910Preps Athlete of the Week May 5-11 spring sports state playoffs

Playoffs are underway for Cumberland County’s spring sports, and it’s time to recognize outstanding performances from Fayetteville student-athletes with the 910Preps Athlete of the Week award.

Terry Sanford senior Drew Hedgecoe made history last week as a four-time boys tennis individual state champion, Terry Sanford baseball joined Cape Fear and Gray’s Creek softball in Round 3 of state playoffs, Fayetteville Academy girls lacrosse and soccer teams stayed alive in NCISAA playoffs, and several local athletes brought home track and field regional championships.

Vote in the poll below as often as you like until 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 15. Results will be announced Friday. Coaches and athletic directors are asked to send nominees to mholland@fayobserver.com each week.

Check in again next week to see the top local performances and cast your vote.

910Preps Athlete of the Week nominees for May 5-11, 2025:

• Adele Davis, Cape Fear softball — Only a sophomore, Davis delivered in the Colts’ two NCHSAA 3A playoff wins. She went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a double in seventh-seeded Cape Fear’s 12-7 win over Greenville Rose. In Round 2, Davis had a triple, home run and five RBIs in a 17-7 (6) win over No. 23 Southern Alamance as the Colts have gotten at least as far as Round 3 for the fourth year in a row.
• Brianna Davis, E.E. Smith track and field — The sophomore won first place with a shot put throw of 35 feet, 9 inches at the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regionals at UNC Pembroke. The Golden Bull-ettes finished second behind Orange in team rankings.
• Zoe Dorsey, Terry Sanford track and field — Crowned a 500-meter state champion during this indoor season after winning four NCISAA Division III state titles last spring, Dorsey won the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional 400-meter dash with a time of 55.05 seconds and the 800-meter run in 2:20.29.
• JaNiyah Ford, Jack Britt track and field — The Bucs junior ran a personal-record time of 56.52 seconds in the 400-meter dash to take gold at the NCHSAA 4A Mideast Regional and earn a state championship berth.
• Jackson Gutierrez, Terry Sanford lacrosse — A senior ranked 24th nationally with 116 points, Gutierrez earned eight points (four goals, four assists) in a 19-2 win over Pine Forest, and seven more (two goals, five assists) in a 15-2 win over Wake Prep Academy as the Bulldogs earned another state playoff berth.
• Drew Hedgecoe, Terry Sanford tennis — Hedgecoe became the second player in the history of NCHSAA boys tennis to run the table from his freshman year to his senior season with four straight individual state championships. A Baylor commit, he graduates with an undefeated match record and a 99.5% win percentage in played sets.
• Georgy Helmers, E.E. Smith track and field — Already an indoor regional champ and state runner-up, Helmers ran a personal-record 4-minute, 57.16-second 1,600 meters to take first place at the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regionals. She also won the 3,200 meters with a time of 10:46.36.
• Donovan Johnson, Pine Forest track and field — A junior offensive lineman who has committed to play football at Rutgers, Johnson took first place at the NCHSAA 4A Mideast Regional shot put competition with a throw of 54 feet, 6 inches. His discus throw of 136-1 was good for seventh place.
• Genesis Lebron, Freedom Christian softball — The senior went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored as the reigning NCISAA Division III state champions beat Gaston Christian 15-0 to set up a state semifinal at home against Grace Christian School.
• Neiylah Marcelin, Terry Sanford soccer — The junior scored the only goal in Terry Sanford’s 1-0 win over All American Conference champion Pine Forest to secure the Bulldogs’ second-place finish in league play. It was her 11th goal of the season.
• Hughes McCarthy, Terry Sanford golf — The Bulldogs’ freshman earned medalist honors at the 3A Mideast Regional championship with a 67, leading Terry Sanford to a first-place team finish heading into the state championship this week at Gates Four. The Bulldogs are two-time defending state champs vying for a third straight NCHSAA 3A title and sixth overall.
