The Hawks competed in nearly 350 games, matches, and meets between February 15 and May 20, capping off the spring season with three team championships and one individual state title. It was a busy and successful few months! The varsity girls' lacrosse team claimed its fourth consecutive NCISAA championship, the girls' soccer team claimed their program's thirteenth state title, the boys' golf team captured its first team championship since 2019
and celebrated an individual state title for freshman
Aston Lee. All of the spring varsity teams made it to the playoffs, and the middle school boys' golf team won the GCMSAA conference championship with 8th grader
Will Moody earning Individual Medalist. Additionally,
Evie McMahan and
Ella Smith were named CISAA Players of the Year for lacrosse and soccer, respectively, and
Chris Berger was selected as the Charlotte Observer's Boys' Golf Coach of the Year. The track and field team established three new school records in the girls' pole vault (
Morgan Smith), the girls' 3200m (
Helen Hurden), and the boys' 4x800m relay (
Jackson DiRoma,
George Smith,
Webb Kiser, and
Will Vaughn). Read on for seasonal summaries provided by the coaches of each team, and if you're interested in summer strength training or planning to play an Upper School or Middle School fall sport,
click here for details about workouts and start dates. Go Hawks!
MIDDLE SCHOOL BASEBALL
By Coach Smith
Middle School baseball finished a great season with a 10-2 record. The Hawks tied for the regular season championship and finished second in the conference tournament. Highlights of the season included two wins over Charlotte Christian and a come from behind win over Providence Day in the tournament semi-finals to avenge their only regular season loss. The team was led by a very strong 8th grade class and the future of Latin baseball looks strong.
JV BASEBALL
By Coach Bibby
We had a good season as evidenced by being in every game and competing to the final out regardless of who we were playing. Along the way, the team showed its true character and heart while also greatly improving as baseball players as the season went on. Throughout they remained positive and supportive, pulled for each other, and continued to be open to growth. Overall, they represented Charlotte Latin School with class and dignity even in the toughest and most trying moments of the season, and I couldn't be more proud.
VARSITY BASEBALL
By Coach Cooke
Your Hawks finished with a 4-16 record on the season but this young squad was competitive in every single game. With only one senior playing significant innings due to injuries, a ton of young players got valuable playing experience in some big games. Senior
Ryan Sweet led the team offensively with a .275 batting average and logged 51 innings on the mound as well. Juniors
Miles Miller and
Tommy Beason alongside sophomore
Avery Booker were also big offensively for the Hawks. On the mound, eight Hawks saw innings led by Sweet and juniors
Andrew Kreissl,
Jake Creamer and
James Peters. The future looks bright as a ton of production from this year's team will return next season providing great leadership.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS GOLF
By Coach Edwards
The Middle School golf team finished the season with a 7-3 record and a victory in the GCMSAA Conference Tournament match. Everyone on the team contributed to the success of the season and I was most impressed with the improvement shown across the board. The guys played with class and represented the school well. Our top four scorers for the season represented the team at the Conference Tournament. Those players were, in order,
Graham Wagner,
Will Moody,
McNair Beaver and
Rob Lesley. The four combined for a score of 166 and a victory over second-place Holy Trinity.
Will Moody earned medalist honors with a round of 34. We wish the 8th graders success next year on the varsity team and, with a strong batch of 7th graders, the future of the program is in good hands.
VARSITY BOYS GOLF
By Coach Berger
The Hawks were young and the Hawks were deep. The varsity team was led by seniors
Davis Sayman and
Jackson Adams, whose consistency and experience were the foundation that our talented newcomers built on. Freshmen
Aston Lee,
Henry Holland,
Til Wagner, and
Griffin Cheatwood proved themselves to be tough competitors throughout the season and earned their spots on the championship team. The Hawks finished the NCISAA Division I Championship in first place with a score of 292 to win the program's first state title since 1994.
Aston Lee shot 69 to finish in a first-place tie for individual champion with Christ School's Taylor Kuehn that was decided with sudden-death play starting at the 10
th tee. Aston won the first hole and the individual medalist title. Click
here for more details and individual results.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS' LACROSSE
By Coaches Ivey, Fisher, Comly and Smith
The Hawks wrapped up the 2023 season with a 4-6 record. While our record was not what we'd hoped for, the Hawks played hard in each contest and were very competitive throughout. This season was expected to be a rebuilding year after conference title-winning campaigns in 2021 and 2022, and a large number of young players were asked to step-up and contribute from the first day of practice. Many veteran players were tasked with taking on new roles to help the team and did so admirably. We're looking forward to seeing what our departing 8th graders can do at the JV and varsity level next season.
JV BOYS' LACROSSE
By Coach Grosse
The JV boys lacrosse team had an undefeated season, going 7-0 with key wins over Marvin Ridge, Charlotte Christian, and Providence Day. The successful season was made possible through hard work, high energy, and a true sense of team over self. A core group led by
Burke Denny,
Carson Clutter, and Rollins Elliot, helped set the tone for a promising future for the lacrosse program here at Charlotte Latin.
