Vote for the News & Observer’s boys high school athlete of the week (05.01.22)
Here are this week’s nominees for the News & Observer’s high school boys athlete of the week. Vote now, and vote often by clicking on tour choice below. You may refresh and vote as many times as you’d like.
Austin Brown, East Wake Academy Baseball: The Eagles’ starter pitched six innings, allowing just one run, while getting the game-winning RBI hit in the eighth to lead East Wake to a 2-1 victory at Franklin Academy on April 22. Brown was also 1-for-3 with a double and RBI in a 16-3 win over Vance Charter on April 20. He was 0-for-3 at the plate in a 1-0 loss at Falls Lake Academy, April 19.
East Wake Academy is 8-2 overall this season.
Cross Clayton, Orange Baseball: The Panthers’ sophomore tossed a perfect game with four strikeouts in five innings as Orange rolled to a 16-0 win over Cedar Ridge on April 21. Clayton also went 1-for-3 at the plate in a 6-5 loss to Southern Lee on April 23.
Clayton is 6-2 on the mound with 40 strikeouts in 34.1 innings of work on the mound, while boasting a 2.24 earned-run average (ERA) for Orange this season.
Alex Hong, Raleigh Charter Tennis: The Phoenix senior led Raleigh Charter to a 6-3 win over Cary Christian on April 21.
He qualified for the 2A Mideast Regional with a win over North Carolina School of Science and Math earlier this month.
Hong is 13-2 overall (including 9-0 at No. 2 singles) for Raleigh Charter (12-3) this season.
Jaiden Jones, Carrboro Lacrosse: The Jaguars’ senior won 10 of 13 faceoffs to go with a goal and four ground balls in a 13-6 win over Wesleyan Christian on April 19. He also won 12 of 15 faceoffs while adding a goal, an assist and 14 ground balls in a 16-2 victory at Riverside on April 21, and the next day, Jones won 4 of 8 faceoffs, with two ground balls in an 11-4 loss at Jordan.
Jones has won 66 of the 92 faceoffs (72 percent) for Carrboro (6-5) this season.
Carter Kryszak, Middle Creek Lacrosse: The Mustangs’ sophomore faceoff specialist won 44 of 53 faceoffs this week to help Middle Creek to wins over Apex, Apex Friendship and Pinecrest.
Kryszak won 14 of 20 faceoffs with five groundballs in a 21-5 win over Apex on April 19. The next day, he won 15 of 17 faceoffs with 11 ground balls in a 16-4 victory over Pinecrest, and then won 15 of 16 faceoffs, adding 10 ground balls in an 18-5 over Apex Friendship on April 22.
Middle Creek (17-2) has won nine straight games.
Andrew Mallo, Wake Forest Track: The Cougars’ senior ran the state’s best 800-meter time (1:53.66) to win the event at a tri-meet with Knightdale (host) and Millbrook on April 19. Mallo won the 800-meter run by nearly 11 seconds over the field.
Mallo also won the 1600-meter run in a personal-best 4:18.07 at the Wake County Championships at Willow Springs High on April 23.
D.R. McMillan, Leesville Road Track: The Pride senior won the 100-meter dash with a personal-best 11.01 at the Wake County Championships at Willow Spring High on April 23.
McMillan also finished ninth in the 200-meter dash in 23.49 at the same event.
Hunter Metsey, Apex Friendship Lacrosse: The Patriots’ senior goalkeeper had 10 saves, three ground balls, also scored a goal and dished out an assist in an 8-4 win at Chapel Hill on April 20.
The previous night, Metsey had four saves and two ground balls in an 18-1 victory over Cary.
Metsey has 115 saves for an Apex Friendship team (10-5) that has won four straight games.
** Information published includes statistics through April 23.
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.
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Vote for the News & Observer’s boys high school athlete of the week (05.01.22)."