Charlotte Latin’s Jack Totten, battling cerebral palsy, is Observer athlete of of the week
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- The Observer named nine standout nominees for boys' high school athlete of the week.
- Charlotte Latin keeper Louis Markin led in soccer saves and football scoring kicks.
- Union Academy’s Myers Wood posted 10 goals and seven assists in three straight wins.
Charlotte Latin cross-country runner Jack Totten is The Charlotte Observer’s boys’ high school athlete of the week.
Totten, a sophomore who has cerebral palsy, ran a personal-best time of 35 minutes, 31.80 seconds — three minutes faster than his previous best — at the second CISAA conference meet of the season Sept. 9 at McAlpine Creek Park.
Totten won one of the closest player of the week boys’ races of the year, edging Myers Park soccer player Femi Ogunwale by less than 800 votes.
During the week, as the voting went on — and Totten and Ogunwale were taking a clear lead — Totten’s mom reached to a Myers Park parent, and asked if they could come to Myers Park’s next match and support Ogunwale.
“The voting was intense—Femi and Jack were neck and neck until the final minutes,” the Myers Park parent, Emily Brinkley told The Observer via email. “Jack ended up winning, and his mom messaged me afterward asking if they could come support the next MP match and meet Femi. That moment really struck me—it felt like a story about more than just sports. It’s about inclusion, resilience, and mutual respect.”
Last week’s other finalists
Hayes DeCarlo, Covenant Day soccer: The Lions’ sophomore goalkeeper had seven saves in a 6-0 shutout win over Providence Day on Sept. 9.
DeCarlo also had 11 saves in a 2-2 tie with Marvin Ridge on Sept. 11.
DeCarlo has 24 saves for Covenant Day (8-1-1) this season.
Price Fee, Metrolina Christian cross-country: The Warriors’ senior ran a personal-best time of 15 minutes, 52 seconds in the 5000M, shattering the school record by 22 seconds at the Warrior Invitational at Stables’ Park in Pawleys’ Island, SC, on Sept. 13. Fee finished third overall.
Fee’s run also helped the Metrolina Christian boys’ cross country team to a fifth-place finish at the same event.
Nathaniel Ingram, Langtree Charter cross-country: The Lions’ sophomore ran a personal-best time of 18:22.26 to finish second the JV boys 5000M race at the Printcrafters’ Invitational at Mac Anderson Park in Statesville on Sept. 9.
Ingram also ran an 18:33.46 to finish sixth at the Run 4 Life Invitational at Murray’s Mill in Catawba on Sept. 13.
Tucker Kotis, Davidson Day soccer: The Patriots’ junior goalkeeper saved two penalty kicks in a 5-0 win at Concord Academy on Sept. 9.
Kotis also helped Davidson Day to a 2-1 win at Gaston Christian on Sept. 11.
The next day, Kotis had another penalty kick save in a 3-1 victory over Atkins.
Davidson Day is 6-6 overall this season.
Aidan Malloy, Hough cross-country: The Huskies’ senior ran a personal-best 16:30.30 5k to finish in 12th at the Pfeiffer Invitational on Sept. 12.
Malloy’s run also helped Hough to a runner-up finish at the same meet.
Femi Ogunwale, Myers Park soccer: The Mustangs’ senior forward scored a goal in 3-1 win at Garinger on Sept. 8.
Ogunwale followed that up with four more goals in a 7-0 victory at Hopewell on Sept. 10.
Ogunwale has nine goals and one assist for Myers Park (7-0).
Christian Rodgers, Ballantyne Ridge soccer: The Wolves’ sophomore scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win at East Mecklenburg on Sept. 9.
Rodgers followed that up with two more goals in 5-1 victory at Piedmont.
Rodgers has four goals for Ballantyne Ridge (5-2-2) this season.
Josiah Stein, SouthLake Christian soccer: The Eagles’ junior attacking center midfielder scored all four goals in the second half of a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Metrolina Christian on Sept. 9. Stein scored the game-winning “golden goal” in overtime.
Stein’s first goal came on a volley from 30 yards out; his second on a header off a long throw-in; the third on a volley from 12 yards away; and the final score on rebound off a saved penalty kick in the same game.
Stein has seven goals and five assists for SouthLake Christian (4-4) this season.
Martin Strasburger, Weddington soccer: The Warriors’ senior had one goal and one assist to help Weddington to a 3-2 win over Carmel Christian on Sept. 9.
Strasburger also had four shots on goal and helped create the lone score in a 1-1 tie with Ardrey Kell on Sept. 8.
Weddington is 2-3-2 overall this season
Note: Information published today includes statistics through Sept. 13.
Previous winners
Week 1: Jason Thankachan, Ambassador Christian
Week 2: John Lilly, Charlotte Latin
Week 3: Louis Markin, Charlotte Latin
Week 4: Ryan Ladimir, Porter Ridge
Week 5: Jack Totten, Charlotte Latin
This story was originally published September 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Charlotte Latin’s Jack Totten, battling cerebral palsy, is Observer athlete of of the week."
