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 a cool concept. That’s males and females, all sports, so it was a tough list to compile and a tough list to make.

It’s not easy to compare a one-sport phenom to a three-sport athlete, and it’s hard to compare a cross country runner to a lacrosse player, but HSOT did their research and took their best shot.

Salisbury’s Juke Harris finished a monumental 2,000-point basketball career, led the Hornets to the Final Four in 2A and signed with Wake Forest, but he didn’t make the list of 24. A number of male basketball players did. Salisbury AD Derek Butler recently was named HSOT Athletic Director of the Year, but Hornet fans won’t be pleased with this list.

East Rowan shortstop Cobb Hightower did make the list. He’s 12th out of 24. East Rowan fans, especially East baseball fans, will like the list.

Hightower’s list of accomplishments included a 3A state championship and several state player of the year accolades, besides the standard all-county and all-conference honors.

Hightower is credited with scoring more runs (156) than anyone in state history, which had to help him get on the elite list. After all, scoring runs is the object of the game. Hightower totaled 163 career hits, which ranks third in state history.

A third-round draft pick by San Diego, Hightower signed for $852,300, passing on a scholarship to UNC. The 19-year-old slugger started his professional career with a rookie-level team in Arizona on Thursday.

Hightower said he plans to invest most of the signing bonus. He said his only projected purchases for the immediate future will be in the area of shoes and clothes.

He’s been working out with fellow rookies at least four hours a day, on the diamond and in the weight room, as the team prepares to play games.

He loves the food in Arizona and tolerates the heat. It was 111 degrees In Peroia, Ariz., on Wednesday, so when he’s not playing ball, he’s inside, chilling with his phone, his video games and his new friends.

•••

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

No. 12 — Cobb Hightower, East Rowan

It was a dream year for Cobb Hightower. He went out a 3A state champion, a three-time first-team HSOT all-state selection, and ended up a professional baseball player. Hightower was committed to UNC but plans changed after the San Diego Padres drafted him 88th overall in the third round of the MLB Draft. He is the state record-holder in career runs (156) and third in hits (163). His four years at East Rowan were special, going 95-16 overall, winning the title as a senior, reaching the fourth round as a junior, third round as a sophomore, and the final 16 as a freshman.

Cobb Hightower by the numbers:

• MLB Draft pick

• Three-time HSOT all-state selection (all first team)

• Coaches Association’s 4A POTY (2024)

• Career W-L: 95-16 (34-2 as a senior)

• 3A state champion as a senior

• NCHSAA record holder for career runs (156); third all-time in hits (163)

• freshman year (15 games) — .380 BA, 19 hits, 6 RBIs, 3 doubles, 15 runs

• sophomore year — .429 BA, 45 hits, 25 RBIs, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HRs, 35 runs

• junior year — .515 BA, 51 hits, 44 RBIs, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HRs, 44 runs

• senior year — .462 BA, 48 hits, 48 RBIs, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 9 HRs, 62 runs

• career totals — .455 BA, 163 hits, 123 RBIs, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 17 HRs, 156 runs, 55 stolen bases