January 2009 archives

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Friday, January 30, 2009

Three returning starters must lead Trojans

It's with Alex Vertcnik everywhere he goes. When he's either in class, the batting cage or just hanging out with friends, the Mount Olive right fielder and part-time catcher admits he feels the pressure -- and heightened expectations -- that...

Outdoorsmen can donate on taxes

Courtesy NCWRC RALEIGH -- Outdoorsmen of all kinds will have a hassle-free way to help the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission conserve the state's wildlife and their habitats. A new box on state income tax forms will allow participants to donate...

Dixie deer classic coming in March

RALEIGH -- of trophy whitetails will be on display at the 2009 Dixie Deer Classic at the North Carolina state fairgrounds beginning March 6. The 28th annual classic promises something for everyone this year, with a full slate of youth...

Second-hand dog grabs owner's heart

His name was Santana with XVIII added to be AKC-specific. A man named Herman who sojourned in the U.S. acquired a girlfriend who acquired a black Labrador retriever as Herman's gift. The girlfriend could never handle the black ball of...

MOC coaches offer insight on teams

MOUNT OLIVE -- Spring sports coaches at Mount Olive College gave sneak previews of their respective teams on Wednesday, but none drew greater attention than the baseball squad -- the reigning NCAA Division II national champion. The Trojans, ranked No....

Jones ready for role

On paper, the pitching staff at Mount Olive College lost their three biggest guns to the Major League Draft following last season's Division II World Series title. On the practice field, however, pitching coach Aaron Akin sees vast potential for...

New team presents questions

Mount Olive College, the reigning NCAA Division II national baseball champion, has been a trendy pick among the preseason polls this winter. The Trojans are ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball magazine and their fellow Conference Carolina peers. They're the...

Local Preps Digest

Wayne Country Day's Ellen Elmore and Will Nolan each recorded two top-four finishes during a four-team swim meet contested Thursday evening in the Goldsboro Family Y pool. Elmore placed second in the 200 free with a time of 2...

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Local digest

WILSON -- After besting county rival Charles B. Aycock on Tuesday, Eastern Wayne earned its second consecutive win in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference action with a 45-36 decision over Wilson Hunt on Wednesday night. Will White led the...

Saints keep pace with Kinston

WILSON -- Rebounding isn't glamorous and it usually doesn't garner loads of individual attention, but it sure does go a long way to winning ballgames. Southern Wayne was relentless on the glass and came up with timely rebounds in a...

Improving Gators topple Eagles

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek has found its bite. Just ask Class 1-A Carolina conference rival Rosewood. The Gators' girls basketball team exploded out of the gate and handed the Eagles a 49-30 loss at "The Swamp" on Wednesday night....

Aycock pins Southern Wayne

PIKEVILLE -- The Charles B. Aycock wrestling team concluded regular-season action with a 44-25 romp over county rival Southern Wayne on Wednesday evening. The Golden Falcons (22-7 overall) ended up 2-2 against Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference opposition this...

Teams make splash in "Last chance" meet

Charles B. Aycock's girls and Eastern Wayne's boys emerged the top-scoring teams in a season-ending, "last chance" meet in the Goldsboro Family Y pool on Wednesday evening. The swimmers worked to either qualify or improve their times for the...

Prep boxscores

BOYS Southern Wayne 16 10 20 20 -- 66 Beddingfield 5 16 18 24 -- 63 SOUTHERN WAYNE (14-5, 4-1 ECC) Justin Artis 1 1 6-6 11, James Jones 1 0 2-2 4, Gary Woodard 0 0 0-1 0, Khalil...

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Local Preps Digest

From staff reports PRINCETON -- Princeton found its offensive touch early and raced past archrival Rosewood 68-47 in Class 1-A Carolina Conference action on Tuesday night. Both teams came out of the gate red hot from the field. Princeton led...

Bulldawgs' defense clamps down on Eagles' offense

PRINCETON -- No win is perfect. Then again, some come closer than others. Princeton seized control from the opening tap and dominated Class 1-A Carolina Conference archrival Rosewood 50-25 on Tuesday evening. The Eagles' Cody Harris buried the game's opening...

prep basketball boxes

BOYS C.B. Aycock 9 15 21 6 -- 51 Eastern Wayne 6 14 14 19 -- 53 C.B. AYCOCK (11-7, 0-4) Isaac Ryals 0 0 7-13 7, Molonza Hayes 1 1 0-0 5, Dominique Young 2 0 0-0 4, Tyheim...

