November 2012 archives

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Friday, November 30, 2012

Perennial power Lakewood tops SW girls

SALEMBURG -- Dikeya Cox logged a double-double in Southern Wayne's 54-45, non-conference loss to perennial Class 1-A powerhouse Lakewood on Thursday evening. Cox notched 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Saints, who were handed their second loss of the...

Outlaw, Roberts pace SW boys on the road

SALEMBURG -- Ronnell Outlaw and Jaylen Roberts each flirted with a double-double during Southern Wayne's 71-47, non-conference triumph over Lakewood on Thursday evening. Outlaw delivered 18 points, eight assists and four steals. Roberts contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. Jamiel...

Reid, Winston-Salem State teammates use 2011 as motivation

Season-ending defeats are never easy to forget. And even harder to swallow to when they occur in semifinal-round play of the NCAA Division II football playoffs. Just ask Khendra Reid. The Winston-Salem State senior vividly recalls the emotional loss to...

Preps digest: JV, middle school sports

JV sports * Boys' basketball: Lakewood 62, Southern Wayne 55 -- Montrell Plummer led the Saints' offense with 19 points. Xavier Pearsall and Marquail Broddick contributed 16 and 11 points, respectively. The Saints (1-2 overall) visit Jones Senior today....

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Prep wrestling box scores

C.B. Aycock 72 Greene Central 12 Hwt -- Jorge Flores (CBA) wbf Jordan Williams, 1 minute, 51 seconds; 106 -- Zack Howard (CBA) wbf Lisa Anderson, 1:41; 113 -- Jacob Dickenson (CBA) wbf Deondra Sutton, 2:53; 120 -- Jordan Bailey...

Preps digest: JV sports roundup

JV sports * Boys' basketball: Goldsboro 46, Southern Nash 41 -- Eric Bufkin led Goldsboro with 14 points. Daktavius Wheeler added nine points and Nashir Bowden finished with eight. Goldsboro improved to 2-0 overall. * Boys' basketball: C.B. Aycock...

Tuesday's prep basketball boxes

BOYS C.B. Aycock 13 14 7 23 -- 57 Rosewood 16 6 14 14 -- 50 C.B. AYCOCK (3-1) Greg Williams 4 0 9-10 17, Shakell Powell 2 1 1-2 8, Neil Clark 1 0 0-2 2, Michael Williams 9...

Hunt rolls over Eastern Wayne's boys

WILSON -- Wilson Hunt shot the lights out and Eastern Wayne had no answer in a 76-34 defeat on Wednesday night. Jamal Shuford led the Warriors with 10 points and five assists. Eastern Wayne (1-1 overall) will travel to Southern...

Rams hold off Demons in basketball

WILSON -- Greene Central got key stops down the stretch and held off Wilson Fike 67-60 on Wednesday night. Tevin Bates led the Rams with 11 points. Sae Wooten added 10 points in the win....

Cougars collect road win at Southern Nash

BAILEY -- Goldsboro jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back in a 60-49, non-conference win over Southern Nash on Wednesday night. Damarion Henderson led the Cougars with 13 points. Myron Carmon added 11...

Eastern Wayne girls beat Hunt

WILSON -- Eastern Wayne made a thrilling last-minute comeback to beat Wilson Hunt 42-37 on Friday night. The Warriors were down by eight points with two minutes to play, but turned the tides with pressure defense. Elondia Grant led Eastern...

CBA girls knock off Rosewood, 66-46

Charles B. Aycock outscored Rosewood on its way to a 66-46, non-conference victory on Wednesday evening. A back-and-forth first quarter left the Golden Falcons with a 16-15 advantage after the opening eight minutes. Aycock reeled off nine unanswered points to...

Trojans among leaders in Hawn Cup competition

HIGH POINT -- Mount Olive College remains in contention to repeat in two categories after sweeping the Joby Hawn Cup competition a year ago. The Trojans share second place overall with second-year member King (Tenn.) College, and are one-half point...

Pirates' move to Big East in football expected to be a challenge

East Carolina stuck its toe in the water, but didn't completely dive in Tuesday afternoon. The Pirates still made a big splash, though. Athletics director Terry Holland and Chancellor Steve Ballard announced that ECU will become a football-only member of...

Golden Falcons' boys' basketball team overcomes adversity on the road

Rather than get frustrated in the face of adversity, Charles B. Aycock's experience-laden team let its play do the talking Wednesday evening. The Golden Falcons played through numerous difficult calls in the second half and sank key free throws down...

