April 2006 archives

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Sunday, April 30, 2006

Lawson selected No. 22 by 49ers

Manny Lawson once said he started playing football simply because he was curious about how far the game would take him. Turns out, it has taken him all the way to San Francisco. Lawson, an All-ACC defensive end at North...

Lancaster no-hits Hunt

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock coach David West noticed his team's increased energy going into Friday's showdown at home against Wilson Hunt for the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference lead. One player, junior pitcher Julia Lancaster, remained as usual, cool...

Davis, Aycock blank Hunt

PIKEVILLE -- Garrett Davis provided his sharpest pitching performance of the season and Charles B. Aycock moved one step closer to achieving supremacy on the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference baseball scene Friday evening. Davis tossed a two-hit gem over...

Hinson leads Saints past Kinston

DUDLEY -- After a workman-like, 4-0 victory over Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference foe Kinston Friday night, Southern Wayne coach Trae McKee was obviously pleased with the win. He was also cautiously optimistic that his team would not overlook a...

Wayne Christian wins CCC baseball title

Wayne Christian finished 8-0 in the Carolina Christian 1-A Conference with a huge 5-2 victory over previously unbeaten Village Christian on Friday afternoon. The Eagles, who concluded the regular season 12-3 overall, bounced back from an early 1-0 deficit by...

Lady Eagles top Village Christian

Traci Davis went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, plus struck out nine on the mound as No. 2 state-ranked Wayne Christian upended No. 5-ranked Village Christian 4-2 in Friday's regular season finale. The Lady Eagles (15-1, 5-1 Carolina...

Local Sports digest

DUDLEY -- Rachel Reynolds drove in the game-winning run as Southern Wayne nipped Kinston 1-0 on the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference softball scene Friday evening. Alyssa Bradshaw slapped a lead-off double in the sixth and moved to third on...

Outdoors Ñ Bluefish showing up along central coast

Some "nice bluefish" have been taken by folks fishing in Beaufort Inlet -- trolling and fly-casting. And according to the Division of Marine Fisheries report, red drum fishing has been good around Bear Island. The big thing on the Crystal...

Friday, April 28, 2006

ECC women's soccer pairings announced; Warrior men's tennis wins ECC crown

Athletics directors from the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference met Thursday to determined postseason proceedings for women's soccer and men's tennis. Southern Wayne, which has battled injuries and sickness all season, withdrew from the soccer tournament which is slated to...

Mount Olive College athletes honored in year-end banquet

MOUNT OLIVE -- Women's golfer Lindsey Snyder was named Female Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row and women's volleyball player Heidi Busch became a two-time Outstanding Female Student-Athlete of the Year winner as the...

Trojan baseball climbs to No. 23 in Division II poll

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive earned its highest national ranking of the year, jumping six spots to No. 23 in this week's Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30. The ranking is the Trojans' highest since peaking at No. 15 in...

Mount Olive College posts highest-ever finish in Hawn Cup standings

Mount Olive earned its highest-ever finish in the 2005-06 Joby Hawn Cup standings, tying for third place with 83 points, only two points out of second place. Hawn Cup points are awarded for each team's finish in the regular season...

K-Tribe rained out

The Kinston Indians canceled Thursday night's series finale with Lynchburg due to heavy rain and poor weather conditions. The game will be rescheduled for a later date during the schedule when Lynchburg (8-10) returns to Grainger Stadium. The K-Tribe (13-6)...

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Manny Lawson - Glad to be home

News-Argus/Mitch Loeber Manny Lawson addresses Eastern Wayne students Wednesday afternoon as he holds his retired No. 88 Warriors football jersey. Also shown holding Manny's white No. 88 jersey is Eastern Wayne football coach Jeff Price. For more information see...

Manny Lawson's jersey retired at EW

By the end of the day on Saturday, one NFL team will likely make Eastern Wayne graduate Manny Lawson instantly wealthy by selecting him in the 2006 Draft. After spending four hours at his alma-mater on Wednesday afternoon, he left...

Rosewood soccer keeps on rolling

North Johnston's senior class has never beaten Rosewood. Two Eagle seniors made sure the trend continued on a miserably wet and breezy Wednesday evening at Branch Pope Field. Erin Thibodeau and Stephanie Behrend combined for two goals and two assists...

Local sports digest

KINSTON -- Eastern Wayne's Natalie Taylor tallied a natural hat trick (three straight goals) in the first 13 minutes as the Warriors claimed a 6-0 win at Kinston on Wednesday. The game was called at halftime due to inclement weather....

K-Tribe falls in 11 a.m. contest

KINSTON -- The Kinston Indians bats could not wake up on Wednesday morning as the Lynchburg Hillcats defeated the K-Tribe 2-1. The game started at 11 a.m. for Middle School Day, where local school kids from around the area came...

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Chargers get revenge over RHS

Earlier this year, Rosewood erupted for six runs in the last two innings to upset state-ranked Ayden-Grifton in extra innings in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference opener for both teams. On Tuesday at the Eagles' field, the Chargers got redemption...

High School Baseball - Ayden-Grifton 8, Rosewood 5

News-Argus/Mitch Loeber After getting into a pickle, Rosewood's Taylor Allen is tagged out by Ayden-Grifton catcher Tyler Dunn during Tuesday night's game. For more information see Chargers get revenge over RHS....