Opinion -- March Madness coming soon

Christmas and New Year's have come and gone. The Super Bowl is likely to be melodramatic at best and last week brought Wayne County its fair share of snow for the next eight years. With these annually anticipated events behind...

Golden Falcons escape rival

Archrivals Charles B. Aycock and Eastern Wayne staged another classic during their decades-long series on the wrestling mat Tuesday evening. The intense- and emotion-filled contest left both teams exhausted and Warriors head coach Mike Brown fuming once the Golden Falcons...

Warriors finish: Cyrus knocks down game-winning free throws

Marvin Bowman has known all season his team is capable of putting forth the same type of effort during games that he sees everyday in practice. Bowman had to wait until the fourth quarter against visiting rival Charles B. Aycock...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Cape Fear downs Wayne Christian

Wayne Christian stood toe-to-toe with Class 1-A Carolina Christian Conference rival Cape Fear Christian for three quarters, but the visitors were too strong in the end on Monday night. Cape Fear won the game 53-46 on the strength of an...

Prep boxscores

BOYS Cape Fear Christian 12 14 11 16 -- 53 Wayne Christian 10 11 11 14 -- 46 CAPE FEAR (10-5) Mark Williamson 0 1 4-4 7, LaQuan McCoy 10 0 3-4 23, Blake Parrish 3 0 1-3 7, Nick...

Local digest

PRINCETON -- Rosewood emerged victorious in five of eight contested individual matches and turned back archrival Princeton 43-18 on the wrestling mat Monday evening. The Eagles (18-8 overall) recorded three falls, one decision and one major decision against the...

Rosewood outlasts Princeton on the mat

PRINCETON -- Rosewood emerged victorious in five of eight contested individual matches and turned back archrival Princeton 43-18 on the wrestling mat Monday evening. The Eagles (18-8 overall) recorded three falls, one decision and one major decision against the...

MOC softball ready for 2009

MOUNT OLIVE -- Conference Carolinas softball teams -- not surprisingly -- are expected to chase Coker (S.C.) College for the regular-season title in 2009. Mount Olive coach Jaime Kylis-Higginbotham anticipates her team, which lost just two starters from a year...

Trojan women cruise

MOC Sports Information LAURINBURG -- Brittany Miller scored a career-high 18 points on 9-for-10 shooting as Mount Olive College extended its winning streak to eight games with a 90-53 victory over in-state rival St. Andrews on Monday evening. The Trojans...

MOC men down St. Andrews

MOC Sports Information LAURINBURG -- Derek Staton's 20-footer with 27 seconds left broke a 74-74 tie and Mike Holloman blocked a layup attempt with four seconds remaining as Mount Olive nipped St. Andrews 78-74 on Monday evening. The Trojans (11-7...

Monday, January 26, 2009

Local Preps Digest

AYDEN -- Princeton's girls couldn't slow down Class 1-A Carolina Conference foe Ayden-Grifton in a 53-38 loss on Friday evening. Brittany Baker led the Bulldogs with 14 points and Nicole Melvin provided seven. Princeton committed 37 turnovers. The Bulldogs...

Chastain, Chenier are ECC's top swimmers

Some things never change. For the second consecutive season, Charles B. Aycock's Carrigan Chastain and Eastern Wayne's Mason Chenier walked away with swimmer of the year honors in the season-ending Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference Championships on Saturday. Chastain...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Local digest

BETHEL -- The Goldsboro High boys' basketball team erupted for 30 fourth-quarter points and rallied past North Pitt 71-66 in Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference action Friday evening. It was career win No. 199 for first-year Cougar coach Chris...

Eagles halt Rebels 43-29

It came in a flurry and when it was over, Rosewood had all but put the finishing touches on its first Class 1-A Carolina Conference win of the season. The Eagles used a 12-0 run to break open a tight...

