3 all-conference players transfer to Carolina Day
ASHEVILLE - Six-time defending state champion Carolina Day’s chances for a seventh title have gone up exponentially.
Kasey Kidwell (Erwin), Dani Sweeney (Reynolds) and Maleeah Langstaff (Swain County) transferred at the start of this school year. They were each all-conference players for their former teams last basketball season.
“I love it here,” said Langstaff, who has reclassified as a junior.
“It’s such a big change, but a nice change. The system and the schedule are still new to me. I have to wake up at 5 a.m. and leave by 6:30 (to make the commute from Bryson City) but it’s been worth it.”
The three girls belong to the WNC Lady Royals AAU organization, which is headed up by Carolina Day coach Joe Carrington, but said there were academic and athletic considerations behind their moves.
Kidwell previously attended Carolina Day as a middle-school student.
“It was hard at first to leave Erwin, but I really like the teachers and the size of the classes here,” Kidwell said.
“And I couldn’t miss out on the chance to play with these girls one last time. We’re looking pretty good and everyone is working hard.”
Kidwell is a junior guard who averaged 11.0 per game last season, just under the outputs for Sweeney (12.2 ppg.) and Langstaff (12.6 ppg.).
Sweeney has reclassified and will be a sophomore forward at Carolina Day.
Her mother, Dawn, said the family originally moved here for Dallas.
"Dani is an AP student and wants to be a physician some day," Dawn Sweeney said.
"She wanted to go to Carolina Day originally. The school (Reynolds) she went to was nice, but she likes a smaller school better. She's doing all the work she needs to do, especially with her academics."
Under Carrington, the Wildcats have won a half-dozen NCISAA 2-A championships in a row. It is the longest-ever state championship streak in WNC basketball, public or private schools.
Seniors Halei Gillis and Ralene Kwiatkowski committed to Division I Fordham earlier this month.
ASHEVILLE - Six-time defending state champion Carolina Day’s chances for a seventh title have gone up exponentially.
Kasey Kidwell (Erwin), Dani Sweeney (Reynolds) and Maleeah Langstaff (Swain County) transferred at the start of this school year. They were each all-conference players for their former teams last basketball season.
“I love it here,” said Langstaff, who has reclassified as a junior.
“It’s such a big change, but a nice change. The system and the schedule are still new to me. I have to wake up at 5 a.m. and leave by 6:30 (to make the commute from Bryson City) but it’s been worth it.”
The three girls belong to the WNC Lady Royals AAU organization, which is headed up by Carolina Day coach Joe Carrington, but said there were academic and athletic considerations behind their moves.
Kidwell previously attended Carolina Day as a middle-school student.
“It was hard at first to leave Erwin, but I really like the teachers and the size of the classes here,” Kidwell said.
“And I couldn’t miss out on the chance to play with these girls one last time. We’re looking pretty good and everyone is working hard.”
Kidwell is a junior guard who averaged 11.0 per game last season, just under the outputs for Sweeney (12.2 ppg.) and Langstaff (12.6 ppg.).
Sweeney has reclassified and will be a sophomore forward at Carolina Day.
Her mother, Dawn, said the family originally moved here for Dallas.
"Dani is an AP student and wants to be a physician some day," Dawn Sweeney said.
"She wanted to go to Carolina Day originally. The school (Reynolds) she went to was nice, but she likes a smaller school better. She's doing all the work she needs to do, especially with her academics."
Under Carrington, the Wildcats have won a half-dozen NCISAA 2-A championships in a row. It is the longest-ever state championship streak in WNC basketball, public or private schools.
Seniors Halei Gillis and Ralene Kwiatkowski committed to Division I Fordham earlier this month.