Mooney named 4A West Region softball Player of the Year

The North Carolina Softball Coaches Association named North Mecklenburg catcher Sarah Mooney as the 4A West Region Player of the Year.

Mooney, a senior who will play at James Madison next year, was also named all-region and all-state. She had plenty of company from the Lake Norman area.

Here is a list of local all-state honorees:

East Lincoln (2A)

- Brittany Miller (Junior, pitcher)

- Haley Meza (Sophomore, center fielder)

Hough

- Jasmyn Lindsay (Junior, catcher)

Lake Norman
- Dominique Wilson (Sophomore, first base)
- Kayla McGuffy (Sophomore, catcher)
- Kayla Pine (Junior, pitcher/outfielder/infielder)
- Stacy Houser (Junior, pitcher/shortstop)

Mooresville

- Hope Smith (Senior, catcher)

- Kelsey Clark (Sophomore, first base)

North Meck

- Morgan Lashley (Senior, pitcher)

- Sarah Mooney (Senior, catcher)

UPDATE: Mooney was named a Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-American for the second year in a row.

Mooney leaves her mark on NCHSAA record book

Sarah "Boomer" Mooney of North Mecklenburg High School will find her name over a dozen times in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Record Book after her stellar four-year softball career and a spectacular senior season.

Mooney compiled the highest single-season batting average ever recorded in the NCHSAA book with a sizzling .779 this season, going 60 for 77. She also tied the single-season home run mark with 19, which she shares now with Dallas Heaton of Eastern Randolph, and set a new career home run standard with 37.

Mooney hit one home run as a freshman, seven in her sophomore season, 10 as a junior and 19 as a senior. She also twice tied the record of three home runs in a game and two in a single inning.

She batted .566 for her career, which is fourth all-time in NCHSAA play, while also earning performance listings in runs batted in for a season (55, second on the list) and for a career (140, third all-time). Her 60 hits in a season is the fourth-best total and her 171 career hits is good for fifth place.

Mooney was a four-time all-conference selection and twice was the I-Meck Player of the Year, while she earned the Most Valuable Player award for the North Mecklenburg team three times. She has committed to continue her career at James Madison University.

-NCHSAA

Hopewell boys' tennis coach steps down

Hopewell's Craig Smith stepped down as the school's boys' tennis coach, as well as from his dean of students post at the high school, to accept an assistant principal position at Ashbrook High in Gastonia Monday.

His hiring was approved last night by the Gaston County School Board. Smith will start at his new job late July or early August.

Smith, the Lake Norman boys' tennis coach of the year after leading Hopewell to its second consecutive I-Meck title, had been at the helm of the Titan boys' tennis program for the last six seasons. Although he won't be coaching at Ashbrook, he said he hopes to stay involved in high school tennis through camps, private lessons and opportunities through the USTA and the Lake Norman Tennis Association.

Wildcats earn I-Meck's Wachovia Conference Cup

After winning titles in baseball, girls' track, girls' soccer and softball, Lake Norman claimed the Wachovia Conference Cup for the I-Meck 4A this year. Mallard Creek secured second place after winning the I-Meck's boys' track and field title.

The Wachovia Conference Cup is awarded to schools with the best overall interscholastic athletic performance in their conference. According to the N.C. High School Athletic Association, points are awarded based on participation and standings in conference play. Each conference determines its own method of awarding points.

Here are the complete I-Meck Wachovia Conference Cup standings:

1. Lake Norman -124

2. Mallard Creek - 103

3. Mooresville - 94

4. Hopewell - 92.5

5. Hough 91.5

6. North Mecklenburg - 85.5

7. Vance - 51

8. West Charlotte - 34.5

Mustangs claims SPC 1A/2A cup

East Lincoln beat out North Lincoln by two points to claim the Southern Piedmont 1A/2a Wachovia Conference Cup after winning the conference's baseball, girls' soccer and softball championships this spring.

These are the SPC Wachovia Conference Cup standings:

1. East Lincoln - 171

2. North Lincoln - 169

3. Lincolnton - 152

4. West Lincoln - 146

5. Highland Tech - 125

6. Cherryville - 115

7. Challenger 78

8 Bessemer City - 70