Area teams excel on mat

PRINCETON -- Patrick Woodard earned his team-leading 23rd individual victory of the season and Princeton edged Ayden-Grifton 36-28 on the wrestling mat Friday evening. Woodard, a senior 152-pounder, stopped the Chargers' Darius Crumb 4-2. The Bulldawgs (5-17 overall) triumphed...

Prep boxescores

prep basketball BOYS North Duplin 6 8 4 11 -- 29 Rosewood 4 7 19 13 -- 43 NORTH DUPLIN (0-11, 0-3 Carolina) Marcus Kornegay 1 0 3-4 5, Devin Oliver 2 0 0-0 4, Shayne Deaver 2 0...

Whitby powers Trojans over Flying Fleet

DUE WEST, S.C. - Jasmine Whitby became the first player in Mount Olive women's basketball history to record a "30-20" game with career highs of 32 points and 20 rebounds as the Trojans rallied from 11 points down for a...

MOC men's volleyball drops two matches

MOC Sports Information HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Pedro Penate pounded out 12 kills as Mount Olive College dropped a 30-18, 30-23, 30-25 decision to perennial Division III power Juniata (Pa.) College on Saturday afternoon. Noel Garcia added eight kills and six...

MOC men top Erskine 82-71

Kendrick Easley scored 22 points and Mike Holloman notched a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds as Mount Olive held off Erskine 82-71 in Conference Carolinas men's basketball on Saturday. Justin Melton hit a three-pointer with less than 90...

Saints down Golden Falcons

DUDLEY -- Winter weather canceled practices and games for both Southern Wayne and Charles B. Aycock this week. The lack of court time showed in both offenses, but the Saints claimed a hard-fought 49-46 victory in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina...

Friday, January 23, 2009

NCDA sends water-usage surveys to farmers

RALEIGH -- Beginning this week, North Carolina farmers will have the opportunity to document agriculture-related water use through a survey issued by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Agricultural Statistics Division will begin the survey in...

State park's icy trails thawing out

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Back to business. The winter weather experienced around Wayne County this week kept the gates closed at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. The park is scheduled to reopen today, weather permitting. Icy conditions on the parks'...

MOC baseball conference preseason No. 1

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive ranked No. 1 in the 2009 Conference Carolinas preseason baseball poll? The news surprised head coach Carl Lancaster. "Evidently somebody thought a lot of that group we had last year," said Lancaster. "We got put...

Trojan women take OT victory

MOUNT OLIVE -- Wendy Lee has now watched her Mount Olive women's basketball team overcome second-half deficits to win in each of its past four games. None was sweeter than Thursday night. Tomeka Prichard scored 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds...

MOC men weather late surge

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive and Barton scripted another chapter in their storied men's basketball rivalry Thursday evening. And the Trojans came out on top. Mike Holloman sank the game-winning free throw in the closing seconds of a 68-66 victory...

Panthers upend Bulldogs

PRINCETON -- Princeton rallied in the third quarter but could not withstand a North Johnston run and fell 64-50 in Carolina 1-A Conference play on Thursday evening. T.J. Wilson led the Bulldawgs with 16 points and Andre Nixon added...

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Mount Olive women set to battle Barton

MOUNT OLIVE -- When choices become limited, you do the best with what you've got. Injury-riddled Mount Olive College is learning that lesson in women's basketball this season. Minus three starters and one key reserve, the Trojans -- somehow --...

Trojans look ahead to Bulldogs

MOUNT OLIVE -- Bitter archrivals Mount Olive and Barton College agree there are three stages to their respective men's basketball seasons. There's non-conference play. Then you have Conference Carolinas play. Finally, there are two Trojans-Bulldogs contests -- that in their...

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Trojans' Prichard receives recognition for solid play

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Tomeka Prichard, who helped lead Mount Olive College to a pair of come-from-behind conference wins on the road last week, has been named the Conference Carolinas women's basketball player of the week. The award...

Snow storm causes area ADs to change schedules

And although they hoped to avoid back-to-back playing nights this season, Tuesday afternoon's snow storm forced their respective hands. All events were postponed and most contests were moved to Thursday. Six games are on tap: * Wayne Country Day at...

Opinion -- Gaudio no longer a secret in ACC

Prior to last season, most Atlantic Coast Conference basketball fans outside of Winston-Salem had never heard of Dino Gaudio or had any idea he had been in coaching for over 25 years. It's safe to say the man who inherited...