North Duplin splits Carolina twinbill

KENLY -- North Duplin came within one ground ball of claiming sole possession of first place in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference softball ranks Tuesday afternoon. North Johnston refused to let that happen. The Panthers capitalized on two seventh-inning infield...

Princeton tops Spring Creek

SEVEN SPRINGS -- League-leading Princeton added another weapon to its arsenal in the Bulldogs' 12-0 Carolina 1-A Conference victory over Spring Creek on Tuesday night. Junior Dustin Pate, making his first start of the year on the mound, threw a...

Local sports digest

WILSON -- Freshman infielder John Wooten doubled and drove in three runs as Eastern Wayne humbled Wilson Hunt 10-0 in a Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference encounter Tuesday evening. Wooten concluded the day 4-for-4 in the Warriors' 17-hit attack. Joey...

Sports briefs

MLB Pitch, Hit and Run Competition The Northeast Athletic Association will host a free Pepsi Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run competition for area youth on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. at Northeast Elementary. The competition is open to...

K-Tribe beats Lynchburg

KINSTON -- It was a home run derby at Grainger Stadium on Tuesday night as Lynchburg and Kinston hit a total of six homers, with the K-Tribe holding on to a 6-5 victory over the Hillcats. The Hillcats started the...

Smokies blank Mudcats

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Micah Owings pitched six shutout innings and delivered a key two-run double in sixth inning uprising as Tennessee blanked Carolina 6-0 at Smokies Park on Tuesday night. Owings, the Diamondbacks' third-round pick in last year's draft from...

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Another Trojan conquest

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Pitcher Donald Huff holds up his Mount Olive jersey as teammates swarm in after the Trojans won the CVAC title on Monday afternoon. For more information see MOC takes CVAC baseball tourney....

MOC takes CVAC baseball tourney

WILSON -- An at-large selection? Not by a longshot. Mount Olive College erased any postseason doubts with an impressive -- and phenomenal -- performance Monday afternoon against Limestone (S.C.) College on the historic Fleming Stadium diamond. The Trojans (39-12) cranked...

MOC's Nordan named tourney MVP

WILSON -- Mount Olive College third baseman Stephen Nordan didn't think twice about not earning all-Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference honors this season in baseball. He agreed that Erskine's Robbie Knapp and Barton's Eric McInerny -- both seniors -- deserved first- and...

Oh, what a feeling for Trojans

A historic day. There's no other way to describe Mount Olive College's impressive finale in the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference baseball tournament Monday afternoon. The Trojans simply wanted the distinction of earning the league's first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA...

CVAC All-Tournament team

2006 CVAC All-Tournament Team Mount Olive Stephen Nordan, MVP David Cooper Dustin Richardson Paul Buhrow Daniel Wood Limestone Kevin Pucetas David Wise Rob Bouknight Pfeiffer Mike McClain Belmont Abbey Alex Udwari...

Eastern Wayne posts seventh ECC shutout

When the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference tournament starts next week for Eastern Wayne, the host Warriors should enter the event with plenty of confidence. After a 2-0 shutout win over Charles B. Aycock on Monday, Eastern Wayne not only...

Local sports digest

RHS soccer improves to 14-1 SEVEN SPRINGS -- Rosewood erupted for six goals in the first half and cruised to a 10-1 win at Spring Creek on Monday in Classes 2-A Eastern Plains/1-A Carolina Conference action. In a balanced scoring...

Henderson named CUSA hitter of week

IRVING, Texas -- East Carolina freshman outfielder Brandon Henderson was named Conference USA Hitter-of-the-Week announced by league officials Monday. The announcement marks the third time this season a Pirate has earned the weekly honors, following Jake Smith and Brody Taylor....

Grand slam propels K-Tribe

KINSTON -- Wyatt Toregas hit a grand slam with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to send Kinston to the clubhouse with a 5-1 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Monday night at Grainger Stadium. The dramatic...

Mudcats lose to Tennessee

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Alberto Gonzalez laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 game leading Tennessee to a 3-1 victory over Carolina at Smokies Park on Monday night. Tennessee (8-11), which won for...

Monday, April 24, 2006

MOC baseball headed to CVAC title game

WILSON -- The string of zeros across the scoreboard didn't bother Paul Buhrow. He knew, sooner or later, his Mount Olive College teammates would produce offensively. And he was right. Dustin Richardson cranked a sixth-inning home run and ignited a...

College baseball

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Mount Olive pitcher Philip Pennington got the win against Erskine. The Trojans then went on to beat Pfeiffer later Sunday afternoon to advance to today's CVAC finals. For more information see MOC baseball headed to CVAC title...

MOC softball finishes season at 26-30

CONCORD -- No. 9 seed Mount Olive rallied from a three-run deficit to take a late one-run lead, but sixth-seeded Lees-McRae came back to defeat the Trojans 5-4 in an elimination-round game in the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Softball Tournament...

Jenny Jackson hurls shutout for WCU

GREENSBORO -- Western Carolina won both games of a Southern Conference softball doubleheader over UNC Greensboro on Sunday to complete the three-game weekend sweep at UNCG Softball Stadium. The Catamounts held on for the 5-4 win in game one despite...

ECU baseball suffers home loss

GREENVILLE -- Chris Koutsavlis tossed his third complete game of the season helping Marshall to a 5-3 win over East Carolina Sunday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Marshall (17-19, 5-10) plated the go ahead runs in the seventh when Brendan Murphy...

