By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

High School OT has announced a list of 24 athletes who “defined” the Class of 2024 in North Carolina.

That’s an original concept that probably will be expanded to 25 who defined 2025 after the next school year. That elite list of 24 includes males and females, public schools and private schools, all sports, so it was a tough list to compile and a tough list to make.

When Juke Harris doesn’t make a list, it’s a tough list to make.

It’s not easy to compare a one-sport phenom such as East Rowan’s Cobb Hightower (No. 12 on the list) to a three-sport athlete such as West Rowan’s Emma Clarke, and it’s hard to compare a cross country runner to a lacrosse player, but HSOT did their research and took their best shot.

Clarke came in at No. 2 on the list of 24 and was deemed to be the state’s best female athlete.

That opinion concurs with the one already offered by the NCHSAA.

A Tennessee recruit, Clarke was a dominant softball player, arguably the state’s best non-pitcher and best hitter and one of the top sluggers (43 homers) in state history. Her staggering career softball stats were compiled despite a COVID-shortened freshman season and despite missing a number of early softball games annually due to basketball playoff runs.

In volleyball and basketball, Clarke competed at a slightly lower level, but it still was at an All-State level. She made three HSOT All-State softball teams and one each  in basketball and volleyball.

All three of Clarke’s West Rowan teams in four years of varsity competition were at least conference contenders. She was a conference and county player of the year in volleyball. She scored over 1,000 points and played on two 3A state champions in basketball.

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Here’s the list of Clarke’s accomplishments compiled by High School OT:

No. 2 — Emma Clarke, West Rowan

Clarke graduates as the ultimate three-sport athlete and the ultimate teammate. Softball was her best sport — there’s a reason she’ll be going to Tennessee on scholarship — but she played volleyball and girls basketball all four years and was a HSOT all-state selection in all three as a senior (a feat that hasn’t been done by anyone who didn’t run track and cross country). She won two state titles in basketball and West Rowan made playoff runs in all three sports. While some athletes might struggle to go from a star in one sport to a role player in others, Clarke was humble enough to play whatever part in order to win. West Rowan was an astounding 236-53-1 (81.6 win percentage) in her three sports over four seasons.

Emma Clarke by the numbers:

• NCHSAA Female Athlete of the Year (2024)

• HSOT Honors Female Athlete of the Year (2024)

• Made HSOT all-state team five times: three in softball (twice first team, once second team); once in basketball (third team); once in volleyball (third team)

• Tied for second all-time in NCHSAA history for career home runs (43) despite missing games each season with basketball

• Career W-L records: 72-21-1 (softball, 4 years), 88-12 (basketball, 4 years), 76-20 (volleyball, 4 years), 236-53-1 overall

• freshman year softball — .432 BA, 19 hits, 16 RBIs, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 5 HRs, 21 runs

• sophomore year softball — .575 BA, 42 hits, 54 RBIs, 8 doubles, 4 triples, 13 HRs, 39 runs

• junior year softball — .567 BA, 34 hits, 32 RBIs, 7 doubles, 4 triples, 10 HRs, 40 runs, 22 SBs

• senior year softball — .542 BA, 39 hits, 52 RBIs, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 15 HRs, 48 runs, 29 SBs

• softball career numbers (85 games) — .538 BA, 134 hits, 154 RBIs, 28 doubles, 12 triples, 43 HRs, 148 runs, 66 walks, 25 Ks, 72 SBs, .631 OBP, 1.265 SLG, 1.896 OPS

• freshman year volleyball — 72 kills (1.7/set), 28 blocks, 11 digs

• sophomore year volleyball — 206 (2.4/set), 13 aces, 85 blocks, 120 digs

• junior year volleyball — 245 kills (3.4/set, 47.9 kill%); 31 aces; 50 blocks; 118 digs (1.6/set, 4.7/match)

• senior year volleyball — 372 kills (4.7/set, 37.2 kill%, 23.8 hit%); 37 aces; 28 blocks; 311 digs (3.9/set, 13.0/match)

• volleyball career totals — 935 kills (3.2/set), 192 blocks, 621 digs (2.1/set)

• junior year basketball — 9.6 points per game

• senior year basketball — 13.5 points per game