Meet the 2025 All-Observer girls’ track team, the region’s top athletes
Independence High senior Maya Love is the 2025 All-Observer girls’ track athlete of the year.
The Charlotte Observer’s regional coverage area includes more than 100 schools in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, LIncoln and Union counties.
Love, a South Carolina recruit, won NCHSAA 4A state titles in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and also ran on Independence’s state championship 400-meter relay team.
▪ Charlotte Country Day’s Al Pearman is The Observer girls’ track coach of the year honors after leading the Bucs to their third straight NCISAA Division I state title, edging rival Providence Day by just 0.5 points.
Pearman has led the Country Day track program for the last 37 years.
Charlotte Country Day got state titles this outdoor season from Jada Erwin (400-meter dash) and Maya Pal (high jump) as well as its 3,200-meter relay team (Harless Lane, Harper Schwartz, Lily Giardi, Lindsey Kerrins).
Charlotte Observer Girls’ Outdoor Track Runner of the Year: Maya Love, Independence, Sr.
Charlotte Observer Girls’ Outdoor Track Coach of the Year: Al Pearman, Charlotte Country Day.
All-Observer first team
100-meter dash: Maya Love, Independence, Sr.: The Patriots’ senior, a University of South Carolina signee, ran a personal and Observer-area best 11.43 seconds to win the 4A West Regional title. Love was also the 4A state champion.
200-meter dash: M. Love, Independence, Sr.: The Patriots’ senior was also the 4A state champion in the 200, an event where she ran a personal and Observer-best 23.35 to win the 4A West Regional title.
400-meter dash: Coryn Tucker, Jay M. Robinson, Jr.: The Bulldogs’ junior was the 3A state runner-up in a personal-best 55.69.
800-meter run: Lindsey Kerrins, Charlotte Country Day, Sr. and Annie Miller, Metrolina Christian, Sr.: Kerrins, a senior, ran an-Observer best 2:09.33 at the Track Night New York City; Miller, a senior and Furman University signee, won the NCISAA Division I state title in 2:10.86.
1600-meter run: Kasey Dingman, Lake Norman, Jr.: The Wildcats’ junior ran the state’s best time (4:48.32) to win the Carolina Distance Festival. She also the 4A state runner-up.
3200-meter dash: Josie Schihl, Cuthbertson, Jr.: The Cavaliers’ junior ran an Observer and personal-best 10:27.22 at the Carolina Distance Festival
100-meter hurdles: Jayda Lewis, Corvian Charter, Sr.: The Cardinals’ senior — whom Observer readers picked as girls’ track athlete of the year — ran a personal-best 13.86 to win the 1A West Regional title, also was the 1A state champion.
300-meter hurdles: Sky Bleu Tyson, Palisades, Sr.: The Pumas’ senior, a James Madison University signee, ran an Observer-area best 42.69 to finish as 4A West Regional runner-up. She also finished fourth at the 4A state championships.
High Jump: Asia Artis, Garinger, Jr. and Ashlynn Wimberly, Mallard Creek, Sr.: Artis, a junior, was Southwestern 4A conference champion at 5 feet, 8 inches and she finished fifth at 4A state championships. Wimberly, a senior and an Appalachian State signee, also jumped 5-8 to win the Queen City Athletic Association conference and 4A West Regional titles. She was also 4A state champion.
Long Jump: Farrah Anderson, Marvin Ridge, Jr. and Evelyn Hee, Providence Day, Jr.: Anderson, a junior, jumped 18-9 to finish third at the 4A state championships; Hee, a junior, also went 18-9 to win the CISAA conference title and was also NCISAA Division I state runner-up
Triple Jump: Angel Neal-Smith, Butler, Sr.: The Bulldogs’ senior jumped an Observer-area best 39-11 to win the Queen City Relays.
Pole Vault: Morgan Edwards, Cuthbertson, Sr.: The Cavaliers’ senior vaulted a personal and Observer-area best 12-0 to win the Southern Carolinas’ conference title. She was also 4A Midwest Regional runner-up.
Discus: Natalie Brown, Weddington, Sr.: The Warriors’ senior, a University of Mississippi signee, threw an Observer-area best 155-2 to win the All-American Track Classic. She also finished third at the 4A state championships.
Shot put: N. Brown, Weddington, Sr.: The Warriors’ senior threw an Observer-area best 48-2 to win the 4A Midwest Regional title. She was also 4A state champion.
4x100-meter relay: Independence (M. Love, Hannah Dadie, Grace Rogers, Taniya Dickerson): The 4A state champions ran an Observer-best time of 46.56 this season.
4x200-meter relay: Independence (T. Dickerson, H. Dadie, G. Rogers, Kaniah Russell): The Patriots’ quartet ran an Observer-area best 1:37.67 at the For the Dawgs’ Invitational.
4x400-meter relay: Mallard Creek (Laila Ramadan, Andraya Weeks, Aniya Poole, Adrianna Brown): The Mavericks’ relay was 4A state runner-up in 3:54.16.
4x800-meter relay: Cuthbertson (Julia D’Errico, Ava Walters, J. Schihl, Colby McCollum): The Cavaliers’ relay was 4A state runner-up in 9:14.35.
All-Observer second team
100-meter dash: Bella-Marie Black, Mallard Creek, Fr.
200-meter dash: Kendall Hicks, Butler, Sr.
400-meter dash: Jayda Barnes, Olympic, Sr./Calla Lanik, Myers Park, Jr.
800-meter run: K. Dingman, Lake Norman, Jr.
1600-meter run: Olivia Ferraro, North Lincoln, Jr.
3200-meter dash: K. Dingman, Lake Norman, Jr.
100-meter hurdles: S. Bleu Tyson, Palisades, Sr.
300-meter hurdles: Tatiana Blake, Cuthbertson, Sr.
High jump: Kyla Dailey, Mallard Creek, Sr./Madison Rae Noble, Charlotte Christian, Sr.
Long jump: Ava Jones, Cuthbertson, So.
Triple jump: A. Wimberly, Mallard Creek, Sr.
Pole vault: Alexandra Ingoglia, Ardrey Kell, Jr./Mayah Runkle, Marvin Ridge, So.
Discus: Alexandria Jefferson, Rocky River, Sr.
Shot put: A. Jefferson, Rocky River, Sr.
4x100-meter relay: Mallard Creek (B. Black, Shiasia Mitchell, L. Ramadan, Sana’ia Lazenby).
4x200-meter relay: Mallard Creek (S. Lazenby, L. Ramadan, A. Poole, B. Black)
4x400-meter relay: Northwest Cabarrus (Elly Selmer, Natalie Brown, Ceaire Barringer, Mariah Logan).
4x800-meter relay: Marvin Ridge (Tatum Tsumas, Kate Clopton, Savannah Gentille, Summer Wilson).