Balk sends Smokies past Mudcats

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- An eighth-inning balk forced home the go-ahead run as Tennessee edged Carolina 2-1 at Smokies Park on Sunday afternoon. Mudcats reliever Matt Yourkin entered the game with runners at first and third with one out in a...

Sunday, April 23, 2006

MOC -- Rain dampens CVAC tourney

WILSON -- Rain associated with thunderstorms which saturated eastern North Carolina suspended play in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference baseball tournament Saturday. Third-seeded Mount Olive College led Erskine (S.C.) College 9-5 when officials halted play due to lightning. A steady rainfall...

Rosewood wins championship

PRINCETON -- Rosewood baseball coach Josh Smith talked to his team before the 2006 Deacon Jones Invitational about heart, determination and stepping up. Senior Kevin Shanle answered the call, collecting three hits in four at-bats after going 2-for-4 the previous...

K-Tribe falls to Myrtle Beach in 10 innings

KINSTON -- A bases-loaded walk in the top of the 10th inning pushed the winning run across the plate for Myrtle Beach as the Pelicans beat the K-Tribe 5-4 Saturday night at Grainger Stadium. Kinston tied the score at four...

One up, one down for Lady Trojans

CONCORD -- Rain swashed out an entire day's worth of games as the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball tournaments was halted Saturday. All of Saturday's play was postponed due to rain, lightning and wet grounds. The tournament will be...

Seven Trojans on All-CVAC team

MOUNT OLIVE -- Jesse Lancaster was named Freshman of the Year and Mount Olive placed seven players on the all-conference teams as the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Baseball awards were announced Friday at Wilson, N.C., site of the CVAC Tournament....

Snyder sets MOC record

One day after tying a school record for the lowest round, Lindsey Snyder established a new record with a 75 in the final round of the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Women's Golf Championship. Snyder tied for third out of...

Goldsboro native gets promotion at UNCW

WILMINGTON -- Goldsboro native Sandy Williford-Morrison, who has served as the top academic adviser for UNC Wilmington's 350 student-athletes for the past six years, has been promoted to assistant athletic director for academics. Williford-Morrison, who graduated from Goldsboro in...

ECU baseball team rallies again

GREENVILLE -- Ryan Tousley's two-run double to left field gave East Carolina its second consecutive come-from-behind win as the Pirates defeated Marshall 10-9 Saturday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Trailing 9-7 with two outs in the ninth, the Pirates (27-14, 6-5)...

Southen Wayne upends Hawks/Prep roundup

LaGRANGE -- Southern Wayne turned in a flawless defensive performance and upended state-ranked North Lenoir 5-1 on the softball diamond Friday evening. Lindsay Pearsall led the Saints, who committed five errors in a Thursday loss against South Lenoir, with three...

Mudcats blanked by Tennessee

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Two Carolina errors led to a pair of rain-soaked Tennessee runs in the last of the fourth as the Smokies defeated the Mudcats 2-0 at Smokies Park on Friday night. Ryan Bear saw a routine grounder roll...

Duke has spring football game

DURHAM, N.C. -- Tailback Re'quan Boyette's eight-yard touchdown run highlighted Duke's spring game on Saturday afternoon at Wallace Wade Stadium as the Blue Devil offense edged the defense, 38-37. The 35-play scrimmage utilized a scoring system that allowed both sides...

Early turkey season proposal shot down

Forget about that early 2007 turkey season for six southeastern counties. Last month, at the request of the Wildlife commissioner from that area, the commission approved a season beginning the first Saturday in April, 2007, for Robeson, Bladen, Pender, New...

Wayne NRA Banquet scheduled for May 2

The Wayne County Friends of NRA Banquet is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, at the Wayne Shriners' Club on U.S. 117-A at Brogden, beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 and include a steak dinner, an auction, and special...

Friday, April 21, 2006

Carolina League baseball

Photos courtesy Carl Hine Myrtle Beach infielder Van Pope (8) argues which Kinston baserunner should be out as the K-Tribe's Argenis Reyes, left, and Brian Finegan look on during the first inning on Thursday's game. The Carolina League is...

Deacon Jones Invitational - Rosewood, Cary Academy each claim 9-inning victory

PRINCETON -- The Rosewood-Princeton baseball rivalry will have to wait a few weeks before it is renewed. The Eagles defeated Spring Creek, 3-2 in nine innings on Thursday and advanced to the championship game of the Deacon Jones Invitational at...

Defense lets Southern Wayne down

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne pitcher Lauren Darden needed a brief escape from softball and took head coach Brad Matthews advice -- no pitching -- for four days during Spring Break. The layoff helped. Darden threw strikes and allowed once-beaten South...

Price throws five-hitter for C.B. Aycock

VANCEBORO -- A week-long layoff and disheartening news about a teammate didn't deter state-ranked Charles B. Aycock from claiming its ninth consecutive win Thursday evening. Brandon Price threw a five-hit gem and lifted the Golden Falcons to a 9-2, non-conference...

Snyder earns all-CVAC honors in women's golf

MOUNT OLIVE -- For the first time in Mount Olive women's golf history, the Trojans captured two all-conference selections with Lindsey Snyder on the first team and Kate Somek earning honorable mention as the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Women's Golf...

K-Tribe pounds Pelicans 15-5

KINSTON -- The K-Tribe offense woke up Thursday night as Kinston mashed 17 hits en route to a 15-5 victory over Myrtle Beach at Grainger Stadium. The Indians, who came into the contest with a league-worst .229 batting average, had...