CBA grapplers defeat Fike, Greene Central

PIKEVILLE -- Thrown to the wolves a year ago, Charles B. Aycock's upper weights showed their maturity and displayed their experience against Wilson Fike on Wednesday evening. Jaquan Walker's major decision at 160 pounds fueled a match-ending 31-5 run and...

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Preps digest: Middle school results

Middle schools * Girls' basketball: Wayne Christian 24, Epiphany 14 -- Kasey Norris and Georgia Parnell each scored six points for Wayne Christian, which improved to 2-0 overall this season. * Girls' basketball: East Wake Academy 37, Wayne Country...

Rosewood grapplers split with Tarboro, North Pitt

TARBORO -- Shyhieem Peterson and Blake Dean collected late-match victories to lead Rosewood past Tarboro, 48-32, in a non-conference tri-meet contested at Martin Middle School. North Pitt prevailed in four of the final five individual bouts and handed Rosewood...

Massengill records double-double for Bulldogs

PRINCETON -- Savanna Massengill scored 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Princeton endured a 52-36 loss to Midway in its season opener on Tuesday night. Charley Cox provided eight points for the Bulldogs and...

Fike slips past Southern Wayne boys

DUDLEY -- Wilson Fike made its final shot in a back-and-forth game. Southern Wayne's last attempt clanged off the rim. When the smoke cleared, the Demons walked off with a 59-58, non-conference victory on Tuesday night. "That was one of...

Davis emerges Chargers' top scorer in road win

ZEBULON -- Wayne Country Day placed four scorers in double figures and cruised to an 86-35, non-conference win at East Wake Academy on Tuesday evening Joel Davis finished with 20 points and Deshar Thomas added 17. Lee Atkinson supplied 14...

WCDS' Pittman qualifies for NCISAA state swim meet

Zan Pittman went to work and reaped a couple of rewards in the Family YMCA pool on Monday evening. Pittman, a seventh-grader at Wayne Country Day, qualified for the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A state championship meet in two...

Bethel Christian upends Faith Christian girls in NCCSA region affair

KINSTON -- Bethel Christian handed Faith Christian a 49-25 loss on Tuesday evening. Mollie Roebuck scored 12 points for the Conquerors. Abigail Pierce had 5 points and Meredith Clark provided four points and 11 rebounds. Meredith Mooring added four points...

Golden Falcon girls fall behind early, never recover

NASHVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock trailed by 19 points after one quarter and never recovered in a 53-40, non-conference loss Tuesday evening at Nash Central. Myleah Jones led the Golden Falcons with 11 points. Quanika Artis added 10 points. Calah...

Barfield, Kornegay pace Eagles against Faith-RM

Wayne Christian suffered a 38-26, non-conference loss to visiting Faith Christian of Rocky Mount on Tuesday evening. Brooke Barfield finished with 12 points for the Eagles. Kelsey Kornegay added eight points and nine rebounds. Katie Isenhower contributed 10 rebounds and...

Tuesday's prep basketball boxes

BOYS Jones Senior 16 18 13 19 -- 66 Spring Creek 12 18 11 23 -- 64 JONES SENIOR Eric Dudley Jr. 6 1 1-1 16, K.D. McCall 5 1 1-2 14, Miguel Foy 3 3 3-4 18, Glen White...

Faith Christian boys defeated by Bethel

KINSTON -- Faith Christian struggled to keep up in a 71-42 loss at N.C. Christian Schools Association region foe Bethel Christian on Tuesday night. Blake Floars paced the Conquerors with 22 points. Richard Sasser had seven points. Faith (4-2 overall)...

Midway spoils Princeton's season opener

PRINCETON -- Princeton watched a late lead slip away in a season-opening, 48-37 loss to Midway on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs led 35-33 with three minutes to play, but were haunted by missed free throws down the stretch. Nick Cobb...

Faith-RM nips Wayne Christian's boys, 58-55

Wayne Christian came up short in a 58-55, non-conference loss to Faith Christian on Rocky Mount on Tuesday night at Clifford Gymnatorium. Sophomore David Swets paced the Eagles with 18 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks. Dylan Smith provided 14...

CBA boys dealt first setback of the season

NASHVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock watched a three-point halftime deficit swell during the final two quarters of a 63-46, non-conference loss at Nash Central on Tuesday evening. The Golden Falcons were outscored 36-22 after halftime. Cameron Johnson paced Aycock with...

