MISSION:  TO PROVIDE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCE A PRIDEFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL AND PREPARE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN LIFE.

AK SPORTS REPORT

(May 23-28, 2022)

It’s the last full week of May with only a couple of weeks remaining in the 2021-2022 school year.  AK Track & Field ended their season this weekend with some exciting State Championship performances!  Meanwhile, AK Women’s Soccer continues their State Playoff journey after two big victories last week.  If you didn’t get out to THE CASTLE last week to support the Lady Knights, they will be back @ Home Monday against Marvin Ridge.  We are also looking forward to Senior Awards Night this Wednesday to award our Student-Athlete of the Year awards and our AK Athletic Booster Club Scholarships.  Have a great week AK!

GO KNIGHTS!  PROTECT THE CASTLE!

SPRINGS SPORTS

• WOMEN’S SOCCER:  AK Women’s Soccer has advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCHSAA 4A State Playoffs after impressive victories over Porter Ridge in Round 1 (6-0) and South Meck in Round 2 (3-0).  The Lady Knights will be back @ Home for another big matchup in the 3rd Round against Marvin Ridge.  Thank you to all of AK Nation that have come out so far to support the team……..hope to see more of that same support this week to back our Lady Knights in their quest for a State Title run!

NCHSAA 4A STATE PLAYOFFS

• 5/23 – 3rd Round @ Home vs. Marvin Ridge – 7:00 PM
• 5/26 – 4th Round @ Home vs. TBD – 7:00 PM

• MEN’S & WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD:  AK Track & Field had their season culminate in the NCHSAA 4A State Championships at N.C. A&T over the weekend.  It was an exciting day for our Knights with some State Champion individual performances and a 3rd Place overall team finish for our Men’s team!
• Congrats to the Men’s team on taking 3rd Place overall in the 4A State Championships!  Leading the Knights was Xavier Branker, who completed the double with State Titles in both the 110m & 300m Hurdles!  Also with medal performances for the Knights were:  Patrick Gibbons (3rd Place - 1600m Run), Raghav Gopalakrishnan (4th Place - 3200m Run), and 4x200m Relay team of Jaysen Angulo, Xavier Branker, Michael Koepke and Jamier Moten (4th Place).  Other scoring performances were Jaysen Angulo (7th Place – 300m Hurdles).  Congrats to all on a great season Knights!
• Congratulations to Tyler Glover on winning the 4A State Championship in the Women’s Shot Put!  Tyler’s winning throw measured 42’1.5”  Also scoring points for the Lady Knights was the 4x800m Relay team of Taylor Fenton, Caitlin Peck, Julia Van Dine and Anna Wells with a 7th Place State finish.  Great season ladies!
• NCHSAA 4A State Championship Meet Results: https://nc.milesplit.com/meets/460509-nchsaa-4a-state-championship-2022/results#.YomOjajMI2w
  • SEASON COMPLETE
  • FUNDRAISER FOR NATIONALS:
    • It will be an exciting June for some of our track athletes as five of them head out to Oregon to compete in the Nike National Championships, held at the legendary Hayward Field Stadium.  This week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, during lunch, there will be an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a “Blakeney Basket” of gift cards, valued at $320.00.  Tickets will be $5 each or $20 for 5 tickets.  Cash and Venmo will be accepted.  Please consider helping out these athletes who have worked so hard this season.  Thank you!
    • This basket was made possible by the generous donations of the following businesses at Blakeney Shopping Center:
      • Shake Shack
      • Boem
      • Burtons
      • CHOPT
      • Brixx
      • 131 Main

IMPORTANT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Spring College Signing Period Ceremony
  • Congratulations to these 15 Senior Student-Athletes that were recognized at our last signing ceremony this past Wednesday for committing to continue their academic and athletic careers at the inter-collegiate level.
    • Emily Casey (Women's Soccer) - Francis Marion University
    • Jack Curtis (Football) - Carleton College
    • Jeremy Edmunds (Men's Golf) - LaGrange College
    • Riley Gibbons (Women's Track & Field) - UNC-Wilmington
    • Clarke Johnson (Cheerleading) - University of West Georgia
    • Kailey Keough (Volleyball) - University of Lynchburg
    • Megan Kluxen (Women's Lacrosse) - Ohio Wesleyan University
    • Michael Koepke (Men's Track & Field) - University of Virginia
    • Logan Mandell (Men's Soccer) - Maryville College
    • Jordann Nelson (Women's Basketball) - Johnson & Wales University
    • Caitlin Peck (Women's Track & Field) - UNC-Wilmington
    • Shea Smith (Women's Golf) - Radford University
    • Peter Thai (Cheerleading) - App. State University
    • Julia Van Dine (Women's Track & Field) - UNC-Pembroke
    • Haleigh Washington (Women's Track & Field) - Catawba College
  • This brings the total number of college signees from the AK Class of 2022 to 30…….see complete list here:  https://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/1493563-collegiate-athletic-signings