Thursday, April 20, 2006

College Softball - Lady Trojans gearing up for postseason

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Mount Olive pitchers, from left, Krystal Bourne, Shauna Cowdrey and Christine Ermer have helped pitch the Lady Trojans to a 25-win season this year. For more information see MOC softball trio making their mark....

MOC baseball eyeing automatic NCAA berth

MOUNT OLIVE -- No clear-cut favorite. Veteran Mount Olive College baseball coach Carl Lancaster offered that simple summation when asked to pick a winner for this weekend's season-ending Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference tournament. Lancaster thinks his Trojans have a chance. So...

MOC softball trio making their mark

Mount Olive's three pitchers are about as different as they come. Two are from the big state of California, while the other is from a town off the coast of South Carolina. One throws hard, one's an off-speed pitcher and...

Saints win Beach Diamond tourney

SHALLOTTE -- The third time was indeed the charm for Southern Wayne's baseball team at the Beach Diamond Invitational. In their third appearance in the three-day Easter tournament at West Brunswick High School, the Saints captured the title after a...

Lady Trojans open up against Erskine

Heading into this weekend's conference tournament, Mount Olive head softball coach Jaime Kylis-Higginbotham says her team needs to follow the direction of the title of a popular 80s song. Relax. No. 9 seed Mount Olive takes on No. 8 Erskine...

Snyder to compete in collegiate finale

Mount Olive senior women's golfer and Eastern Wayne High School graduate Lindsey Snyder will play in her final collegiate tournament this weekend. And at this year's conference tournament, she'll get to compete for an individual and a team championship. Mount...

MOC men's golf start CVAC tourney today

Mount Olive begins play today in the first round of the 2006 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Men's Golf Tournament. Make that the first round and a half. The 54-hole tournament will be played in two days -- 27 holes per day...

K-Tribe loses to Rocks

WILMINGTON, Del. -- The Wilmington Blue Rocks upended Kinston 7-2 Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium. The Indians got off to a fast start when a Stephen Head double in the first inning scored Brian Finegan and Trevor Crowe. The runs...

Mudcats suffer home loss

ZEBULON -- The Jacksonville Suns rode 15 hits, including back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning to defeat the Carolina Mudcats 9-1 at Five County Stadium on Wednesday night. The Suns (7-7) evened the series at two when Matt Kemp...

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

High School baseball

The Free Press/Charles Buchanan Eastern Wayne's Terrill Boseman dives for second base as Kinston's Heinz Guttenberger awaits the throw. Eight different Eastern Wayne (7-11) players had hits, led by Michael Mintz (3-3), Walker Gourley (2-4, 2 RBIs) and Jackson...

Warriors snap four-game skid

KINSTON -- A little "chalk talk" on Monday afternoon seemed to go a long way in helping Eastern Wayne claim an 8-5 win over Kinston on Tuesday afternoon at Grainger Stadium in both team's finales in the George Whitfield Invitational....

Local sports digest

Winders doubles twice, hits grand slam for Faith Christian GREENVILLE -- Rusty Winders doubled twice, belted his first-ever grand slam home run and finished with nine RBI in Faith Christian's 23-6 victory over N.C. Christian Schools Association Class 2-A Coastal...

Cooper, Buhrow garner CVAC accolades

THOMASVILLE -- David Cooper of Mount Olive has been selected as the NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Baseball Player of the Week. Cooper hit safely in all six games last week, including a 4-for-4, four RBI performance in Mount...

Trojan netters cap regular season with victories at Banner Elk

BANNER ELK -- The Mount Olive men's and women's tennis teams capped their regular season on a winning note as the Trojans posted a pair of 9-0 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference victories over Lees-McRae on Tuesday. The men's team improves to...

K-Tribe claims 13-inning thriller

WILMINGTON, Del. -- A bases-loaded double in the top of the 13th inning by Kinston's Jordan Brown broke a 3-3 tie and pushed the K-Tribe to a 5-3 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Tuesday night. Scott Roehl (2-0)...

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Warriors shut out again

KINSTON -- On a mid-April afternoon that felt more like mid-July, Eastern Wayne right-hander Tyler Ham endured the heat on the mound and actually got stronger as the Warriors' game against Watauga went into the late innings. However, much like...

High School Baseball

News-Argus/Mitch Loeber Eastern Wayne's Joey Moye is out at third as Watauga's Ethan Moyer applies the tag during Monday's George Whitfield Invitational contest in Kinston. For more information see Warriors shut out again....

Prep roundup - Saints open tourney with win

SHALLOTTE -- Southern Wayne's baseball team opened up the three-day Touchstone Energy Beach Diamond Invitational with an 11-2 win on Monday over North Brunswick at West Brunswick High School. David Combs led the Saints' nine-hit attack with three hits, including...

MOC ranked No. 29 in national baseball rankings

Mount Olive is in the national rankings for the second time this season, placing in a four-way tie at No. 29 in this week's Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30, it was announced Monday. The Trojans were also ranked No....

K-Tribe shut out by Blue Rocks

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Kinston managed just four hits as the Wilmington Blue Rocks shut out the visiting Indians 5-0 on Monday night at Frawley Stadium. It was the first time K-Tribe was blanked this season. The Blue Rocks started their...

Jacksonville beats Mudcats 6-3

ZEBULON -- The Jacksonville Suns batted around in the top of the ninth inning, thanks to just one hit and four walks to defeat the Carolina Mudcats 6-3 at Five County Stadium on Tuesday night. Carolina (5-7) took a 3-2...