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Wayne County Hot Stove League banquet honors players, coaches

The guest list read like a "Who's Who" of Wayne County Baseball. Everyone from former major league baseball player and manager Jerry Narron, to the 9-10-year-old Wayne County All-Stars packed the Eastern Carolina Athletic Park to recognize the best and...

MOC women hold of Queens University

MOUNT OLIVE -- Stay focused. Don't ever give up. Mount Olive College head coach Wendy Lee urged her team to forget about the scoreboard and play possession by possession against Conference Carolinas rival Queens University. "You have plenty of time,"...

Trojans flush Royals

MOUNT OLIVE -- Keep your foot on the gas. That was Mount Olive head coach Joey Higginbotham's message to his team at halftime of their Conference Carolinas contest with Queens on Monday afternoon at Kornegay Arena. The Trojans apparently aren't...

EW wrestling finishes 1-4 at Ram Challenge

HAVELOCK -- Zach Hahn collected four individual victories and Eastern Wayne's grapplers logged a 1-4 record during the annual Ram Challenge contested at Havelock High School. Hahn, who competed at 140 pounds, earned two decisions, pinned one opponent and...

Monday, January 19, 2009

Local Digest

Faith Christian picked up its third consecutive victory by defeating Cornerstone Christian 35-18 on Friday night. Alyssa Hill paced the Conquerors with a game-high 13 points. Madison Caudle and Jennifer Christopher added four points apiece. Jessica Boyce led Cornerstone...

C.B. Aycock and Rosewood roll in Firebird Duals

STANHOPE -- Charles B. Aycock emerged unbeaten in pool play and Brandon Bailey inched closer to the 100-career win mark during the Firebird Duals contested Saturday at Southern Nash Senior High School. The Golden Falcons (17-7 overall) posted victories...

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Goldsboro boys improve to 2-0 against EPC opposition

SNOW HILL -- Greene Central answered the scoring spurts and seemed destined to erase a glaring 0-14 record in varsity boys basketball action this season. Goldsboro refused to become the Rams' first victim. Tyrelle Jackson ignited a 34-point, third-quarter...

Rosewood big men come through on wrestling mat

Rosewood triumphed in three key individual matches down the stretch and turned back Wilson Beddingfield 40-34 in non-conference wrestling action Friday evening. Jon Rudolph fueled the Eagles' comeback with an 8-6 triumph against the Bruins' Victor Perez. Rudolph trailed...

Friday's prep boxscores

BOYS Goldsboro 14 16 34 18 -- 82 Greene Central 16 16 21 20 -- 73 GOLDSBORO (11-5, 2-0 EPC) Donald Lewis 3 1 1-2 10, Devonte White 1 0 1-3 3, Michael Langston 2 4 3-6 19, Tyrelle Jackson...

MOC men's volleyball team off to 3-0 start

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Pedro Penate became Mount Olive's all-time career digs leader in men's volleyball and Mike Carroll spearheaded a fifth-set scoring run as the Trojans stopped in-state rival Lees-McRae 30-27, 31-33, 19-30, 30-25, 15-8 on the...

Prichard's three-point play propels Trojan women on the road

MOC Sports Information BANNER ELK -- Mount Olive's Tomeka Prichard converted a three-point play with 47 seconds left and capped a come-from-behind, 67-64 victory over in-state rival Lees-McRae on Saturday afternoon. Prichard led four Trojans in double figures with 14...

Easley, Holloman spark Trojan men past Lees-McRae

MOC Sports Information BANNER ELK -- Kendrick Easley poured in 24 points and Mike Holloman supplied his first-ever collegiate double-double -- 22 points, 10 rebounds -- as Mount Olive hammered Lees-McRae 102-68 on Saturday afternoon. Justin Melton flirted with a...

Saints take defending 3-A champion to the limit

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne has proven it can play with any varsity basketball team its faced this season. The Saints ran out of gas Friday evening. Reigning N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state champion Kinston held off a...

Goldsboro girls weather GC's fourth-quarter run

SNOW HILL -- Riddled with injuries and its confidence shaken, the Goldsboro High varsity girls' basketball team might have found some self-assurance Friday evening. The Cougars certainly needed a win. Unsuccessful in five of its last six road outings, Goldsboro...

