Lake Norman Publications

2020 sports stories of the year, Part 1: The Champions



Hough wrestling coach Tripp Rogers embraces Athletic Director Masonori Toguchi after winning the state championship in the team’s final match. /Sarah Fabian

Hough claims wrestling glory

Richard Treanor was already one of the most-decorated wrestlers in the state. Coming into his junior season in 2019-20, he was a state champion with an undefeated record as a sophomore and picked up a bronze his freshman year.

But his most monumental win came against Cardinal Gibbons in the 4A dual-team state title match. The Huskies had stomped back through the higher weight classes, cutting a 25-6 deficit to four with Treanor representing the potential winning points at 113 pounds.

“It’s a good feeling,” Hough coach Tripp Rogers said of seeing his star. “You’re down by 4. He asked, ‘What do I need?’ Need a tech or a pin. He stuck him in 30 seconds. We went bonkers.”

To reach that point, Hough defeated 2019 individual state champion Mooresville, as well as semifinal host West Forsyth.

It was the first boys team state championship in school history.

Two weeks later, the Huskies were on top again, claiming the individual state title, again ahead of the Blue Devils and Lake Norman, third and fourth respectively. Treanor, who committed to Army this spring, claimed the second individual gold of his career, as freshman Brandt Fajerman and junior Jun Figueredo were second in their respective weight classes.

• Lake Norman’s Caleb Tate, now at Mooresville, took first at 195 pounds.

• Mooresville’s Isaac Shaw repeated as a state champion, this time at 152 pounds. He and his brother Silas combined for five individual titles, also winning two team championships. 

• North Lincoln’s Jorden Schlossman was an unlikely winner  in the 2A at 106. He finished fourth in the regional.

Vikings are 2nd to no one

North Meck’s Tristan Maxwell, center, speaks with Chris Ford, left, and Shamann Artis against Hough in the I-Meck tournament semifinal. /Doug Coats

Even for a perennial power like North Meck, last season was special. The Vikings never got to take the floor against Lumberton for the 4A state title, but no one would suggest their co-championship is illegitimate.

North Meck ran the table against in-state opponents, only losing to Alabama school Mountain Brook on the last day of 2019. Coach Duane Lewis’ 21st team in Huntersville featured three senior guards, including state Player of the Year Tristan Maxwell, and in the frontcourt future Davidson Wildcat Chris Ford and 6-foot-7 Jeremy Gregory.

Point guard Trayden Williams, now at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh, averaged 22 points in North’s four playoff games. He saved the best for what ended up being the last, pouring in a game-high 25 against Olympic in the West finals. And his tenacious defense kept opposing ball-handlers off balance all season long.

“As long as we stay locked in on the defensive end, the offensive will come to us,” he said after a third-round win over Grimsley. “Defense wins championships.”

Before staving off Olympic, the Vikings’ most memorable game was a dramatic win over Hough in the I-Meck semifinals. A packed Vance gym saw high-level play from both teams, as the Huskies had challenged North the previous two matchups.

Despite 43 points from Hough frontcourt mates Beau Maye and Nathan Chambers, North won 80-79 in overtime. The game-winning point didn’t come from one of the “Big 3” but the youngest starter Gregory, who knocked down a free throw with one second remaining.

Jackson Threadgill drives against Trinity Academy’s Tyler Gill Friday, Feb. 18. The  /Doug Coats

Davidson Day takes 2 for 1

Within hours of each other in south Charlotte, the Davidson Day boys and girls basketball teams won NCISAA 2A state championships.

Despite being the defending champions, the girls capped off an unlikely run with a different coach than the previous year. The Patriots entered the game against O’Neal School at 19-13, but down 1 point, they had their best player and Davidson College signee Mallorie Haines at the line with 5 seconds left. Sinking both, Haines matched her season average at 26 points for a state title. It was one-and-done for coach Al Wilson, who left the school a month later.

The Patriot boys had a far easier time that day. They capped off a 20-game winning streak by defeating Wayne Country Day 84-46. The game was essentially decided at halftime, after Jackson Threadgill buried deep 3s and had classmates bowing following a break-away dunk.

The current Charlotte 49er was one of many Davidson Day players lethal from the 3-point arc. Point guard Adam Brazil dazzled the previous day in the semifinals.

“They make me look good out there,” Brazil said of his sharpshooting teammates. “All I have to do is take a couple of dribbles and throw it to them and they score.”

Tim Connery broke two state records in the 1A/2A state championship. /Doug Coats

Emme Nelson, with her four medals from the 2020 state championship, finished her CSD career without losing a race at the conference, regional or state level. /Doug Coats

A pool of gold

Pine Lake Prep’s 1A/2A boys swimming championship highlighted a banner finale in the pool for local swimmers.

The Pride’s only gold didn’t come until the meet’s final event, the 400-meter freestyle relay. There, Nathan Adams, Deaven Holder, Nathan Thornburg and A.J. Das swam 3:13.06 to an exclamation point on the title.

That meet also produced Most Outstanding Swimmer honors for two lake-area swimmers. Community School of Davidson’s Emme Nelson capped her stellar career with two more individual state titles, bringing her total to nine, and also was named MOS every year. Nelson is now competing for Texas A&M.

Not to be outdone, Christ the King’s Tim Connery broke two state records despite battling illness in the weeks prior.

A Texas Longhorn commit, Connery won the 100 freestyle in 44.18, and the 100 breaststroke, besting the previous state record by 0.82 seconds.

In 1A/2A:

• CSD’s Baylor Nelson posted a state record in the 200 individual medley in 1:47.17, also taking gold in the 100 butterfly in 48.76 seconds.

• Lake Norman Charter’s Harrison Powe was first in the 200 freestyle in 1:40.96.

• Langtree Charter’s Joslyn Oakley won her second state championship in 1-meter diving.

• Lincoln Charter’s Chloe Harris took gold in the 100 backstroke in 55.93 seconds.

In 4A:

• Hough’s Amaya Hanley, Rainey, Elizabeth Sowards and Martha Tripsa were victorious in the 4A 200 medley relay in 1:42.58; in the 400 freestyle relay, Sowards, Hanley, Rainey and Kensley Merritt won in 3:23.65

• Merritt won an individual title in the 200 freestyle, swimming a time of 1:47.34.

2020 Sports stories of the year, Part 2: The storylines

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