A member of the Chapel Hill High School Class of 2013, Ryan Hegedus is one of those rare student-athletes who’s done well academically and athletically, and has made a positive impact on two superb varsity teams. CHHS basketball recently completed a 25-0 regular season and playoff run. The CHHS lacrosse team, which has appeared in seven state finals and won three N.C. championships in the last 11 years, started this season 5-1.

Height/weight: 6-1, 190

Parents: Tess and Eric Hegedus

Born/moved: Richmond, Va. / moved to Pittsburgh, then Durham before coming to Chapel Hill in middle school.

Sports: lacrosse / midfielder and basketball / guard-wing

Which sport is better? "That’s really tough. Basketball requires finesse and ball skills. Lacrosse let’s me run over a long field and hit people. … They’re more similar than a lot of people think, similar enough that after I’d played basketball I found it pretty easy to pick up lacrosse."

Early influences: Kevin Cassese, one of Duke’s most celebrated lacrosse players and a friend-patient of Eric Hegedus (captain of Bucknell’s basketball team before medical school). Cassese introduced Hegedus to the sport and showed him how to cradle the ball in his first, plastic stick. And former Blue Devil Jon Lantzey, one of the directors of Fusion Lacrosse’s club program.

High School Coaches: lacrosse — Bob Cappalletti (2009), Dave Klarrman (2011), Brent Voelkel (2012); basketball — Tod Morgan.

Favorite basketball memory: After beating league-leader Northern Vance in the last game of the 2010 regular season, a win CHHS needed to reach the playoffs. "Coach Morgan came into the locker room and just said, ’Guys, it looks like we’re dancing.’ And Jeremy Morrison jumped up and started dancing."

Favorite lacrosse memory: completing another undefeated season with the McDougle Middle School Mustangs. "That was a great run. And a lot of the guys from that team have gone on to do really well in lacrosse — like (CHHS captain) Stephen Winsor and (Carrboro captain) Jack Snyder."

One opinion of Hegedus: "Ryan is just great kid and great student-athlete. He’s really coachable and has great dedication. I honestly believe if I said to him, ’Go box out that wall over there,’ he’d go and take out the wall."