Golden Falcon boys drop to 0-2 in ECC play

PIKEVILLE -- Perhaps no team in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference is more prepared to handle adversity than Charles B. Aycock. Only time will tell how the Golden Falcons respond to their latest bout with difficulty. Aycock trimmed a...

Friday, January 16, 2009

MOC coach Lancaster is set as guest speaker for Wayne County Hot Stove Banquet

An unbelievable achievement will again earn recognition during the third annual Wayne County Hot Stove League banquet. Hot Stove organizer Roger May plans to honor the Mount Olive College baseball team, which captured the NCAA Division II national championship. He'll...

NOAA establishes protected areas

Sport fishermen trolling the seas off North Carolina's southern coast have another piece of legislation to keep in mind. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration established eight separate marine protected areas on Wednesday. The newly-pegged protected areas encompass a total of...

Marine finally bags his swan on a hunt

The music made by swans is eerily haunting. Once heard, the sound of the vocalizations of the largest waterfowl in North America never leaves a hunter's memory. So distinctly different and yet so many sounds emanate from a flock of...

Green growth box unveiled

Green growth box unveiled RALEIGH -- The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is introducing a guide to help towns, cities and counties grow in a greener, more wildlife-friendly way. The Green Growth Toolbox contains information on the state's most important habitats,...

Local Preps Digest

Wayne Christian's girls' picked up a 48-34 victory over Community Christian in a Class 1-A Carolina Christian Conference contest Thursday evening at Clifford Gymnatorium. Alaina Moore scored 12 points to go with six rebounds. Hanna Kaler chipped in 12...

Thursday, January 15, 2009

MOC men's volleyball set for exciting season

MOUNT OLIVE -- Although the Mount Olive College men's volleyball team will experience a season of change this spring, the expectations certainly haven't been lowered. Just ask Cole Tallman. Named the Trojans' new head coach less than two weeks ago,...

Trojan women earn road win

MOC Sports Information MISENHEIMER -- Jasmine Whitby flirted with a triple-double -- career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds and seven steals -- during Mount Olive's 84-73 conquest of Conference Carolinas women's basketball rival Pfeiffer University. Whitby, who also dished out a...

Pfeiffer men top MOC

MOC Sports Information MISENHEIMER -- Kendrick Easley collected a season-high 34 points, tied a school record and nearly drained the game-winning shot as Mount Olive lost 96-95 to in-state rival Pfeiffer University on Wednesday evening. Easley intercepted an inbounds pass...

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Local Preps Digest

Wayne Country Day began defense of its Class 1-A Coastal Plains Independent Conference regular-season championship in emotion-less fashion Tuesday evening. The No. 1-ranked and once-beaten Chargers toiled through a turnover-marred 51-22 victory over Faith Christian of Rocky Mount. "This...

Early dunk awakens No. 6 WCDS

An opponent dunk on Wayne Country Day's court? The idea seemed absurd until Faith Christian-Rocky Mount senior Tim Watson threw down a two-handed slam -- between two defenders -- midway through the opening quarter Tuesday evening. "It woke us up,"...

Opinion -- Local hoops days now elongated due to budget strife

I arrived at a local high school recently to cover a mid-week girls' and boys' varsity basketball doubleheader. I walked into the gym shortly before 6 p.m. thinking I was there just in time to grab a seat and settle...

Conquerors cage Bulldogs

Berean Baptist might want to invest in time travel. Before the Christmas break, the Bulldogs reeled off six consecutive victories and didn't experience defeat. Since the New Year's, misfortune has fallen on the N.C. Christian Schools Association Coastal 2-A member....

Pirates earn another ranking

East Carolina has received its third preseason ranking on the college baseball scene. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association tabbed the Pirates 27th in its poll, released Tuesday afternoon. ECU is ranked No. 31 in the Collegiate Baseball and Ping!...

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Wayne Christian girls top Bethel

Julia Oden has learned a lifetime's worth of lessons about overcoming adversity in the past few days. A 10-point first half deficit was nothing worth getting worked up over. Oden, a transfer to Wayne Christian School from Georgia, lost her...