Monday, April 17, 2006

Dustin Sasser - Giving it his all

Learning how to deal with a tough outing is just as important as handling success for pitchers at any level. Sometimes fastballs miss their spots, curveballs hang in the strike zone and hitters make you pay. East Carolina University left-hander...

Kinston takes advantage of Hog miscues

KINSTON -- An error by Winston-Salem's shortstop in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed the K-Tribe's Brian Barton to score from third, sending the Indians to a 3-2 victory Sunday at Grainger Stadium. Brandon Pinckney hit a hard ground...

Witter leads ECU to sweep of Albany

GREENVILLE -- Adam Witter's three hit and six RBI performance at the plate, which included his second career grand slam, paced the Pirates to their sixth consecutive win and its third series sweep of the season as East Carolina defeated...

Mudcats win home opener

ZEBULON -- Lee Mitchell hit home runs in his first two at-bats at Five County Stadium as Carolina won its home opener 3-2 over Jacksonville on Easter Sunday afternoon before 4,103 fans. Mitchell's first blast cleared the center field wall...

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Gruca is MOC's senior statesman

Mount Olive College softball coach Jamie Kylis-Higginbotham knows a good player when she sees one. Even if she sees that player on video or remembers her from a camp she worked three years ago. That's why Higginbotham was thrilled to...

Trojans secure No. 3 seed in CVAC tourney

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- David Cooper went 4-for-4 with four runs batted in, including a two-run triple with two outs in the top of the eighth inning as Mount Olive defeated Limestone 14-10 in the two teams' Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference...

Indians get back to their winning ways

KINSTON -- The Kinston Indians got back on the winning track with a 5-0 shutout victory over visiting Winston-Salem on Saturday night at Grainger Stadium. K-Tribe third baseman Matt Whitney got the scoring going in the second inning with a...

Eastern Wayne gets just one hit in lopsided loss

KINSTON -- Mama said there would be days like this. Right-handers Zach Furl and Casey Collins combined for a one-hitter as Lee County shut out Eastern Wayne 10-0 Saturday in opening-round play of the inaugural George Whitfield Invitational. Furl yielded...

ECU gets offensive, whips up on Albany

GREENVILLE -- Jake Smith's two-out bases clearing double in the fourth inning put East Carolina ahead for good as the Pirates defeated Albany 16-5 Friday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Smith was one of six Pirates (23-13) to collect multiple hits...

Controvery at annual Kiwanis Greater Goldsboro Road Run

The News-Argus The 28th annual Sunrise Kiwanis Greater Goldsboro Road Run -- featuring a 10K, 5K run, 5K walk and one-mile fun run -- was held downtown last Saturday. Out of 24 runners, Goldsboro native Michael Scott won the 10K...

Striped bass season extended one week

A week extension of the striped bass season in the lower Roanoke River has been announced by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The extension through April 22 was based on lower than expected catches of stripers into the river because of...

Local sports digest

Greene Central roughs up Parrott KINSTON -- Greene Central's Hunter Chase had three hits and led a balanced Rams' attack in a 12-2 win over Parrott Academy at the George Whifield Easter Tournament at Kinston High School Saturday morning. Greene...

Friday, April 14, 2006

It's a slam dunk - ACC stars wow sellout crowd at Wayne Country Day

Many of the spectators wore Wolfpack red and Carolina or Duke blue. But on this night, they were all rooting for the same team -- and same cause. Some of the top seniors from around the Atlantic Coast Conference were...

State-ranked C.B. Aycock drills four HRs

PIKEVILLE -- Both with three non-conference games around spring break, Charles B. Aycock and Spring Creek have hopes of using these contests as a springboard into the second half of their league schedules. The scoreboard may look like only one...

Crowe, Best combine to lift Chargers past RMA

Wayne Country Day's Georgia Crowe and Virginia Best scored two goals in merely three minutes as the Chargers claimed a 3-2 win at home over Rocky Mount Academy on Thursday afternoon. WCDS (8-5 overall) improved to 4-2 in the Coastal...

WCDS netters struggle on match point

Wayne Country Day came agonizingly close to knocking off Rocky Mount Academy on Thursday afternoon, but couldn't convert three critical match points. The Eagles fended off those match points, including two in singles play, and turned back the Chargers 7-2...

Eastern Wayne men's tennis team closer to ECC title

WILSON -- The magic number is one. Eastern Wayne moved within one victory of claiming its first-ever Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference men's regular-season tennis championship after defeating Wilson Beddingfield 9-0 on Thursday. The Warriors (11-2) remained perfect in eight...

K-Tribe collects sixth consecutive victory

KINSTON -- The Kinston Indians just can't lose. The Indians completed a four-game sweep of Wilmington, winning their sixth game in a row with a 4-1 victory over the Blue Rocks on Thursday night. Starting pitcher Scott Lewis gave up...

Thursday, April 13, 2006

College Softball

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Mount Olive shortstop Melissa Bright tries to turn a double play against Francis Marion as second baseman Coleen Thomas watches. Shown for the Pats is Tatjana Slawson. For more information see XXX.-->...

MOC softball - What a comeback

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Lady Trojans heard the critics -- and they proved them wrong. After losing the opener 13-1 to regionally ranked Francis Marion, Mount Olive rallied to score four runs in the final two innings of the nightcap...

