A West Regional. Weltz was 14th at the 4A state championships.
Alaina Zabel, Myers Park: The Mustangs sophomore ran a personal-best 18:12.82 to win the SoMeck 4A conference title. Zabel was also fourth at the 4A West Regional and 20th at the 4A state championships.
SECOND TEAM
Emma Balaban, Weddington, Fr.
Bella Green, North Lincoln, Sr.
Alyssa Houston, South Iredell, Jr.
Ava Lanzy, Weddington, Jr.
Maya Little, Pine Lake Prep, So.
Cambelle Reffner, North Lincoln, So.
Sam Vanderhave, Charlotte Country Day, Jr.
Ava Walters, Cuthbertson, Sr.
Kate Willette, Myers Park, Jr.
Bridget Yu, Charlotte Latin, Sr.
Claire Zimmerman, Lake Norman, Fr.
Boys’ All-Observer
FIRST TEAM
Hunter Bates, Weddington: The Warriors junior ran a personal-best 15:43.00 to finish third at the Union County championships. He also was ninth at the 4A Midwest Regionals this season.
Bryce Cooke, Parkwood: The Wolfpack sophomore ran a personal-record 15:41.30 to earn Union County runner-up, was Rocky River conference champion and finished third at the 3A Midwest Regional.
David Firestone, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks all-state senior ran a personal-best 15:25.60 to finish 26th at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary. Firestone was also 10th at the 4A state championships, 11th at the 4A Midwest Regional, and ninth at the Union County championships this season.
Gavin Jansen, Central Academy: The Cougars senior, a George Washington University commit, was the Rocky River conference runner-up. He finished fifth at the 3A Midwest Regional and ran a personal-best 15:56.50 to finish sixth at the Union County championships.
Gavin Malloy, Hickory Grove: The Lions all-state senior was the Metrolina Athletic conference champion and finished third at the NCISAA 3A state championships in a personal-best 15:46.00.
Ishan More, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks senior ran a personal-best 15:41.10 to win the Union County championships and finished seventh at the 4A Midwest Regional.
Blake Nicholson, Christ the King: The Crusaders senior ran a season-best 15:38.93 to win the Catawba Shores 1A/2A conference title. He also finished fourth at the 1A West Regional and was third at the 1A state championships.
Joshua Palmer, Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers freshman ran a personal-best 15:45.80 to finish fourth at the Union County championships and finished eighth at the 4A Midwest Regional.
David Rivlin, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks all-state senior ran an Observer-area best 15:11.10 to finish ninth at the Adidas Challenge field in Cary. He also was fourth at the 4A state championships, was 4A Midwest Regional runner-up and fifth at the Union County championships.
Michael Rivlin, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks junior ran a personal-best 15:37.70 to finish 24th at the Adidas Challenge in Cary. He also finished 13th at the 4A state championships and 14th at the 4A Midwest Regional.
Joseph Wells, Ardrey Kell: The Knights senior ran a season-best 15:54.26 to win the SoMeck 4A conference title. He also finished third at the 4A West Regional and 17th at the 4A state championships.
SECOND TEAM
Kyle Barney, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
Christopher Burns, Myers Park, So.
Heyden Christensen, Central Academy, Sr.
Cade Cresswell, Porter Ridge, Jr.
James Freeman, Myers Park, So.
Bryant Moore, West Iredell, So.
Matthew Perrone, Providence, Jr.
Austin Skeete, Providence Day, Sr.
Nathan Suplee, Hopewell, Jr.
Chase Tompkins, Jay M. Robinson, Jr.
Carson Williams, Corvian Charter, Sr.