Prep boxscores

GIRLS Bethel Christian 11 15 8 7 -- 41 Wayne Christian 8 10 10 19 -- 47 BETHEL CHRISTIAN Haley Moody 3 0 0-0 6, Tracy Sowers 1 0 0-0 2, Kendall Worthington 3 0 3-4 9, Lindsey Crane 0...

James Kennan leads Wachovia Cup standings

CHAPEL HILL -- James Kenan has emerged the front-runner in the race for the 2008-09 Wachovia Conference Cup among Super Six 1-A teams after the completion of the fall sports season. The Tigers claimed their third straight regular-season football championship...

Local Digest

Wayne Country Day's Will Nolan captured first place in the 50-yard freestyle and settled for runner-up honors in the 100 free during a five-team swim meet contested Monday evening at the Goldsboro Family Y pool. Nolan touched the wall...

Vanderhoef wins King Pin Scratch Open

Some days, everything just falls into place. Lee Vanderhoef capped a great Sunday by claiming the fourth annual King Pin Scratch Open contested at AMF Boulevard Lanes. Vanderhoef, the No. 3 ranked player in the Southeast Region, bested Dave Bleggi...

Monday, January 12, 2009

Golden Falcons place seventh at TDR Invitational

WILSON -- Brandon Bailey claimed the 135-pound championship and Charles B. Aycock placed seventh overall during the TDR Invitational contested Saturday at Beddingfield High School. Justin Farrell (119 pounds), Brandon Thomas (171) and Bryan Diorio (215) each captured third-place...

Annual Whitfield induction ceremony takes unusual, fitting twist

George Whitfield never saw this coming. Toward the end of his annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday evening, Whitfield took time to thank everyone for coming and was close to calling it a night. Until East Carolina head baseball...

Local Preps Digest

Trailing Trinity Christian 21-10 at halftime on Friday night, Faith Christian's girls' utilized a 1-3-1 full-court press which forced multiple turnovers and helped the Conquerors rally for a 44-38 home victory. Alyssa Hill scored 16 points for Faith and...

Panthers rip title from Eagles' talons

KENLY -- North Johnston ended Rosewood's 12-year reign as the Class 1-A Carolina/Albemarle Conference dual-team champion in dominating fashion on Saturday afternoon. Still stinging from a three-point loss to the Eagles in the Pilkington Duals, the Panthers exacted revenge...

Local teams have tough outing at Battle at Little Big Horn

For the first time in Battle at Little Big Horn history, Wayne County wrestlers ended the day without a medal. Invitational host Eastern Wayne logged a 13th-place finish in the 14-team field with 20.5 points. County rival Southern Wayne...

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Local Preps Digest

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Winless no more. Shaquita Brooks and Norma Valentin collected 10 points apiece as Spring Creek dumped Princeton 59-48 in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference girls' basketball opener Friday evening. The Gators claimed their first victory in...

Wooten's minor league career starts shakily in Rookie ball

Milwaukee Brewers manager Doug Melvin felt fortunate that Rob Wooten remained available when the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft began last June. Wooten wasn't so sure. The Fremont native started having second thoughts when he sat on...

MOC men remain perfect in conference play

MOUNT OLIVE -- Sometimes a basket is worth more than the two points projected on the scoreboard. Mike Holloman threw down a pair of highlight reel dunks, one in each half, and energized his teammates as Mount Olive claimed a...

Price resigns football post at E. Wayne

The search and interview process has begun to hire a new varsity football coach at Eastern Wayne. Jeff Price officially resigned his post late last week. He'll join the staff as an assistant coach at North Johnston, and will...

Friday's prep box scores

prep basketball BOYS Eastern Wayne 8 8 2 16 -- 34 Southern Wayne 6 6 23 16 -- 51 EASTERN WAYNE (2-10, 0-1) Lamar Best 0 0 2-2 2, Will White 2 0 0-2 4, Jeniri Cyrus 4 1...

Saints use 22-0 surge to knock off Warriors

DUDLEY -- Six minutes was all it took. Trailing Eastern Wayne 18-13 early in the third quarter, Southern Wayne erupted for 22 unanswered points and rallied for a 51-34 win in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference opener for both...