• Hannah McGill, Cape Fear soccer — McGill netted both of Cape Fear’s goals, including the overtime winner, in a 2-1 (OT) victory over Jack Britt as the Colts followed their fifth straight regular-season conference title with a second consecutive tournament crown, beating the Bucs in the championship game.
• Asia McKay, Westover track and field — A sophomore, McKay’s personal-record high jump of 5 feet, 7 inches won her the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional title and a state championship berth.
• Polly Miller, Fayetteville Academy lacrosse — Miller scored a team-high five goals — her seventh game with five or more goals this season — to lead the Eagles past Greensboro Day School 19-7 in the first round of NCISAA Division II state playoffs. Miller also had three assists in the win.
• Ethan Nobles, Terry Sanford baseball — The senior UNC Greensboro commit had seven RBIs in Terry Sanford’s two playoff wins last week. In a 20-2 (5) win over Dixon in the opener, the NCHSAA 3A East No. 2-seeded Bulldogs had 18 hits, with Nobles notching three RBIs and two runs scored. He went 2-for-3 in a 10-0 (5) win over Orange with four RBIs, a double, and a run scored.
• Brandon Patton, Cape Fear track and field — The Colts junior won the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional championship in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal-record time of 39.92 seconds.
• Jack Reaves, Terry Sanford baseball — The junior lefty improved to 7-1 with a two-hit shutout in the second round of state playoffs as Terry Sanford run-ruled Orange 10-0 in five innings. Reaves struck out three, walked none and lowered his ERA to 1.32, ranked ninth in the NCHSAA 3A East.
• Kindal Smith, Gray’s Creek track and field — The speedy senior won two regional championships last week, claiming 300-meter hurdles gold with a time of 43.33 seconds and winning the 200-meter dash in 24.43 at Green Hope in Cary during the NCHSAA 4A Mideast Regionals. She finished fourth in the 100-meter dash with a 12.06, and third in the long jump at 17 feet, 10.75 inches.
• Graysen Stafford, Freedom Christian baseball — The senior pitched four innings of relief to finish off a 2-0 third-round NCISAA Division 2A playoff victory over Hickory Christian and earn his third win of the season. Stafford struck out five, walked one and gave up just one hit on the mound while going 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored on offense.
• Kelsey Tart, Fayetteville Academy soccer — The Eagles senior scored four goals in a 7-0 romp over St. Thomas More Academy in the third round of NCISAA 2A state playoffs. Behind Tart, who ranks fifth across the state among NCISAA schools with 35 goals and ninth with 73 points, No. 3-seeded Fayetteville Academy has reached the state semifinals after winning a second straight conference title.
• Nasir Wells, Westover track and field — The senior football star took first place at the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regionals with a time of 15.20 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles.
• Hannah Welsh, Gray’s Creek softball — Welsh’s grand slam fueled a 10-3 win over 11th-seeded Raleigh Wakefield for the No. 6 Bears, who won first- and second-round NCHSAA 4A playoff games. The senior struck out 11 in seven innings of the Bears’ 8-3 win over Purnell Swett while going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs. Her granny in Round 2 was one of two hits for Welsh, who also pitched the last inning of the win.

910Preps Athlete of the Week Award winners for 2025:

• Michael Rice Jr., Douglas Byrd track and field
• Hailey McFarley, Gray’s Creek softball 
• Amari Adams, Cape Fear softball
• Madisyn Norton, Jack Britt softball
• Maddy Clark, South View softball
• Kaylen Sprague, Jack Britt soccer
• Isabella Hernandez, Jack Britt wrestling
• Desaya Ellis, Jack Britt basketball
• Michael Rice Jr., Douglas Byrd track & field
• Jordynn Parnell, South View basketball
• Kaygan Draughon, Terry Sanford swimming
• Logan Stafford, Trinity Christian basketball
• Karsten Swinney, Freedom Christian basketball
• Devin Tew, Pine Forest swimming