SW baseball

DUDLEY -- "Frustrating." That's all David Combs could say about Southern Wayne's 14-10 non-conference loss to West Johnston in 10 innings on Wednesday. After a rocky start both offensively and in right field early in the game, Combs jogged to...

K-Tribe wins again

The Kinston Indians won their fifth game in a row, slipping by the Wilmington Blue Rocks 3-1 at Grainger Stadium on Wednesday night. Kinston starter Sean Smith (1-1) picked up his first victory of the season, giving up one run...

CBA soccer

PIKEVILLE -- Despite missing two key starters due to a school-related trip overseas, the Charles B. Aycock women's soccer team turned in a solid 80-minute effort against Wilson Hunt on Wednesday afternoon. However, the absence of Lizzie Sodoma and Abby...

da Mudcats

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- A four-run fifth inning propelled Chattanooga past Carolina on Wednesday afternoon at Bell South Park. The Mudcats squandered a two-run lead for the second straight game, falling one game under .500 on their 10-game, season-opening road trip....

Local sports digest

Spring Creek's Stephen Warren and North Johnston's Tyler Grady shot a 70 to tie for medalist honors in a tightly-contested Class 1-A Carolina Conference match on Wednesday at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course. Princeton finished with a team score of 315...

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

College baseball

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Mount Olive second baseball Anthony Williams puts the tag on a Catawba baserunner during Tuesday afternoon's twinbill. For more information see MOC sweeps No. 4 Catawba....

Saints easily beat EW

Getting over a loss, especially against a county rival, isn't an easy task. It's even more difficult when you put together a game-tying rally in the seventh inning and lose on a walk-off home run. Southern Wayne needed a couple...

Bulldogs' bats overcome errors at Rosewood

Princeton's normally sound defense proved to be its biggest flaw on Tuesday at Rosewood as the visitors committed a whopping, nine errors. While the glove work may have been a disappointment, the Bulldogs' bats more than made up for the...

ACC stars coming to WCDS

We've watched these guys play ball on TV for years. On Thursday night, they're coming to the Wayne Country Day gymnasium to play some hoops. A handful of top seniors from around the Atlantic Coast Conference will be taking on...

Local sports digest

Davis tosses no-hitter for Ayccok PIKEVILLE -- Junior right-hander Garrett Davis collected the first no-hitter of his varsity career in Charles B. Aycock's 10-0 conquest of Wilson Beddingfield in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference play Tuesday evening. Davis, who remained...

MOC sweeps No. 4 Catawba

MOUNT OLIVE -- During his baseball career, Mount Olive pitching coach Aaron Akin advanced to Double-A within the Florida Marlins' organization. When it comes to pitching, he knows what he's talking about. But he never knows when his pitchers are...

K-Tribe wins fourth straight

The Kinston Indians used strong pitching performances by starter Joe Ness and reliever Scott Roehl as the K-Tribe won their fourth straight game Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium. Roehl (1-0), picked up his first win of the season in the...

Sports Briefs

Wayne Co. Amateur applications available Applications for the 8th annual Wayne County Amateur golf tournament are now available at any of the county golf courses. The dates and locations of this years tournament are -- June 2 at Lane Tree,...

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

High School Baseball - Eagles cruise to win

If the dinner table at the Brannan house is at all like the Wayne Christian dugout, there was certainly plenty of lively chatter over the meal last night. That's because coach and father Tim Brannan, starting pitcher Adam Brannan and...

Kinston baseball - Lofgren impressive as K-Tribe wins home opener

KINSTON -- The boys of summer are back. And not a moment too soon for many die-hard K-Tribe fans. "It's so exciting," said P.J. Fidler, a Goldsboro resident and a senior at Parrott Academy. "I just love baseball ... we...

High School Golf - Falcons and Warriors pulling away

PIKEVILLE -- Ryan Campbell and his Charles B. Aycock teammates proved Lane Tree Golf Course is undoubtedly "Home Sweet Home" on Monday afternoon. Campbell fashioned a season-low 1-under par 71 and helped the Golden Falcons emerge the team leader after...

High School Softball - Lancaster tosses first varsity no-hitter

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's Julia Lancaster tossed her first varsity no-hitter on Monday at home against Wilson Fike. But the usual celebration associated with the rare feat was nowhere to be seen as Lancaster's effort was overshadowed by the...

College baseball - MOC wins again

MOUNT OLIVE -- Jesse Lancaster recorded a career-high seven strikeouts and Josh Carter went 3-for-3 to pace a 12-hit attack as Mount Olive extended its winning streak to 10 with a 5-1 victory over Belmont Abbey in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference...

Local sports digest

Gator golfers tie school record Spring Creek tied a school record with a team score of 315 -- winning a Class 1-A Carolina Conference match at Walnut Creek on Monday. The Gators (315), who now lead North Johnston by one...

Smith named to Johnney Bench Award watch list

GREENVILLE -- East Carolina senior catcher Jake Smith has been named to the 2006 Coleman Company -- Johnny Bench Award Watch List, which is given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced....

Monday, April 10, 2006

Shouldering the load

News-Argus file photo Mount Olive's Josh Carter (20), an Eastern Wayne graduate, is hitting .416 this season and has had five home runs and 55 RBIs. For more information see Even after a serious injury, Josh Carter leads the...

Even after a serious injury, Josh Carter leads the Trojans

For 15 years, you have a routine. Every Saturday morning, you head out to the shed in the backyard and pull out the trusty lawn mower. You reach down and pull the cord, and the engine starts right up, as...