VARSITY BOYS' LACROSSE
By Coach Sipperly
Early in the season, we try to get a good mix of solid teams to compete with while we build confidence and chemistry. We did that through the first 8 games, going 6 - 2. The trip to Savannah solidified the team's chemistry; the boys had a great time together and developed a strong bond as a group. My favorite game, and one I will always remember, was our last regular season home game against a big, athletic Rabun Gap team. I thought our team came together and left everything on the field. There was a true desire, they had the spirit, energy and emotion that I looked for all season. The second Rabun Gap game was also a lot of fun – winning a playoff game is always nice and it was our first one in several years. We took some lumps this season, but what makes me happiest is hearing a player say, "This was the most fun season I have ever had," and "I'm so glad I played. These guys are awesome." Being a leader of a group that loves each other is so much fun and it is a good way to go out as I head into retirement!
MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS' LACROSSE
By Kathryn Van Nort
The Middle School girls' lacrosse team was a combined 7th and 8th grade team for the 2023 season. Many of the girls were coming to lacrosse for the first time and we saw great improvement through the season. With ten returning players from the 7th grade team a year ago, we welcomed seven new 8th graders to the team. Additionally, we had ten 7th graders join them this year for a combined roster of 27 players. Playing against area local schools and club teams, we finished the season 5-12-1. This was an energetic and athletic team that were never at a loss for positive spirit and support for their teammates.
JV GIRLS' LACROSSE
By Coach Crigler
The JV girls' lacrosse team had a great season! The team competed throughout 14 games and left it all out on the field, with a final record of 8-4-2. When facing challenging opponents, the girls competed with determination, hustle, and persistence. They also showed great teamwork. The team was committed throughout the season to strengthen and develop their skills, increase their lax IQ, and dominate on the field. On our last home game, we honored our two 11th graders with a "Junior Night" and a win over the Knights. We look forward to next season!
VARSITY GIRLS' LACROSSE
By Coach Williams
The 2023 Season was better than we ever expected. The pressure to continue to win a championship was heavy on the shoulders of this team. Our words of focus this year were composure, tenacity, and integrity. This team faced the season with all three in mind. We implemented a new offense that generated more than 375 goals by 14 different players and, even more impressively, more than 200 assists by 14 different players. We had 150 saves and were undefeated in the CISAA and the NCISAA. We were led by great seniors who always put the team FIRST. This team beat Charlotte Catholic for the first time in program history and was dominant in our championship game vs Providence Day. This team was kind, funny and supportive. They were extremely coachable and just a joy to be around. Click
here to read about their 4
th consecutive NCISAA Championship.
MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS' SOCCER
By Coach Spraul
We had a special group of girls this season, and they came up with some incredible moments! We had no shortage of amazing plays including a game-winning goal in the last few seconds, many goal-saving tackles, free kicks from distance, and team combinations into beautiful goals. Our games were a lot of fun to watch! What stands out to me the most this year is how well our girls grew together as a group and supported each other throughout the season. Our girls were always looking out for each other and offering a helping hand or a hug when someone was having a tough day. We finished as runners-up in the conference this season, which is a significant improvement from last year. We recorded 7 shutouts, and even picked up 4 away wins! We hope to see our 7th graders out again next season! We will miss our 8th grade squad, and wish them the best as they move up!
JV GIRLS' SOCCER
By Coach Barthram
The 2023 JV girls' soccer team got off to a flying start this season playing some fantastic soccer. For such a young team we played with such confidence and creativity, and always with discipline and grace. By mid-season the team had developed great chemistry together and it showed during the games. We were so competitive, other teams found it difficult to break us down with our strength and desire to maintain possession of the ball. Over all, this season was a major success as the results showed the team worked so hard and at the same time had so much fun.
VARSITY GIRLS' SOCCER
By Coach Searles
One Team. That was the theme going into the 2023 state final. It was the perfect description of what this season came to become. Building on the success of years prior, the difference this year was that the Varsity Girls' Soccer team was One Team and played for each other and for Charlotte Latin. After a tremendous season, the Hawks accomplished what some thought couldn't be done: Defeating the third-ranked team in the country by winning the NCISAA state title 2-1. Leaning on our experienced leaders in our senior and junior classes, it gave us the confidence and ability to bring along our sophomore and freshmen players to meet the standard the team set early in the season. This team never dropped their standard, then went beyond what was asked of them to meet the standard each day. It was a tremendous season, ending in a fantastic way! Congratulations Hawks! Click
here to read about their state championship victory.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL
By Coach Dayton
The 2023 Middle School Softball team had success in many ways this season beyond the scoreboard. Developing offensive and defensive depth throughout the roster was a preseason goal and the ladies didn't disappoint. Seventh graders
Caroline Coble, Ceci Clifton,
Anna Edwards,
Hannah Rankin,
Leela Rhodes,
Emma Griggs, and
Harris Hollmeyer were all starters and led the team in multiple stat lines. Eighth grade leadership continued with
Sophie Edwards,
Sophie Dunn, Caroline Shamblin,
Amalia Bordoloi, and
Jordan Ramesh both on the field and in the dugout. One of the year's highlights was the momentum of many games being swung back into the Hawks' favor by the energy and enthusiasm brought by
Clara Ragsdale, Izzy Edwards, &
Lexie Misocky. This team was very special and has laid the groundwork for continued success for softball at CLS.
