J. Mike Blake

North Carolina

Teacher by day, Voice of HSOT Live 🎙️ by Friday night. ~20 📰✍🏻 awards. Pinestraw expert. *Unofficial* state record holder in 🏀&🎾. My NC HS count: 288. ✝️.

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Articles

No. 15 East Forsyth baseball wins 11th straight, eases by Davie County

2 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

FARMINGTON, N.C. — With two weeks left in the regular season, East Forsyth continues to play like one of the hottest teams in the state. They'll need to keep it up to finish the year strong against fellow Central Piedmont Conference powers Reagan and West Forsyth, but this week's series with Davie County gives no indication they're slowing down soon.
West Davidson girls soccer stays unbeaten, completes season sweep of Salisbury

2 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

TYRO, N.C. — West Davidson isn't used to giving up goals, which could mean that Wednesday's game against Salisbury was disorienting at times. The second meeting between the two Central Carolina Conference girls soccer teams had little in common with their first meeting, which was a easy and straightforward shutout. But the no one's shut off the Dragons' scoring spigot, and the goals are still flowing. West Davidson is still undefeated and untied on the year following an 8-2 win over Salisbury.
No. 7 Holly Springs fends off previously undefeated No. 9 Apex in girls lacrosse

2 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

APEX, N.C. — The fifth straight conference title isn't a lock yet for Holly Springs girls lacrosse, but the vision is getting less blurry. The No. 7 Golden Hawks won at previously unbeaten No. 9 Apex by a 13-11 score on Tuesday night, keeping Holly Springs atop the Southwest Wake Athletic Conference. Holly Springs (13-1, 6-0) has won the last four SWAC titles. Apex (11-1, 6-1) poses the biggest challenge on paper — and on the field too.
Girls soccer top 25: Wake Forest moves up to 10th in latest rankings

2 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

There are no new teams in this week's HighSchoolOT's girls soccer rankings, but there are some changes to the top 10. Ardrey Kell's back-to-back losses to unranked teams caused the Knights to fall to 16th. To get ready for the season, also visit the links below from our ongoing and previous girls soccer coverage.
Girls lacrosse top 25: Pinecrest slides up to 10th in latest rankings.

2 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

HighSchoolOT's girls lacrosse statewide rankings features no new teams after a quiet week. The biggest result was Charlotte Catholic's win over Charlotte Latin, causing a reording in the top 10.
No. 12 West Stokes routs Forbush baseball in six innings

3 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

FORBUSH, N.C. — West Stokes got up off the mat. Having just lost the night before, just its second time on the season, the Wildcats baseball team put it out of mind one hit at a time. And another hit at a time. And another. And another. No. 12 West Stokes rapped out 14 hits and had six batters with two base knocks, then got a two-hit shutout to defeat Forbush in nonconference action on Thursday night. Both teams entered the night 24 hours removed from losses to 4A teams.
The 2025 HighSchoolOT All-State Boys Wrestling Team

3 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

The fifth-annual HighSchoolOT boys wrestling all-state team features 45 wrestlers making a second, third, or fourth appearance on the team, including two that are now four-time selections (Cardinal Gibbons' Liam Hickey and Hough's Jackson Rowling). The all-state list features a first, second, and third team with two wrestlers per weight class, followed by 28 honorable mention wrestlers regardless of weight class.
No. 2 Ashley rallies by No. 11 Hoggard in state's biggest girls soccer rivalry

3 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

MYRTLE GROVE, N.C. — Call her Kieran "Big Game" Bradley. For the second time in her career, the junior scored a hat trick in one of the biggest girls soccer rivalries in the state. Once again, it was part of a Screaming Eagles win. This time, it only took nine minutes for the hat trick to take place. No. 2 Ashley, behind Bradley's three first-half goals, defeated No. 11 Hoggard by a 4-1 score on Tuesday.
The 2025 HighSchoolOT All-State Girls Wrestling Team

3 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

The second-annual HighSchoolOT girls wrestling all-state team features 28 wrestlers making a second appearance on the team, including four that are now a two-time first-team selections. The all-state list features a first and second team with two wrestlers per weight class, followed by 12 honorable mention wrestlers regardless of weight class.
Boys tennis midseason rankings: Green Hope still leads statewide top 25, 10 new teams join

3 weeks ago | highschoolot.com | J. Mike Blake

At the midseason point of the boys tennis 2025 season, Green Hope is still No. 1, but a lot else has changed. There are 10 new teams and three of them are in the top 10 — none higher than No. 4 Carmel Christian. The rankings will be updated twice more: the end of the regular season and the final rankings that follow the state championships.