Yahoo Finance Vote for the News & Observer athlete of the week l 3.12.21
Here are the nominees for this week’s News & Observer high school athlete of the week.
You can vote as often as you like until Friday when a winner will be announced.
Meet this week’s candidates.
Grant Carey, Millbrook Lacrosse: The Mustangs’ junior long stick midfielder had six groundballs, one assist and had a strong defensive effort to help Middle Creek to a 15-3 win at Fuquay Varina, March 4, and stay unbeaten at 9-0 through Sunday.
Carey has 45 groundballs, caused 10 turnovers, has scored one goals and dished out two assists for Millbrook.
Silas Demary, Jr., Millbrook Basketball: The 6-foot-4 junior had 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals to help Millbrook to 67-65 overtime win over Ardrey Kell to win the 4A state championship at Wheatmore High in Trinity (NC), March 6.
The state title capped a perfect 19-0 season.
Demary also had 29 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 79-77 overtime victory over Lumberton in the 4A East Regional finals, March 2.
Demary averaged 17.3 points, four assists, six rebounds and 2.8 steals per game for Millbrook this season.
Kayleen Favreau, Holly Springs Lacrosse: The Golden Hawks’ junior midfielder scored 17 goals in three wins over Apex Friendship, Garner and Middle Creek this week to help her team stay a perfect 10-0 through Sunday.
Favreau had seven goals in a 16-4 win over Middle Creek, March 1.
She followed that up with three goals in a 23-4 win at Garner, March 2.
Favreau finished off the week with seven goals and 11 groundballs in a 14-12 win over Apex Friendship to help clinched Holly Springs first Conference 6 title in the 15-year history of the school.
Favreau has 45 goals and 66 groundballs for Holly Springs.
Jerni Kiaki, Garner Basketball: The 5-foot-6 junior averaged 25 points per game as Garner beat Ashley before losing to Vance in the 4A state championship game at Wheatmore High in Trinity (NC) last week.
Kiaki had 36 points to help Garner to a 73-67, 4A East Regional final win at Ashley, March 2.
She had 14 points in Garner’s 74-38 loss to Vance in the 4A state championship game, March 6.
Kiaki averaged 26 points per game for Garner (17-1) this season.
Dean Mercer, Cardinals Gibbons Soccer: The Crusaders’ senior had four goals combined in wins over Broughton and Millbrook last week.
Mercer had two goals in a 5-1 win over Millbrook, March 1.
Two days later, Mercer scored two more times, including the game-tying and game-winning goals in 3-2, comeback victory at Broughton.
Mercer has eight goals and three assists for Cardinal Gibbons (6-2-1, through Sunday).
Ryan Merrill, Orange Lacrosse: The Panthers’ senior had 10 goals, seven assists and 12 groundballs to lead Orange to wins over Carrboro, Northern Durham and Vance Charter last week.
Merrill started the week with five goals, two assists and five groundballs in a 19-7 win at Carrboro, March 2.
He also had one goal, three assists and four groundballs in a 14-0 win over Northern Durham, March 3.
Merrill finished the week with four goals, two assists and three groundballs in a 15-2 victory at Vance Charter, March 4.
Merrill has 27 goals, 13 assists and 25 groundballs for Orange (6-1, through Sunday).
Zach Peterman, Athens Drive Soccer: The Jaguars’ senior midfielder had four goals last week as Athens Drive beat Green Level and Panther Creek and lost to Green Hope.
Peterman had two goals in a 3-1 win at Panther Creek, March 2.
He followed that up with the game’s only goal with 10 minutes left to give the Jaguars a 1-0 victory over Green Level, March 5.
The next day, Peterman had one goal in 2-1 loss to Green Hope.
Peterman has eight goals and one assist for Athens Drive (6-2, through Sunday).
Jaden Reece, Jordan Soccer: The Falcons’ sophomore forward scored five goals and had one assist as Jordan beat both Green Level and Panther Creek last week.
Reece had two goals in a 3-0 win over Panther Creek, March 3.
The next day, Reece had a hat trick (three goals) with one assist in a 5-0 victory at Green Level.
Reece has 11 goals and two assists for Jordan (7-0, through Sunday).
Skyler Stein, Green Level Lacrosse: The Gators’ junior goalkeeper had 44 saves in three games this week to lead Green Level to wins over Cary and Green Hope (twice).
Stein started the week with 15 saves in a 12-4 win over Green Hope, March 2.
The next day, he had 13 saves in a 12-7 win over Cary.
Stein finished off his week with 16 saves in a 8-4 victory at Green Hope.
Stein has 111 saves, stopping 73.5 percent of the shots on goal for Green Level (8-1, through Sunday).
Meredith Wooten, Princeton Basketball: The 5-foot-4 senior had 30 points and seven assists in an 82-67, 1A East Regional final win over Pinetown Northside, March 2.
The win sent Princeton to the 1A state championship game for the first time since 1986.
Wooten also had 13 points in a 76-36 loss to Murphy in the 1A state championship game, March 6.
Wooten averaged 19.1 points and 5.5 assists per game for Princeton (16-1) this season.
** Information published today includes statistics through March 6.
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 edwardsraleighnewsobserver@gmail.com.
