Vote for The Observer’s high school athlete of the week (May 29, 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 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
Brock Bumgardner, Cherryville baseball: In a 12-6 win over Cornerstone Charter in the regional championship game, Bumgardner was 3 for 5 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Cherryville will play Rosewood for the N.C. 2A state championship this week.
Liam Grace, Weddington lacrosse: In a 16-13 win over Winston-Salem Reynolds in a state quarterfinal game Saturday, Grace had four goals and an assist.
Jason Leonard, Charlotte Catholic lacrosse: In a 21-4 win over North Lincoln in a state quarterfinal, Leonard had six goals an assist.
Blake Mincey, North Lincoln baseball: In a 9-0 win over South Point in the regional championship game, Mincey was 3 for 3 with four RBIs. North Lincoln, which won the 2025 state title, will try for a third state ring in seven years this week against Seaforth.
Luke Napier, Ardrey Kell lacrosse: Napier had 19 saves in a 6-5 win over Green Level in the NCHSAA 8A regional championship game.
Peyton Peterson, Pine Lake Prep girls’ soccer: In a 6-0 win over Union Academy in a regional semifinal, Peterson had three goals and an assist. A freshman, Peterson has 41 goals and 12 assists this season.
Paige Santos, Weddington girls’ soccer: Santos, a senior forward, had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Grimsley in the third round. She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Union County rival Marvin Ridge in the fourth round.
Mary Martin Spinner, Charlotte Catholic girls’ soccer: Spinner had a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win over Asheville in a regional semifinal and she had one goal and one assist in a 2-0 win over Northern Guilford in the third round.
Brooklyn Young, Palisades flag football: Young, a junior, led her team to its third straight Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ flag football championship last week at Bank of America Stadium. In a 13-0 win over Berry, she completed 13 of 22 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with junior receiver Miracle Moore six times for 113 yards and both scores.
Jyi Watkins, South Point girls’ soccer: Watkins, a junior, had two goals in a 5-1 win over top-seeded Northwest Cabarrus in the regional semifinals last week. Northwest Cabarrus was undefeated heading into the game and had beaten opponents by a total score of 144-12.
Cailin Whitlock, Myers Park girls’ soccer: Whitlock, a freshman, had three goals in a 6-1 NCHSAA 8A regional semifinal win over Northwest Guilford and one of the Mustangs’ goals in a 2-0 win at Hough in the regional championship game. For the season, Whitlock has 15 goals and three assists for Myers Park, which will play in the state championship game Thursday in Durham against Wilmington Hoggard.
This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Vote for The Observer’s high school athlete of the week (May 29, 2026)."
