Vote for The Charlotte Observer boys’ high school athlete of the week: Dec. 1

Jay Edwards, Langston Wertz Jr.
·5 min read

Below are the nominees for The Charlotte Observer boys’ high school athlete of the week.

The poll closes Friday.

You may vote as often as you like.

Note: Poll results may not always be shown.

This week’s nominees

Colt Campbell, Hickory Ridge wrestling: The Ragin’ Bulls’ junior won the 165-pound title at the Jet Invitational at Enka High on Nov. 22. Campbell went 3-0 on the day with two pins, beating Fred T. Foard’s Brandon Mejia in the finals.

Campbell has won his first six matches this season.

Jalen Chambers, Mooresville basketball: The 6-foot-3 senior scored 12 points in an 80-27 win at Garinger on Nov. 20. Chambers also had 17 points and seven steals in a 68-52 win over East Mecklenburg in the Leroy Holden Classic semifinals at North Mecklenburg on Nov. 24.

Finally, Chambers had 15 points, six rebounds and two steals in a 97-49 loss to North Mecklenburg in the Holden Classic championship game on Nov. 25.

Jackson Fannon, East Lincoln basketball: The 6-7 junior scored 26 points, making 9-for-11 attempts from the free-throw line, to go with eight rebounds and two assists in an 81-52 win over West Lincoln in the season opener on Nov. 21.

Fannon averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore last season.

Caden Haywood, Hickory Ridge basketball: The 6-5 senior scored 17 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, had one steal and one block in a 62-51 win over Carolina International on Nov. 21.

Haywood also had 13 points and five rebounds in a 73-42 win over Hough in the Phenom Hoops’ Lakesgiving Classic on Nov. 25.

Haywood, a Western Carolina baseball commit, is averaging 15 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Hickory Ridge (2-0).

Julian Johnson, Providence Day basketball: The 6-8 junior scored 16 points and had 12 rebounds in a 58-52 win over Mallard Creek in the Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Harding High on Nov. 24.

The next day, Johnson scored 14 points and had four rebounds in a 52-48 victory over Charlotte Catholic in the same event.

Peter Moye, South Mecklenburg basketball: The 6-3 senior scored 30 points, had six rebounds and two assists in a 79-73 win over Pine Lake Prep in the Phenom Hoops Lakesgiving Classic on Nov. 25.

Moye also had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 54-44 win at Providence on Nov. 21.

Moye is averaging 27.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for South Mecklenburg (2-0) this season.

Junior “L.J.” Smith, Lincolnton basketball: The 6-4 freshman scored 43 points, grabbed five rebounds and had four steals in his first high school game, a 71-68 win over Statesville.

Austin Swartz, Cannon School basketball: The 6-5 senior scored 19 points, had six assists and five rebounds in a 76-72 win over Our Lady of Mount Carmel (MD) in the Charlotte Hoops’ Challenge at Harding High on Nov. 24.

Swartz, a Miami (FL) commit, also had 23 points, six assists and three steals in a 71-64 victory over Fayetteville Academy in the same event on Nov. 25.

Maddox Watson, SouthLake Christian basketball: The 6-4 senior scored 31 points, including six three-pointers, to go with 11 rebounds in a 49-48 win over Corvian Charter on Nov. 21.

Watson also had 34 points, including eight three-pointers, in a 72-43 win at Piedmont Classical Nov. 25.

Eli Williams, Union Academy wrestling: The Cardinals junior won all four of his matches at 175 pounds at the South Stanly quad meet on Nov. 21. Williams was 8-1 in his first nine matches.

Luke Wilson, Metrolina Christian basketball: The 6-4 senior scored 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had a school-record 10 blocks in a 65-50 loss to Charlotte Country Day on Nov. 21.

Wilson is averaging 10 points, seven rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game for Metrolina Christian this season.

K.J. Younger, Weddington basketball: The 6-5 junior scored 37 points and had 18 rebounds in a 63-57 win at Ardrey Kell on Nov. 21.

Younger went 3-for-4 from the three-point line and was 8-for-9 from the free throw line in the game. He played all 32 minutes in the Ardrey Kell victory.

Younger is averaging 34 points, 15 rebounds, 2.5 steals, two assists and one block per game for Weddington (2-0) this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through November 25.

If you want to nominate an athlete: Athletes of the week highlights high school players with outstanding performances. The goal is to recognize all athletes in all sports, both the most accomplished and the underrated or underappreciated players. If you want to suggest someone to be included in the athletes of the week column, send email to Jay Edwards at edwardswork23@gmail.com. Please include the athletes’ name, school, class and applicable game performance statistics. Coaches must be willing to verify information.

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