Mount Olive sweeps Crusaders

MOUNT OLIVE -- With a pitching staff decimated by injuries, it is key for Mount Olive's starters to give the Trojans lengthy, consistent outings. In Sunday's doubleheader, Mount Olive right-handers Philip Pennington and Justin Staatz did just that as the...

Wayne Christian softball team is 9-1, with only two upperclassmen this year

It's a team that starts three seventh graders and has just two upperclassmen. But make no mistake, Wayne Christian is one of the ballclubs to beat in the Carolina Christian 1-A conference. The Roger Longwell-coached Eagles have opened the season...

Local sports digest

MOUNT OLIVE -- Lucia Henkle and Mariana Shimoda both posted straight-set victories in their final collegiate home matches as Mount Olive defeated Peace 9-0 in non-conference women's tennis Sunday at Walker Tennis Center. The win improves Mount Olive to 10-9...

Sunday, April 9, 2006

Davis' blast propels CBA past Saints

PIKEVILLE -- After Southern Wayne rallied for three runs with two outs in the top of the seventh to tie the game, Charles B. Aycock center fielder Garrett Davis immediately starting thinking about his next at bat to lead off...

Aycock softball thumps SW 14-0

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's five-run, first-inning uprising against county rival Southern Wayne induced mixed emotions from head softball coach David West. West couldn't have been more pleased with his team's offensive aggressiveness, but he also remembered the Saints' ability...

Local baseball talent fuels LCC

KINSTON -- To come back from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth against a quality opponent, obviously it takes talented players and a few key breaks. But that's not all. Teammates have to pull for each other....

Short-handed WCS tops Northwood

Traci Davis struck out a whopping 16 hitters and went 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of extra-base hits Friday afternoon as state-ranked Wayne Christian scored a run in the home half of the seventh to slip past visiting...

Sutton's walk-off slam wins it for EW

As he walked to the plate with the bases loaded and no one out in the seventh inning of a 3-3 ballgame, Eastern Wayne clean-up hitter Taylor Sutton was expecting the suicide squeeze sign from coach Jabo Fulghum at third...

Prep roundup

CALYPSO -- Robert McCullen banged out three hits and North Duplin captured its first Class 1-A Carolina Conference baseball victory 10-5 over Rosewood on Friday evening. McCullen doubled and drove in three runs for the Rebels, who climbed to 5-8...

Outdoors Ñ An appropriate honor for Simpson

Bob Simpson was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine last week at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort. It was an impressive ceremony. In a letter to the editor of the Carteret Times News, I had commented that...

K-Tribe tops Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM -- The Kinston Indians won their second straight game with an 8-6 victory over Winston-Salem on Saturday night at Ernie Shore Field. The K-Tribe pounded out 13 hits as they improved their record to 2-1 on the season. Trevor...

Friday, April 7, 2006

Avent brothers headed to James Kenan

WARSAW -- Adversaries the past three seasons, brothers Ken Jr. and John Bert Avent will return to the football sidelines as allies next fall. Ken Jr., who guided North Johnston to the eastern 1-AA regional championship in 2005, officially accepted...

Martin named John Bert's successor at N. Duplin

CALYPSO -- Hugh Martin has been roaming the sidelines at H.E. Grubbs Field in one way or another since he was a child. In grade school, he used to tag along with his father, who was a member of the...

Spring Creek men's tennis nips RHS

Bothered by a nagging hand injury, Spring Creek junior Frederick Ellis didn't think he could bare any more discomfort Thursday afternoon. His blistered right hand, protected by a black glove, hampered Ellis' forehand grip. Things worsened when he twisted his...

Faith Christian conquers Liberty Academy

T.J. Sasser tossed a two-hitter and went 3-for-4 at the plate Thursday afternoon to lead Faith Christian Academy to an 11-1 non-conference victory over Liberty Academy of Durham. The Conquerors began the season with six straight conference games before facing...

Local sports digest

Eastern Wayne netters blank Saints Eastern Wayne's top three seeds posted straight-set shutouts in a 9-0 victory over Southern Wayne on the Wayne Community College courts Thursday afternoon. The Warriors (9-2) remained unbeaten in six Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference...

Richardson's 3-run HR caps sixth-inning uprising for Trojans

MOUNT OLIVE -- Dustin Richardson's three-run homer capped a six-run seventh inning as Mount Olive broke open a one-run game and defeated St. Andrews 15-6 in non-conference baseball Thursday at Scarborough Field. The Trojans, which extended their winning streak to...

Trojans sweep Barton on CVAC softball scene

WILSON -- Bailey Harrell's fourth-inning home run broke a 1-1 tie and Christine Ermer pitched two innings of scoreless relief to lift Mount Olive to a 3-1 victory over Barton in game one of a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader...

K-Tribe loses opener to Warthogs

The Kinston Indians opened up the 2006 regular season with a 4-3 loss at Winston-Salem on Thursday night. The K-Tribe fell behind 2-0 after the Warthogs banged out four hits off starter Sean Smith (0-1) in the second inning. Kinston,...

Thursday, April 6, 2006

Soccer - Eagles suffer first loss

LaGRANGE -- In a battle of unbeaten teams, North Lenoir erupted for three goals in a five-minute stretch late in the second half to claim a 5-1 win at home over Rosewood on Wednesday in Classes 1-A/2-A Carolina/Eastern Plains Conference...