• Student-Athlete Scholarship Opportunities
  • Liz Murray Scholarship (sponsored by the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club) – ATTN Senior student-athletes, link provided below to apply.  The Hood Hargett Breakfast Club awards a monthly scholarship throughout the school year, with the first application deadline in early September.  Once your application is submitted, it will remain in the applicant pool for each month for the remainder of the school year.  AK has a strong history of winners…..let’s keep it going!  Click link below for the application and contact your head coach or the Athletic Director if any questions.
  • https://hoodhargettbreakfastclub.com/hhbc-scholarship-fund/liz-murray-scholarship-application/

• NFHS NETWORK
• Livestreamed sporting events are coming to THE CASTLE!  Ardrey Kell High School is thrilled to announce its partnership with the NFHS Network!  With stadium and gym capacity limitations, we are now able to provide you and your family access to all events held in our stadium and main gym through the NFHS Network from the safety and comfort of your home!  Please access the link below, subscribe to our channel, and select Ardrey Kell High School as your school of choice.
• https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/ardrey-kell-high-school-charlotte-nc
• By subscribing to the AKHS channel, you will not only gain access to ALL of our stadium and main gym events, you will also be able to access every sporting event nationwide that is streamed on the NFHS Network.  At AK you will be able to view Football, Basketball, Cheer, Volleyball, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Soccer, Track & Field and also Swimming (as cameras have also been installed at the two CMS pools) and any other event we host at THE CASTLE stadium and main gym!  A percentage of each subscription cost will return to AK Athletics to continue to provide support for our programs and student-athletes.

• Official Ardrey Kell On-line Spirit Wear Store
  • Visit the official on-line spirit wear store for the Ardrey Kell Knights and get decked out in some great gear to support your Knights for the upcoming season.  New gear for the 2021-2022 school year is now available and you can customize your gear with almost endless design options!  Visit the link below or click on the banner on our main athletic web-page on the CMSathleticzone site.
  • https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/north_carolina/charlotte/ardrey-kell-high-school

• 2021-2022 Head Coaches Contact Information
  • AK once again has the best coaching staff in North Carolina, full of driven professionals that are passionate about interscholastic athletics and care about the student-athletes they are privileged to serve.  Below is the link to our AK Coaching Info. page, with contact information for all AK Head Coaches
  • https://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/979728-ak-athletic-department-information

AK Corporate Partners

A special thank you to our AK Corporate Sponsors.  Your support helps AKHS provide the best interscholastic athletic experience for our deserving student-athletes!  Please thank the following area businesses and corporate sponsors for their commitment to Knights Athletics during the 2021-2022 school-year by supporting their businesses. 

MTB Mechanical

Cabo Fish Taco

No Joke Pizza

The White Group – Keller Williams Realty

Coca-Cola

Nothing But Noodles

True Craft Pizza at Stonecrest

Jersey Mike's at Stonecrest  

City BBQ

Tropical Smoothie

Domino’s

Sylvan Learning of Charlotte & Ballantyne

Qdoba Mexican Eats

BSN Sports

Wendy’s

Firebird’s Wood-Fired Grill

Chick-Fil-A at Blakeney

Hickory Tavern

Ballantyne Country Club

Atrium Health (for Head Athletic Trainer)

OrthoCarolina (for Asst. Athletic Trainer)

< >If you want to be an AK Athletic Booster Corporate Partner, please visit the following link to our Corporate Sponsorship page for all the information you’ll need to support our AK Athletic programs and student-athletes…….and be sure to check out our 2021-2022 Corporate Sponsors Kit!Corporate Sponsorship Web-page: http://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/1285298-corporate-sponsor-forms 2021-2022 Corporate Partners Kit:  https://cdn4.sportngin.com/attachments/document/4e9a-2495570/2021-2022_Corporate_Partners_Kit.pdf#_ga=2.93732189.1952764098.1629000323-1666742970.1552251839  

< >Don’t forget to follow us online at www.cmsathleticzone.com/ardreykell , on Twitter (@AKsportsinfo) and on Instagram (@ak_knights_athletics) for up-to-date and late breaking info. 

GO AK KNIGHTS!

Click on link below to view Spring 2022 Quarterly Edition of the Iron Knight Newsletter and be in the know on all the great things happening in the AK Strength & Conditioning Program!

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