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Rock Hill Herald Spring Sports’ Athletes of the Week

Kailey Alston, Nation Ford Softball: The Falcons’ freshman went 4-for-7 at the plate with a double, three RBI and two runs scored, while pitching 15 innings with 10 strikeouts as Nation Ford split games with rival, Fort Mill, this week.

Nation Ford (5-8) ended a 13-game losing streak to Fort Mill with a 5-4 victory, April 11.

Two days later, Nation Ford lost 8-7 at Fort Mill in a game that went eight innings.

Rayna Blackwell, Legion Collegiate Softball: The Lancers’ senior went 4-for-4 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and eight RBI in a 12-0 win at White Knoll, April 12.

Blackwell, a Winthrop University signee, is batting .500 for Legion Collegiate (8-5) this season.

Garrett Brown, South Pointe Track: The Stallions’ junior ran personal best times to win both the 1600-meter run (4:26.39) and the 3200-meter run (9:38.57) at Catawba Ridge, April 13.

Brown’s efforts also helped the South Pointe boys’ track team to victory at the same meet.

Ava DeLise, Catawba Ridge Girls’ Lacrosse: The Copperheads’ sophomore scored four goals and two assists in an 11-8 win over Eastside, April 13.

DeLise has 37 goals and 19 assists for Catawba Ridge (7-6) this season.

DeLise already has the career record for overall points (79) in a career.

River Joye, Clover Baseball: The Blue Eagles’ senior right-handed pitcher had 10 strikeouts, scattering four hits and one run in a 2-1 comeback victory at Rock Hill, April 12.

Clover (14-7) swept Rock Hill in three games with victories at home, 5-2, April 10, and 9-2, April 13.

Payton Kennedy, York Prep Girls’ Soccer: The Patriots’ junior scored two goals in a 3-1 win

over Legion Collegiate, April 13.

Kennedy has 11 goals and six assists for York Prep (8-1) this season.

Austin Lux, Fort Mill Soccer: The Yellow Jackets’ junior scored the game-winning goal as Fort Mill

outlasted rival, Nation Ford, 1-0, in double overtime, April 14.

Fort Mill is 8-7-1 overall this season.

Juelz Mickles, Lancaster Track: The Bruins’ junior ran a personal-best 22.40 to win the 200-meter dash at the Lancaster County Track meet at Andrew Jackson, April 15. Mickles won the 100-meter dash (11.00) at the same meet to lead the Lancaster boys’ track team to victory.

Mickles also ran a personal-best 10.99 to win the 100-meter dash at Buford, April 11. He also won the 200-meter dash in 23.20 at Buford to lead his Bruins’ team to a runner-up finish.

Benjamin Notarangelo, Northwestern Track: The Trojans’ sophomore won the 800-meter run

in a personal-best 2:07.12 at Clover, April 12.

Notarangelo also won the 1600-meter run (4:51.22) and the 3200-meter run (11:03.39) at the same meet as the Northwestern boys’ track team finished runner-up to Rock Hill.

Sequel Patterson, Indian Land Track: The Warriors’ eighth-grader tied a personal-best with 6-4 high jump to win the event at York, April 13.

Patterson’s jump helped the Indian Land boys’ track team to victory at the same meet.

Cade Wilson, Rock Hill Tennis: The Bearcats’ senior led Rock Hill to a 3-0 record this week, losing only three games in six sets of singles’ play.

Wilson won his singles’ match 6-0, 6-0 in a 4-2 victory over Catawba Ridge, April 10.

The next day, Wilson won 6-1, 6-1 to lead Rock Hill to a 4-2 win over Clover.

Wilson capped the week, winning his singles’ match 6-1, 6-0 in a 6-0 victory over rival, Northwestern, April 12.

Rock Hill is 4-10 overall this season.

** Information published today includes statistics through April 15.

If you 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 edwardswork23@gmail.com. Please include the athletes’ name, school, class and applicable game performance statistics. Coaches must be willing to verify information.

This story was originally published April 19, 2023 at 12:26 PM.