Vote for Charlotte Observer boys’ high school athlete of the week: Dec. 15

Jay Edwards, Langston Wertz Jr.
·5 min read

Below are the nominees for The Charlotte Observer’s 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

Raghav Gopalakrishnan, Ardrey Kell cross-country: The Knights’ senior ran a time of 15:48.50 to finish 22nd at the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships at Balboa Park in San Diego on Dec. 9.

Gopalakrishnan, a University of Pennsylvania commit, was the NCHSAA 4A state runner-up, and he ran a personal-best 15:03.48 at the Foot Locker South Regional on Nov. 25 to qualify for nationals.

Grant Hamilton, Weddington basketball: The 6-foot-2 senior scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds, four steals, two assists and one block in a 69-61 win over Butler on Dec. 5.

Hamilton, a Roanoke College (VA) commit, is averaging 19.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, two steals and one assist per game for Weddington (6-0 through Monday).

Bryson Heath, East Mecklenburg basketball: The 5-10 senior scored 22 points, had six rebounds and five assists in a 74-54 win over Piedmont on Dec. 5.

Heath scored 24 points to lead East Mecklenburg to a 53-51 win at Rocky River in the Southwestern 4A conference opener on Dec. 8.

Heath is averaging 19.3 points per game for an East Mecklenburg team (6-1) that has won four straight games.

Christan Jones, Mountain Island Charter basketball: The 5-11 freshman scored 23 points in an 80-62 win over Valor Prep Academy on Dec. 4.

Jones also scored 26 points with three steals and two assists in a 77-76 victory at East Rutherford on Dec. 6.

Jones scored 10 points and had two steals in a 65-55 loss to Community School of Davidson on Dec. 8.

Mountain Island Charter is 6-1 through Monday.

Michael Marcus, Jr., Covenant Day basketball: The 6-9 senior scored 20 points, had 10 rebounds and two assists to lead Covenant Day to a 59-57 win against his former team, Carmel Christian on Dec. 8.

Marcus, Jr., is an Appalachian State commit.

Londen Roseman, Jay M. Robinson basketball: The 6-2 senior scored 23 points and had four steals to lead the Bulldogs to an 87-48 win at South Rowan on Dec. 8.

Roseman also scored 16 points in a 57-43 victory at Carson on Dec. 5.

Tyler Showalter, Butler basketball: The 6-6 senior scored a career-high 28 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists and one block in a 69-61 loss at Weddington on Dec. 5.

Showalter scored 21 points to go with 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in an 88-50 victory at Garinger in the Bulldogs’ Southwestern 4A conference opener on Dec. 8.

Showalter is averaging 24 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists, two blocks and one steal per game for Butler (2-4 through Monday).

Junior “L.J.” Smith, Lincolnton basketball: The 6-4 freshman scored 28 points and had eight rebounds in an 85-46 win over Avery County on Dec. 5.

Smith followed that up with 28 points and eight rebounds to lead Lincolnton to a 74-63 overtime victory at Burns on Dec. 8.

Lincolnton is 5-0 through Monday.

Austin Swartz, Cannon School basketball: The 6-foot-5 senior had 26 points, six assists and five rebounds in a 93-82 win over United Faith on Dec. 5.

Swartz, a Miami (FL) commit, also scored 18 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists in a 62-56 victory over Salisbury on Dec. 8.

Cannon School is 9-3 through Monday.

Eli Sweet, Gaston Christian swimming: The eighth-grader won the 100 breaststroke (1:04.78) and 500 freestyle (4:57.31) in state qualifying times in a meet with Hickory Grove, Metrolina Christian and Westminster Catawba on Dec. 7.

Sweet has already qualified for the state meet in the 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley this season.

Gavin Ulrich, Metrolina Christian wrestling: The Warriors’ sophomore went 4-0 to win the 138-pound title at the Bobby Abernathy Invitational at Piedmont on Dec. 9.

Ulrich won the tournament with a decision, a major and two falls.

Ulrich is a two-time, NCISAA 4A state champion.

Thomas Wlazlowski, Cuthbertson indoor track: The Cavaliers’ senior ran a personal-best and school-record time of 2:33.76 to win the 1,000-meter run at the Liberty Flames’ High School Invitational at Liberty University on Dec. 9.

Wlazlowski also ran a personal-best 4:27.14 to finish fourth-place in the 1600-meter run at the same meet.

** Information published today includes statistics through December 9.

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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