Vote for The Observer’s girls’ high school athlete of the week (May 1, 2026)
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Observer opens athlete-of-week voting; readers may vote freely until noon Friday.
- Eight nominees span swimming, indoor track and wrestling, with wins and records.
- Results and statistics compiled through Dec. 13; several athletes listed college commits.
Here are the nominees for The Charlotte Observer’s girls’ high school athlete of the week.
The poll closes at noon Friday. You may vote as often as you like.
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This week’s nominees
Mady Baker, A.L. Brown softball: The Wonders’ junior went 9-for-11 at the plate with seven singles, two triples, four RBIs, six runs scored and four stolen bases as A.L. Brown went 3-0 this week.
Baker helped the Wonders (16-4) to wins over Concord (5-3 on April 20), Cox Mill (15-4 on April 21) and at West Cabarrus (14-0 on April 24).
Baker is batting .431 with two doubles, five triples, 13 RBIs, 22 runs scored and nine stolen bases for A.L. Brown this season.
Casey Bier, Charlotte Catholic girls’ lacrosse: The Cougars’ freshman attacker scored two goals, had two assists, two groundballs, one caused turnover and one draw control in an 11-3 win at Charlotte Latin on April 23.
Bier has 23 goals, 18 assists, 19 groundballs and 12 caused turnovers for Charlotte Catholic (9-7) this season.
Gwen Clarkson, Ardrey Kell girls’ lacrosse: The Knights’ senior scored five goals, including the 100th of her career, in a 12-9 win over Ballantyne Ridge on April 23.
Clarkson also scored three goals and had one assist in an 18-6 loss to Myers Park on April 20.
Clarkson has 34 goals and 12 assists for Ardrey Kell (6-6) this season.
Julia Freeman, Ballantyne Ridge girls’ soccer: The Wolves’ sophomore scored two goals and had one assist in a 6-0 win over East Mecklenburg on April 21.
The next day, Freeman had two goals in a 9-0 victory over Rocky River.
Freeman finished off the week with two goals and five assists in an 8-1 win over Palisades on April 24.
Freeman has 17 goals and nine assists for Ballantyne Ridge (10-7) this season.
Addie Hartz, Cannon School softball: The Cougars’ sophomore tossed a complete-game, one-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 4-1 win over Covenant Day on April 20.
The next day, Hartz went six innings on the mound with 16 strikeouts allowing just two hits in a 12-2 victory over Charlotte Latin.
Hartz also pitched a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a 2-1 loss at Providence Day on April 23.
Hartz hit .400 with a home run and three RBIs in the three games this week.
Hartz has 120 strikeouts in 64 innings of work on the mound with a 2.19 earned-run average, while batting .456 with three doubles, three triples, five home runs and 23 RBIs for Cannon School (13-5) this season.
Isabella Kartsonis, Cuthbertson girls’ track: The Cavaliers’ freshman went a personal-best 13-0 to win the pole vault at Cuthbertson Senior Night on April 22.
Kartsonis’ vault was the best in the nation for a freshman this outdoor season.
Kartsonis also finished third in the high jump at the same meet.
Rachel Lyons, Providence Day softball: The Chargers’ senior went 2-1 on the mound with 31 strikeouts this week.
Lyons helped the Providence Day (9-6) to a 2-0 win over Charlotte Country Day on April 21, and 2-1 over Cannon School on April 23. The Chargers also lost 5-2 to Metrolina Christian on April 20.
Lyons, a Kenyon College (OH) commit, is 9-6 on the mound with 182 strikeouts, while batting .429 with seven home runs, six doubles, five triples and 20 RBIs this season.
Izzy Pierce, Davidson Day girls’ lacrosse: The Patriots’ senior scored three goals, had two assists, three groundballs and one draw control in a 15-10 win over Asheville School on April 21.
Pierce also had six goals, one assist, two groundballs and 10 draw controls in a 18-5 victory at Lincoln Charter on April 23.
Davidson Day is 11-3 overall this season.
Aly Stewart, East Lincoln girls’ soccer: The Mustangs’ freshman scored two goals and had one assist in a 4-0 win over Fred T. Foard on April 21.
Stewart also had her team’s lone goal with 10 minutes left in a 1-1 tie at Hickory on April 23.
Stewart had 21 goals and nine assists for East Lincoln (16-1-2) this season.
Sophie Strugar, Providence softball: The Panthers’ sophomore went 8-for-10 at the plate with two home runs, two doubles and eight RBIs as Providence went 3-0 this week.
Strugar helped Providence (22-1) to win a 25-4 win at Ballantyne Ridge on April 21; 13-0 win over South Mecklenburg on April 22; and 18-2 at Ardrey Kell on Apri 24, to clinch the Southwestern 7A/8A conference title.
Strugar also pitched four innings with a strikeout in the Ardrey Kell win.
Strugar is batting .469 with seven home runs, 11 doubles, 28 RBI and 23 runs scored for Providence this season.
Coryn Tucker, Jay M. Robinson girls’ track: The Bulldogs’ senior ran a 11.81 to win the 100-meter dash at the Cabarrus County Championships at Jay M. Robinson on April 23.
Tucker also won the Cabarrus County title in the 200-meter dash in 24.97 and the 400-meter dash in 56.78 the same day.
Mia Watson, Weddington girls’ soccer: The Warriors’ junior midfielder scored one goal in a 5-2 win over Lake Norman on April 20.
The next day, Watson scored another goal in a 6-0 victory at Piedmont.
Watson, who has scored one goal in the last four straight games, has five goals for Weddington (11-5-1) this season.
Note: Information published today includes statistics through April 25.
This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 8:10 PM with the headline "Vote for The Observer’s girls’ high school athlete of the week (May 1, 2026)."