Local sports digest

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock tallied seven runs in the third on its way to an 11-6 win at home over Greene Central on Wednesday in non-conference action. The Golden Falcons improved to 14-1 overall heading into Friday's cross-county, Class...

MOC's Young and Coffield named to NCCSIA second team

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive's Elton Coffield and Victor Young were named to the 2005-06 NCCSIA College Division All-State Men's Basketball Second Team, as selected by members of the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association. Both players also earned All-State...

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

Price is right in Aycock victory

PIKEVILLE -- The Price was right Tuesday evening. Charles B. Aycock held a precarious one-run lead, but county rival Eastern Wayne threatened with runners at first and second in the seventh inning. The Golden Falcon coaching staff paced the dugout...

Hinson limits Hunt to two hits

DUDLEY -- Coming off of three straight impressive wins and solid team efforts, Southern Wayne's 11-5 victory over Wilson Hunt on Tuesday wasn't one of the Saints' prettiest performances of the season. The home team had four uncharacteristic errors leading...

Rosewood grabs come-from-behind win against Spring Creek

Patience at the plate can be a virtue. Rosewood drew five walks in the last inning, pushed across two runs and came from behind to defeat Carolina 1-A Conference rival Spring Creek 7-6 on Tuesday night. After letting an early...

Local sports digest

Grantham's squeeze bunt lifts Saints past Hunt DUDLEY -- Lynn Grantham executed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt and scored Haley Fail in Southern Wayne's come-from-behind, 3-2 victory over previously-unbeaten Hunt in nine innings on Tuesday evening. The Saints (10-5) handed...

Trojans split twinbill with UNCP

MOUNT OLIVE -- Colleen Thomas' two-out fifth-inning bases loaded triple broke open a close game as Mount Olive defeated UNC Pembroke 9-4 in game two of a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. UNC Pembroke took the...

K-Tribe prepares for 2006 season

KINSTON -- Fans saw some familiar faces and several exciting prospects Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium as the Kinston Indians opened their 2006 season with an exhibition game against the Buffalo Bison, the triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians....

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Getting ready for the season

News-Argus/Steve Roush Kevin "K.J." Jones shows off his swing. Jones will see all 162 games this season. Also shown is Jeter, the family dog. For more information see The ultimate Yankees fan....

The ultimate Yankees fan

Kevin "K.J." Jones remembers the first time he walked into Yankee Stadium with his dad like it was yesterday. It was warm summer night in 1983, and the Yanks were playing a big series against the Baltimore Orioles -- a...

K-Tribe exhibition game

KINSTON -- The Kinston Indians will play an exhibition game against the Buffalo Bison, the triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, tonight at 7 p.m. at Grainger Stadium. Buffalo Bison skipper Torey Lovullo will return to Kinston for the...

Local sports digest

Rain washes out Rebels vs. Panthers CALYPSO -- A short, but effective 20-minute rainstorm forced the suspension of Monday afternoon's Class 1-A Carolina Conference softball contest between North Duplin and North Johnston. The host Rebels led 5-2 in the bottom...

Monday, April 3, 2006

Narron baseball feature

Jerry Narron eats, sleeps and breathes baseball, and has for a very long time. You see, in the Narron family, a love of the game could be considered a right of passage. His older brother, Johnny, played minor league baseball...

Mount Olive extends win streak to six - sweeps Braves

MOUNT OLIVE -- If it were not for Josh Carter's game-winning, seventh-inning double on Sunday night, Mount Olive College and Chowan College might still be playing. In fact, when Chowan College right fielder Matt Dize launched a solo home run...

Queends sweep softball double header from Mount Olive

CHARLOTTE -- Queens struck in the first inning in both games as Mount Olive fell 8-0 and 7-0 in a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader Sunday. Mount Olive (20-25 overall, 4-12 CVAC) appeared to be getting out of the first...

ECU tops Houston

GREENVILLE -- East Carolina's Brody Taylor pitched a complete game five-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Houston Sunday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium. For Taylor, who improved to 4-1 on the season, it was his first complete game shutout at...

Sunday, April 2, 2006

Saints' Combs hurls perfect gem at Kinston

KINSTON -- There's great pitching, and then there's the type of pitching the Southern Wayne baseball team received this week. On Monday, Ashton Langston came within two outs of a perfect game before settling for a one-hitter in Southern Wayne's...

Warriors survive ECC affair against Beddingfield

Even on your worst day, a win is a win. Eastern Wayne overcame numerous mental mistakes and its depleted pitching staff yielded just six hits in a 4-2 victory over Wilson Beddingfield on Friday evening. Tyler Ham, the starting catcher,...

North Johnston cruises past Rosewood

In nearly 20 years of coaching, North Johnston's David Lawhon, formerly a long-time coach at Rosewood, knows what it's like to be on both ends of lop-sided games. His Panthers were on the winning side of a 15-3, five-inning contest...

Local sports digest

C.B. Aycock's Sasser handcuffs Hunt in ECC 3-A play WILSON -- Charles B. Aycock left-hander Grant Sasser tossed his second straight complete-game shutout as the Golden Falcons claimed an 8-0 win at Wilson Hunt on Friday in Class 3-A Eastern...

Pennington, Staatz claim mound wins for MOC baseball

MOUNT OLIVE -- Former Charles B. Aycock standout Philip Pennington and Justin Staatz each claimed a pitching win as Mount Olive swept Chowan 9-5 and 5-4 in non-conference play Saturday afternoon at Scarborough Field. Pennington (4-2) surrendered four earned runs...