VARSITY SOFTBALL
By Coach Banda
This season, our team's emphasis was on improving each day, winning each inning, and putting the ball in play and forcing our opponents to make the play to get us out. The girls focused on making contact and less on getting a hit every at bat. This goal ended up reducing our number of strikeouts per game significantly, which really helped towards the end of the season when we were pushing to the playoffs. In 2022, our team finished with a state ranking of 265. This season, we ended with a state ranking of 177. It was our first quarterfinal appearance since I began coaching at Latin. I am so proud of all this team has accomplished and I am excited about what the future holds.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS' TENNIS
By Coach Imwalle
This season will be remembered as a success for a variety of reasons. First, all thirteen players on our team gained experience from competing in both singles and doubles throughout the season. Everyone on our team contributed directly to winning a match this year! With only four returning players, most of our athletes had never competed with one another. This season was a success because our team's culture promoted a transition from being classmates to becoming teammates and friends off the court. An added bonus, and a final reason that this season will be remembered as a success, is because we had an 11-1 record and we won the Conference Championship! Good luck to our eighth graders as they move on to the Upper School and I'm excited to see this talented seventh grade group compete again next year!
JV BOYS' TENNIS
By Coach Drury
The JV boys' tennis team achieved a very good record of 10-1. Junior co-captains
Nathan Butler (line 1, 8-3) and Solomon Boakye (line 5, 10-1) challenged their teammates to persevere and to stay in the moment (i.e. play the next point and forget about the past points). As a result, the team outplayed and outscored every school that they faced. As a team, they won 68 of the sets played (69%). The singles lines were rounded out by
Andrew McDonald (line 2, 9-2),
Rossi Bellavia (line 3, 5-3),
Nishanth Gaddam (line 4, 4-5), and
Trevor Hoffman (line 6, 5-5). Contributing back-up players were
Landon Broadwell,
Syan Gulati,
Clayton Hahn,
Riley Phelps, and
Raaj Thakur. Congratulations to all on a great season.
VARSITY BOYS' TENNIS
By Coach Hall
This year's boys' varsity team finished strong, surpassing its fifth seed in the NCISAA state tournament with an upset over Cannon in the quarterfinals to reach the state semifinals. Challenges were everywhere this season, including home/aways with several extremely strong teams in our own conference, in the East, and the early season loss of senior and Hampden-Sydney commit
Thomas Davis to injury. It was next-man-up with
Andrew Chen, Emilio Llerenas,
Hayden Willett, and freshman
Luca Bravo leading the way. Senior
Charles De Mey and sophomore
Chanakya Ayinala added a spark once the team was back at full strength for the playoffs. This team showed grit and perseverance and their efforts paid off.
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
By Coach Sipperly
The Middle School track team was comprised of some seasoned athletes who were continuing to build on their success in their specific events, and many who were new to the team looking to understand the fundamentals of track & field while identifying their strengths and most relevant skills for optimal success. The group dynamic was one of inclusion and the more experienced members stepped up to mentor and lead the group with enthusiasm and confidence. It was a great season with a variety of success stories along the way. The coaching staff was very pleased with the positivity and goodwill that was the overriding mindset of the team as a whole. There were well-deserved wins and many PR's to be had throughout the season with a great final performance at the championship meet. Congratulations to all!
VARSITY TRACK & FIELD
By Coach Moorman
The track team had a surplus of new athletes this season. The returning Hawks did an amazing job mentoring, supporting and leading the newer/younger athletes. Every single athlete, who stayed the course and finished the season, improved on their individual marks. In additional to the numerous personal records (PRs) that were set, three school records were broken this season:
- Girls Pole Vault - Morgan Smith (10'8")
- Girls 3200m - Helen Hurden (10:59.42)
- Boys 4x800m - Jackson DiRoma, Webb Kiser, Edward Guggenheimer and Will Vaughn (8:09.97)
Two of the main themes/mottos for this season were to be intentional with every drill, practice and competition because intentionality leads to results, and to get better every day, no matter how big or small the feat. The fact that
every athlete improved over the season is a testament of their dedication to those mottos. Read about their achievements at the CISAA Championship
here and the NCISAA Championship
here.
