Meet the 2023 All-Observer high school boys track team

Jay Edwards, Langston Wertz Jr.
·5 min read

Porter Ridge High’s Jacob Laney and Charlotte Country Day’s Spencer Mermans, a pair of seniors, headline the 2023 Charlotte Observer boys track and field team.

▪ Laney is the boys track runner of the year after winning the NCHSAA 4A state championship in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs to cap his high school career.

Laney won the 4A state title in the 1,600 meters with a personal-best, 4:06.06. He broke a 45-year-old state meet record (8:58.04) to win the 3,200.

Laney will continue his running career at UNC.

▪ Mermans, the boys field athlete of the year, also doubled as the NCISAA Division I state champion in the discus and shot put.

Mermans threw a personal-best 56-11.5 to win the CISAA conference’s shot put title. He also won the state title.

The Yale football commit also won the state championship in the discus, and he tossed an area-best 168-7.5, at the Charlotte Country Day Last Chance qualifier.

▪ Providence Day’s Ben Hovis is the boys track coach of the year after guiding Providence Day to an NCISAA Division I state championship. The Chargers finished 49 points better than the second-place team.

Providence Day showed its depth, winning the championship with titles in only two individual events and one relay. However, the Chargers collected eight runner-up finishes (six individual and two relays).

Hovis guided the Providence Day boys to their ninth state outdoor championship in the past 10 years.

All-Observer first team

100-meter dash: Reece Morgan, Cuthbertson, Sr.: The UNC commit ran a personal-best and area-best time of 10.33 seconds at the Cuthbertson home opener and also finished fourth at the 4A state championship.

200-meter dash: Reece Morgan, Cuthbertson, Sr.: The Cavaliers’ standout also ran a personal-best 20.92 seconds to win the 4A West Regional. He also finished third at the 4A state championship.

400-meter dash: Reece Morgan, Cuthbertson, Sr.: He ran a personal-best time of 47.66 to finish third at the 4A state championship.

800-meter run: R.J. Gajan, Marvin Ridge, Sr.: The Mavericks’ senior was 4A state runner-up. He also ran a personal best time of 1:52.35 to finish third at the 4A Midwest Regional.

1,600-meter run: Jacob Laney, Porter Ridge, Sr.: The UNC commit won the 4A state title in the state’s fastest time run this season (4:06.05).

3,200-meter dash: Jacob Laney, Porter Ridge, Sr.: The Pirates’ standout won the 4A state title in 8:58.04, breaking a 45-year old state meet record. He also ran a personal-best time of 8:51.50 at the Arcadia Invitational in California.

100-meter hurdles: Nikyan Hodge, Olympic, Sr.: The Trojans’ senior ran a personal-best time of 14:24 to finish as 4A state runner-up.

300-meter hurdles: Xavier Branker, Ardrey Kell, Sr.: The Knights’ senior ran a personal-best time of 37.18 seconds to win the 4A state championship.

High jump: Jashawn Clark, Ashbrook, Sr.: The Green Wave star jumped an area-best 6-9 at Independence High. He also finished third at the 3A state championships.

Long jump: Chris Peal, Providence Day, Jr.: The Chargers’ senior and Georgia football commit jumped a personal-best 23-10 to win the NCISAA Division I state title.

Triple jump: Armon Wright, Julius Chambers, Jr.: The Cougars’ junior jumped a personal-best 46-11 to win the 4A state title.

Pole vault: Ryan Davis, Weddington, Sr.: The Warriors’ senior won the 4A state title with a vault of 14-6, tying a personal best.

Discus: Spencer Mermans, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.: The Buccaneers’ senior threw an-area-best 168-7.5 at the Charlotte Country Day Last Chance qualifier. He also won the NCISAA Division I state title.

Shot put: Spencer Mermans, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.: He won the CISAA conference title in an area-best 56-11.5. He also was an NCISAA Division I state champ.

4 X 100-meter relay: Mallard Creek (Curtis Clark, Benjamin Black, Jayden Lee, Christian Dixon): The Mavericks’ quartet broke the state meet record to win the 4A state championship in 40.87 seconds.

4 X 200-meter relay: Mallard Creek (Jayden Lee, Benjamin Black, Darren Morrison, Christian Dixon): The team ran an area-best time of 1:24.49 to win the 4A West Regional championship.

4 X 400-meter relay: Hough (Morrison Johnson, Wyatt Stoner, Colin Dickey, Tim Brown): The Huskies’ relay won the 4A state championship in an-area best time of 3:18.79.

4 X 800-meter relay: Charlotte Catholic (Nick Potter, Ian Pierce, A.J. Painter, Logan Hill): The Cougars’ relay won the 4A state championship in an-area best time of 7:45.94.

All-Observer second team

100-meter dash: Christian Dixon, Mallard Creek, So.

200-meter dash: Evan Boykin, Charlotte Christian, So./Christian Dixon, Mallard Creek, So.

400-meter dash: Quentin Clarke, Cannon School, Sr./Killian Fahy, Cuthbertson, Sr.

800-meter run: Zach Makemson, Providence Day, Jr.

1,600-meter run: Logan Dingman, Lake Norman, Sr./Landon Roemer, Providence Day, Sr.

3,200-meter dash: Raghav Gopalakrishan, Ardrey Kell, Jr.

100-meter hurdles: Xavier Branker, Ardrey Kell, Sr./Liam Sutton, North Lincoln, Sr.

300-meter hurdles: Nikyan Hodge, Olympic, Sr./Liam Sutton, North Lincoln, Sr.

High jump: Reid Herring, Providence, Sr./Rashad McCormick, Hough, Sr./Zion McDuffie, Butler, Sr.

Long jump: Armon Wright, Julius Chambers, Jr.

Triple jump: Andrew Davis, Ardrey Kell, So.

Pole vault: Lawson Windsor, Cuthbertson, Sr.

Discus: Darion Drye, Jr., A.L. Brown, Jr.

Shot put: Kolton Weaver, Weddington, Jr.

4 X 100-meter relay: Charlotte Christian (Kyron Jones, Armonte Ferguson, Grant Tucker, Evan Boykin).

4 X 200-meter relay: Providence Day (Brunner Williams, Kasey Banks, Zach Makemson, Channing Goodwin).

4 X 400-meter relay: Mallard Creek (Donald Jones, Jr., Caleb Knight, Christian Wheeler, Darren Morrison).

4 X 800-meter relay: Providence Day (Austin Skeete, Ethan Tucker, Sam Michaelson, Zach Makemson).