Bruins seize control early against CBA

PIKEVILLE -- Wilson Beddingfield started its Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference opener in solid fashion Friday evening. Resurging Charles B. Aycock seemed no match. The Bruins forced the tempo with slick perimeter defense and quick hands underneath the basket from...

Friday, January 9, 2009

Rosewood grapplers dismantle G. Central

Rosewood tuned up for a critical weekend of dual-team competition with a 66-18, non-conference thrashing of Greene Central on Thursday evening. The Eagles (10-2 overall) return to action Saturday for the Class 1-A Carolina/Albemarle Conference dual championships at North...

Rod-building expo to help anglers

For many anglers, finding the right rod and reel is as difficult as picking out the most attractive lure on a warm spring morning. Differences in length, weight, manufacturer and overall comfort often leave sportsmen buying more equipment than they...

Saltwater Sportsman series coming to N.C.

George Poveromo will once again be bringing the Saltwater Sportsman Seminar Series to the southeastern North Carolina coast. The event is scheduled for Jan. 31 in Wilmington at the Hilton Riverside on North Water Street. Poveromo serves as host for...

Lady Trojans upend Crusaders

MOC Sports Information BELMONT -- One game after losing to a winless team in Conference Carolinas play, Mount Olive knocked off the league's lone remaining unbeaten squad -- Belmont Abbey -- on Thursday evening. Jasmine Whitby pumped in a game-high...

Trojans' Melton pumps in career-best 23 points

MOC Sports Information BELMONT -- Welcome back Justin Melton. Nearly fully recovered from knee surgery, Melton turned in a career-best 23-point effort as Mount Olive handled Belmont Abbey 83-70 on the Conference Carolinas men's basketball scene Thursday evening. Melton shot...

Local Preps Digest

Middle schools * Girls' basketball: Rosewood 41, Dillard 18 -- Holly Heath led all scorers with 12 points for the Eagles as they improved to 5-2 on the season. Amanda Beckert added seven points in the win. Rosewood will host...

Warriors welcome high-competitive teams

When Zach Hahn takes the mat Saturday morning in the fourth annual Battle at Little Big Horn wrestling invitational, he'll carry a huge weight on his shoulders. The junior 125-pounder is Eastern Wayne's lone returning grappler with any significant experience...

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Local Digest

TRENTON -- Southern Wayne struggled through three quarters of its final non-conference tune-up against Jones Senior, but a furious fourth-quarter comeback eventually led to a 58-54 victory. After scoring just 32 points in the first three quarters, the Saints...

George Whitfield Baseball Clinic set for Saturday

Pardon George Whitfield for being a little ragged and sometimes scatterbrained these days. Who can blame him? The legendary coach toiled through the second half of 2008 to prepare for the 37th edition of his annual baseball clinic and to...

Golden Falcons pin Golden Demons

PIKEVILLE -- Less than a month ago, the youth-laden Charles B. Aycock wrestling team didn't seem to have much confidence. But a runner-up performance in the Louisburg Duals before Christmas and positive workouts during the two-week holiday vacation have turned...

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Local Preps Digest

PIKEVILLE -- Courtney Sheeks scored a game-high 22 points to go with eight rebounds, and Camille Williams added 16 points as Charles B. Aycock earned a 59-35, non-conference win over visiting Rosewood on Tuesday night. The Golden Falcons (3-11 overall)...

Local Prep boxscores

BOYS Rosewood 11 2 9 5 -- 27 C.B. Aycock 20 18 23 11 -- 72 ROSEWOOD (3-7) Trevor Cox 0 0 2-3 2, Ahkeem Simms 1 0 0-0 2, Cody Harris 1 2 0-0 8, James Harris 3 0...

Southern Wayne matmen show solid improvement in defeat

DUDLEY -- No one can seem to derail Wilson Hunt's mojo on the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference dual-team wrestling scene this season. Southern Wayne was the latest victim Tuesday evening. The Warriors recorded seven pins to neatly put away...

Aycock shakes off slow start in county game

PIKEVILLE -- The superlatives talented, deep, defensively sound and committed to rebounding can be used to describe a handful of boys' basketball teams in the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference. Now you can include Charles B. Aycock in that conversation....

