Best of Coastal Preps 2025 Results

December 31, 2025, 8:07 pm | by Tim Hower

Thank you to everyone who voted for the Best of Coastal Preps 2025 honors. A total of 665 votes were cast. Here are the final results.

Best Male Team of 2025

Fan Vote: Coastal Christian soccer

Completed a Cinderella run to the NCISAA 3A state title as the No. 6 seed by winning five playoff matches, including the final three on the road over the top three seeds. It was the program’s second state title, joining the 2019 team.

Tim’s Pick: Laney baseball

A year after going 10-14, the Buccaneers had a remarkable turnaround by finishing 25-7 and reaching the NCHSAA 4A State Championship Series. Laney went 13-1 in the difficult Mideastern Conference and outscored its opponents 209-110.

Final Results (548 votes)

Coastal Christian soccer: 184 votes (33.6%)

Laney baseball: 130 votes (23.7%)

Hoggard soccer: 107 votes (19.5%)

New Hanover basketball: 67 votes (12.2%)

Hoggard football: 60 votes (10.9%)

Best Female Team of 2025

Fan Vote: Ashley soccer

Continued its dynasty by advancing to the NCHSAA 4A State Championship for a third consecutive season. Ashley, which outscored its opponents 130-17, finished 22-3-2 overall and 12-2 in the Mideastern Conference.

Tim’s Pick: Hoggard tennis

A youth movement helped the Vikings reel off 20 consecutive victories and reach the dual team state championship for the first time in program history. The Vikings, who had four freshmen in the starting lineup, won 163 courts and lost only 21.

Final Results (515 votes)

Ashley soccer: 155 votes (30.1%)

Hoggard tennis: 131 votes (25.4%)

Wilmington Christian Academy cross country: 94 votes (18.3%)

Hoggard basketball: 92 votes (17.9%)

Cape Fear Academy cross country: 43 votes (8.3%)

Best Male Senior Season of 2025

Fan Vote: TJ Ziermann, Laney baseball

Had one of the greatest seasons of any area baseball player in recent history by hitting .449 (44-for-98) with nine doubles, six triples, seven home runs, 42 RBI, and 20 runs scored. On the mound, Ziermann went 9-1 with a 1.38 ERA and 124 strikeouts with only 29 walks in 75 2/3 innings.

Tim’s Pick: Clem Camacho, Ashley swimming

Won the NCHSAA 4A state title in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:37.57 and finished as the runner-up in the 100 butterfly with another season-best time of 47.78. Camacho had the fastest times in the area in the 50 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 200 IM, and 100 butterfly.

Final Results (549 votes)

TJ Ziermann, Laney baseball: 172 votes (31.3%)

Corban Cazier, Coastal Christian cross country: 163 votes (29.7%)

Clem Camacho, Ashley swimming: 78 votes (14.2%)

Dylan Lewis, Hoggard golf: 72 votes (13.1%)

Rodmik Allen, New Hanover basketball: 64 votes (11.7%)

Best Female Senior Season of 2025

Fan Vote: Hannah Grace, Coastal Christian track & field

Won a fourth consecutive NCISAA Division II state title in pole vault, while also finishing as the runner-up in high jump, long jump, and triple jump. Grace had the best marks in the area in all four events.

Tim’s Pick: Kina Davis, South Brunswick softball

Cemented her place as one of the area’s most dominant pitchers by going 16-3 with a 0.47 ERA and 260 strikeouts with only 12 walks in 120 innings. Davis struck out at least 10 batters in 17 of her 19 starts and recorded 15 or more on 10 occasions.

Final Results (523 votes)

Hannah Grace, Coastal Christian track & field: 207 votes (39.%)

Savannah Manset, Ashley soccer: 105 votes (20.1%)

Kina Davis, South Brunswick softball: 84 votes (16.1%)

Ay’Seante Ross, Laney wrestling: 68 votes (13%)

Mary Ryan Campbell, Cape Fear Academy volleyball: 59 votes (11.3%)

Best Male Junior Season of 2025

Fan Vote: Jason Sproull, Laney baseball

Hard-throwing righty finished 9-0 with a 1.65 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings. Sproull recorded at least 10 strikeouts in five games.