Ayden-Grifton sweeps regular-season series from Greene Central

AYDEN -- Greene Central endured a 62-57, non-conference loss at Ayden-Grifton on Tuesday evening. Tevin Bates, Curtez Braswell and Javan Rozelle each scored nine points for the Rams. Sae Wooten added seven points....

Trojan women stay unbeaten on season

MOUNT OLIVE -- Still unbeaten. But barely. Tamara Nesmith drained two free throws with 5.1 seconds remaining, and Mount Olive College turned back King (Tenn.) College, 60-56, during their Conference Carolinas women's basketball game at Kornegay Arena on Tuesday evening....

Lakewood girls handle North Duplin

CALYPSO -- North Duplin opened its season with a 66-13, non-conference loss to Lakewood on Tuesday evening. Shaily McCarty led the Rebels with seven points. Belle Scritchfield and Deja Aycock each had three points. North Duplin (0-1 overall) visits Hobbton...

Fike knocks off Southern Wayne's girls

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne could not hold off hot-shooting Wilson Fike on Tuesday night. The Demons rallied from a double-digit first half deficit and claimed a 61-56 victory. "We are a team right now trying to learn and get better,"...

Best logs double-double in Chargers' first win of the season

ZEBULON -- Sarah Best poured in 26 points to go with 10 rebounds and four assists in Wayne Country Day's 45-21, non-conference win Tuesday evening at East Wake Academy. Hannah Pearson supplied 10 points and seven rebounds for the Chargers....

Borja scores 18 in Gators' season-opening defeat

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek showed drastic signs of improvement from a year ago in a 51-33 loss first-year head coach Charlie Cotten's debut Tuesday evening. The Gators trailed just 22-17 at the half, but were outscored 32-16 in the...

Aycock's Sauls turns in solid effort in the pool

Charles B. Aycock's Savannah Sauls captured first place in two individual events and swam the anchor legs on two relays that logged second-place times during a multi-team meet contested at B.G. Darden Natatorium inside the Goldsboro Family Y on Tuesday...

Rosewood's Silknitter fares well in meet

Rosewood's Kodey Silknitter emerged victorious in the 500-yard freestyle and placed second in the 200-yard individual medley during a multi-team swim meet contested at B.G. Darden Natatorium inside the Goldsboro Family Y on Tuesday evening. Silknitter beat his nearest competitor...

Missed free throws doom MOC men

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive played its best defensive half of the season Tuesday evening. But the Trojans just couldn't cash in on the offensive end. Unbeaten King (Tenn.) College knocked down pivotal free throws in the closing minutes of...

Spring Creek boys drop season-opener to Jones Senior

SEVEN SPRINGS -- If Taylor Jones can get the type of effort his team turned in on Tuesday night on a consistent basis, Spring Creek should just be fine by the time Carolina 1-A Conference play rolls around. The Gators...

Walnut Creek LGA news

Faye Franklin emerged low-putts winner during weekly play on the Walnut Creek Country Club links. Hiromi Sueki and Linda Cannon secured low gross and low net, respectively....

ECU to join Big East as football-only member in 2014

GREENVILLE -- East Carolina University, in a joint announcement with the Big East Conference Tuesday, has accepted a formal invitation to join the league as a football-only member starting with the 2014 season. ECU will continue its current partnership...

Monday, November 26, 2012

Players buy into coach's philosophy, reap late-season rewards

They gathered around their coach with sweat-lined faces that showed their frustration. A four-touchdown deficit with eight minutes to go was undoubtedly an insurmountable deficit to overcome. "Don't give up" their faithful fans shouted from the sidelines. "Don't quit" shouted...

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Swimmer Kanter wins two senior gold medals

Jerry Kanter isn't the kind of athlete who lets anything get in his way, especially his age. At 85, Kanter recently brought home two gold medals from the North Carolina Senior Games in Cary, winning both the 50-yard freestyle...

Princeton-Plymouth box

Princeton 0 14 0 6 -- 20 Plymouth 16 8 6 12 -- 42 First quarter Ply -- McCray 4 run (Pitt run), 10:47 Ply -- McCray 1 run (Pitt run), 7:51 Second quarter Ply -- Sheppard 90 interception return...

Plymouth ends Princeton's Cinderella season

PLYMOUTH -- The clock struck midnight. The glass slipper shattered. Princeton's fairy-tale run in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A (small-school) football playoffs ended Friday evening. Plymouth converted three turnovers into touchdowns and emerged victorious 42-20 in the...