Opinion -- Panthers mirror Super Bowl champs of 2008

Prior to capping the 2007-08 season with a world title, the New York Giants entered the postseason as a team known primarily for four things: a good but not great defense, a formidable running game with budding stars and a...

Faith Christian boys fall to Bethel

Faith Christian took too long to shake off the rust from an extended holiday break on Tuesday evening. The Conquerors couldn't find an offensive rhythm in a 50-37 loss to Bethel Christian Academy. It was Faith Christian's first game since...

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Local Digest

CALYPSO -- North Duplin got off to a slow start offensively and never recovered as they fell to Lakewood 68-36 on Monday night. The Rebels' attack fell flat in the first quarter as the team managed just five points....

MOC baseball receives No. 1 ranking

MOUNT OLIVE -- A historical ending has led a benchmark beginning. Mount Olive College, which won the NCAA Division II national baseball championship last June, starts the 2009 season ranked No. 1 in the preseason Collegiate Baseball magazine top 40...

Injuries, turnovers cost MOC women

MOUNT OLIVE -- Coker just wouldn't go away. And injury-plagued Mount Olive couldn't finish on offense. The Trojan women succumbed to 21 second-half turnovers and the Cobras claimed a 57-55 victory in Conference Carolinas play Monday evening at Kornegay Arena....

Trojan men tame Cobras

MOUNT OLIVE -- As difficult as the first 10 games have been in Joey Higginbotham's tenure as the Mount Olive College men's basketball coach, a 3-0 start in Conference Carolinas play is easing some of those pains. The Trojans (4-6...

Monday, January 5, 2009

Wrestling -- Pilkington Memorial Duals

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock avenged two regular-season losses and emerged runner-up in the 2009 Pilkington Memorial Duals contested on Saturday afternoon. Washington derailed the Golden Falcons in the finals. The Pam Pack, despite yielding four forfeits, triumphed in six...

Wrestling -- EW at Havelock

HAVELOCK -- Short-handed Eastern Wayne posted an 0-5 record during a day-long, six-team dual team wrestled at Havelock High School on Saturday. The Warriors (4-10 overall) competed with just nine grapplers and dropped decisions to the host Rams, J.H....

Rob Wooten Day

FREMONT -- Hands fidgeting in his lap, Rob Wooten sat quietly. He glanced up at a large screen, which flashed photos from his boyhood through his senior season at North Carolina. At the table beside him sat coaches who had...

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Local Digest

PIKEVILLE -- North Lenoir held Charles B. Aycock scoreless in the opening quarter and began 2009 with a 39-27, non-conference varsity girls' basketball victory Friday evening. Marisa Lanier poured in a game-high 13 points for the Hawks, including a...

N. Lenoir boys handle C.B. Aycock

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock kept slugging away. North Lenoir refused to back down. The Hawks twice rallied from 10-point deficits to claim a 75-66, non-conference victory over the Golden Falcons on Friday evening. North Lenoir (7-4 overall) completed its...

Prep boxes

BOYS North Lenoir 15 14 20 26 -- 75 C.B. Aycock 19 16 13 18 -- 66 NORTH LENOIR (7-4) Chris McPhail 4 3 8-10 25, Josh Grady 1 0 0-0 2, Joe Whitfield 2 1 2-2 9, Da'rico Jones...

Friday, January 2, 2009

Pilkington Memorial Duals: Youth-laden Golden Falcons will have their hands full

PIKEVILLE -- Continue to improve. It's the lone goal Charles B. Aycock wrestling coach Mark Bass reminds his team each time it steps onto the mat this season. Saturday will be no exception. The Golden Falcons play host to the...

Wildlife workshop to be held

N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission RALEIGH -- An upcoming workshop at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education will look at hunting as a tradition, a conservation tool and its role in modern society. The interactive course is from 4-8 p.m....

Cape Fear tourney raises striper issues

The Cape Fear River's striper population is precarious. While biologists have stocked hundreds of thousands of stripers into the river, there is no evidence the introduced fish are spawning successfully. Although striped bass anglers have been happy with their catches,...

N.C. DMF recalls 2008 successes

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries MOREHEAD CITY -- The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries boasts several accomplishments in 2008. A few are listed here: * Fishing License Grant Proposals -- The Division of Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources Commission accepted...