Tim’s Pick: Grayson Dill, Topsail cross country

Captured the NCHSAA 7A state title at Ivey Redmon Sports Complex by crossing the finish line in 15:32.15. Dill, who also won the 7A East Regional a week earlier, had the two fastest times in the area.

Final Results (514 votes)

Jason Sproull, Laney baseball: 191 votes (37.2%)

Jude Moulton, Hoggard wrestling: 118 votes (23%)

Riley Kiziah, Hoggard cross country: 111 votes (21.6%)

Grayson Dill, Topsail cross country: 94 votes (18.3%)

Best Female Junior Season of 2025

Fan Vote: Kieran Bradley, Ashley soccer

Led all area players with 41 goals to help the Screaming Eagles advance to the NCHSAA 4A State Championship for the third consecutive season. Bradley scored nine times in the playoffs.

Tim’s Pick: Kaylee Jarvis, West Brunswick swimming

Broke a pair of Brunswick County records in top-five performances at the NCHSAA 3A State Championship. Jarvis was fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:59.61) and fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:20.13).

Final Results (489 votes)

Kieran Bradley, Ashley soccer: 162 votes: (33.1%)

Tristan Shivers, Hoggard basketball: 126 votes (25.8%)

Kaylee Jarvis, West Brunswick swimming: 119 votes (24.3%)

Mia Medlin, Hoggard cross country: 82 votes (16.8%)

Best Male Sophomore Season of 2025

Fan Vote and Tim’s Pick: Carston Wedemeyer, Laney baseball

Hit .434 (43-for-99) with 16 stolen bases and 38 runs scored to help the Buccaneers reach the NCHSAA 4A State Championship Series. Wedemeyer was also one of the area’s top defensive outfielders.

Final Results (486 votes)

Carston Wedemeyer, Laney baseball: 233 votes (47.9%)

Graham McNeely, Hoggard football: 122 votes (25.1%)

Aengus Maxwell, Topsail lacrosse: 74 votes (15.2%)

Rico Mabberley, Topsail track & field: 57 votes (11.7%)

Best Female Sophomore Season of 2025

Fan Vote: Brielle Archer, Hoggard soccer

Scored 31 goals and dished out 18 assists to help the Vikings finish 22-2 and reach the NCHSAA 4A East final.

Tim’s Pick: Camden Reed, Hoggard lacrosse

Finished with 143 points by scoring 123 goals and dishing out 20 assists to become the first Vikings to surpass 140 points since Kendall Goldblum in 2017. Reed also won a team-best 123 draws.

Final Results (454 votes)

Brielle Archer, Hoggard soccer: 145 votes (31.9%)

Naomi Shanewise, Cape Fear Academy soccer: 111 votes (24.4%)

LaNesha Gause, Laney wrestling: 101 votes (22.2%)

Camden Reed, Hoggard lacrosse: 97 votes (21.4%)

Best Male Freshman Season of 2025

Fan Vote and Tim’s Pick: Trent Davies, Wilmington Christian Academy basketball

Helped the Patriots finish 18-11 (most wins since 2014-15) by averaging 19.9 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.5 steals. Davies shot 49 percent (184 of 379) from the field and 41 percent (83 of 203) from 3-point range.

Final Results (493 votes)

Trent Davies, Wilmington Christian Academy basketball: 178 votes (36.1%)

Luke Preston, Hoggard tennis: 153 votes (31%)

Wyatt Clewis, South Brunswick baseball: 90 votes (18.3%)

Jake Amiott, Topsail wrestling: 72 votes (14.6%)

Best Female Freshman Season of 2025

Fan Vote: Leighton Grant, Coastal Christian volleyball

In her first high school season, Grant put down 236 kills (2.4 per set). She also had 193 digs and 59 aces.

Tim’s Pick: Braelyn Roberson, Hoggard tennis

Helped the Vikings finish 20-1 and reach the NCHSAA 8A State Championship by going 16-2 in singles and 8-0 in doubles at the No. 1 position. Of the 33 singles sets she captured, 26 came by a score of 6-0 or 6-1.