Trojan netters ranked 45th nationally in ITA Division II preseason poll

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College men's tennis team, the reigning Conference Carolinas champion, is ranked No. 45 in the ITA Division II men's preseason national poll, compiled by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Trojans' Edgar...

Stallions too much for Tigers in 1-AA east final

Jacksonville Daily News WARSAW -- Southwest Onslow allowed touchdowns on James Kenan's first and final drives, but in between it was all Stallions on Friday night. Quarterback Shak Pershey scored 3 touchdowns and combined for 155 yards rushing with DaMonta...

James Kenan-Southwest Onslow box

SW Onslow 7 14 14 0 -- 35 James Kenan 7 0 0 6 -- 13 First quarter JK -- Sutton 51 pass from Barnes (Hernandez kick), 10:06 SWO -- Winbush 27 run (Matics kick), 4:10 Second quarter SWO --...

Goldsboro's Bryant, Stampeders eye Grey Cup

Every little boy playing football in the backyard over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend will undoubtedly dream about making a play in a big professional game. Stanley Bryant will get a chance to live that dream today. Bryant, a Goldsboro...

Pirates earn share of CUSA East Division championship

GREENVILLE -- Senior day? Shane Carden must have gotten confused. The East Carolina freshman quarterback had a career day to remember, throwing for 439 yards and rushing for the game-winning touchdown in a 65-59, double-overtime thriller over Marshall at Dowdy-Ficklen...

Friday, November 23, 2012

Outdoors -- Quiet hunting available at Singletary Tract

A lone hunter stood at the back of his vehicle, putting on coveralls before heading back into the woods. A locked metal gate painted yellow blocked his vehicle from entering, but the trail beyond the gate was welcome to foot...

Rams fall to Ayden-Grifton

Jalyn Harper collected 12 points in Greene Central's 62-56, non-conference loss to Ayden-Grifton. Sae Wooten added 10 points, while Kevin Ormond contributed seven points. Quante Smith and Austin Batchelor pulled down eight and six rebounds, respectively. The Rams had 25...

Southern Wayne triumphs in Smith's debut

JACKSONVILLE -- Tarvis Bradshaw led three players in double figures with 22 points and Southern Wayne triumphed 84-74 over Jacksonville in the debut of new head coach Dwight Smith. Ronnell Outlaw chipped in 19 points and Jamiel Price added 18...

Saints grapple in Hoke County

RAEFORD -- Southern Wayne's Aaron Ashford, Kris Faison and Austin Williams each seized their first-ever varsity win during the day-long Hoke County Duals. Noah Blackmon concluded the day 4-0 and remained perfect in five outings this season. Deonta Hayes collected...

Quillen breaks career-win record at Rosewood

WILSON -- Nick Quillen set the career-win record and Rosewood recorded eight pins during a 63-18, non-conference conquest of Wilson Hunt on the wrestling mat. Quillen pinned the Warriors' Nishaun Mack in 51 seconds, giving him 167 career victories. The...

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Rosewood's Quillen must keep focus while on the mat

Nick Quillen has reached the pinnacle of his sport. The trick now is to stay there. The Rosewood High senior grappler carries the bulls-eye on his back after capturing the 120-pound gold medal during the 2012 N.C. High School Athletic...

Bulldogs' maturity paying dividends

As the stage has grown bigger each week during Princeton's run through the postseason, so too have the performances turned in by the Bulldogs. The stakes grow even higher for Princeton on Friday when it travels to Plymouth in the...

Saints' Cox signs NLI with Gardner-Webb

Each time Southern Wayne catcher Ashton Cox either blocked a pitch behind the plate or stepped into the batter's box to hit last season, he'd look into left center field toward the jersey that honored the late Kevin Wise. Cox...

County grapplers open season in Turkey Classic

Wrestlers from three county schools might shy away from the turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving, but they enjoyed a different feast Tuesday evening. Rivals Eastern Wayne, Rosewood and Charles B. Aycock dined on takedowns, reversals, nearfalls and pins during the...

Simmons, Walker named ECC players-of-the-year in respective sports

By RUDY COGGINS News-Argus Sports Editor Charles B. Aycock senior Tara Simmons and sophomore Ashton Walker were named the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference player-of-the-year in women's golf and women's tennis, respectively, for the fall sports season. Simmons led the Golden...

James Kenan doesn't want another shootout

Ken Avent Jr. did not want his team to get into a shootout with Red Springs last Friday night. But the Tigers did just that and won 68-41 -- their best offensive performance of the season. Heading into the N.C....

Southern Wayne girls rout Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE -- