County Sports

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: DANIEL LOVELACE DAVIS 🏈🔥

📍 Clayton High School | Class of 2028

Daniel Lovelace has already established himself as one of the top defensive backs in the state and is determined to keep climbing.

🏆 2025 All-Conference
🥈 NCHSAA State Championship Runner-Up

Although he has not yet received a college offer, Daniel is staying focused on what he can control—putting in the work every day and preparing for a breakout junior season.

College coaches should keep an eye on this rising defensive back as he looks to make a major impact this fall. 💪

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: TANNER GOLDIE ⚽🧤

📍 South Central High School

Tanner Goldie has been a wall in goal through his first two varsity seasons, already recording an impressive 624 career saves.

Tanner is continuing to work toward the next level and is looking to gain exposure with college programs. His consistency, determination, and ability to come up with big saves have made him a key piece for South Central, and he’s only getting better.

Keep an eye on Tanner as he continues to build an outstanding high school career. 👀

Our condolences go out to the Clark family and members of the Currituck community on the passing of Haven Clark. Praying for all 🙏.

Happy 4th of July to all. Athletes get this week off so have fun and enjoy your freedom… 😊

💥 THE RISING SOPHMORE SACK LEADERS.

These Class of 2029 rising sophomores made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks all season long, proving that age is just a number when it comes to dominating the line of scrimmage. As freshmen in 2025, they were already setting the tone, collapsing pockets, and making game-changing plays every Friday night.

🥇 Lawrence Muldrow Jr. (Mount Zion Christian Academy) — 15.0 sacks in just 9 games 🔥
The state’s sack king among freshmen. An incredible season that established him as one of North Carolina’s premier young defensive stars.

🥈 Zalik Cannady (Wilson Prep Academy) — 13.0 sacks in 14 games ⚡
Relentless pressure all year long. Cannady’s motor and physicality made him one of the most disruptive defenders in the state.

🥉 Whitton Butler (High Point Christian Academy) — 11.0 sacks in 12 games 🛡️
Double-digit sacks as a freshman is no small feat. Butler consistently found his way into opposing backfields and made his presence known every week.

👏 Shoutout to every athlete who earned a place among North Carolina’s top freshman sack leaders:

• Lawrence Muldrow Jr. – Mount Zion Christian Academy (15.0)
• Zalik Cannady – Wilson Prep Academy (13.0)
• Whitton Butler – High Point Christian Academy (11.0)
• Naiel Brooks – Hopewell (6.5)
• Marquavion Melvin – Union (6.0)
• Hosea Robinson – Thomasville (4.5)
• Curtis Brown – Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (4.0)
• Cayden Davis – Bunn (4.0)
• Caleb Thomas – Bear Grass Charter (4.0)
• Domenic Baker – Northwest Cabarrus (4.0)

The next wave of defensive stars is already here, and these underclassmen showed they can change games with one play. Keep your eyes on this group as they head into their sophomore campaigns.

🏐🔥 FUTURE NORTH CAROLINA VOLLEYBALL TALENT WATCH! 🔥🏐

A huge congratulations to every athlete who earned a spot on our County Sports Class of 2029 Blocks Leaders list for the 2025-26 season. These rising sophomores have already established themselves as some of the premier defensive forces in the state, and the future is incredibly bright.

👑 Leading the way:

🥇 Kelsey Fliss (Mooresville)
🔹 140 Blocks
🔹 1.5 Blocks Per Set
Kelsey dominated the net this season, separating herself from the field and proving to be one of North Carolina’s most impactful young defenders. An incredible freshman campaign that sets the stage for a huge sophomore year.

🥈 Kaitlyn Milstead (Thales Academy Apex)
🔹 110 Blocks
🔹 1.7 Blocks Per Set
Milstead posted the highest blocks-per-set average among the top three and was a constant presence at the net. Her timing, instincts, and consistency make her one of the state’s rising stars entering 2026.

🥉 Bristol Smith (East Rowan)
🔹 90 Blocks
🔹 0.9 Blocks Per Set
Smith rounds out the podium with a tremendous season of her own, showcasing toughness and reliability as a freshman while helping establish East Rowan’s defensive identity.

👏 Shoutout to every player who made this list:

🏐 Kelsey Fliss — 140 BLK (1.5 B/S)
🏐 Kaitlyn Milstead — 110 BLK (1.7 B/S)
🏐 Bristol Smith — 90 BLK (0.9 B/S)
🏐 Marissa Wright — 81 BLK (1.0 B/S)
🏐 Nikiya Parker — 79 BLK (1.2 B/S)
🏐 Addison Beam — 77 BLK (1.1 B/S)
🏐 Dayana Fumero — 74 BLK (1.2 B/S)
🏐 Kenzie Cragg — 72 BLK (1.0 B/S)
🏐 Nenye Awkwitti — 72 BLK (0.8 B/S)
🏐 Elissa Clifford — 69 BLK (0.7 B/S)

The Class of 2029 continues to prove that the next generation of North Carolina volleyball is loaded with talent. We wish all of these athletes tremendous success as they prepare for their sophomore seasons and look forward to watching them continue to elevate their games.

Keep protecting the net, keep working, and keep representing your schools with pride. The best is still ahead. 💪🏐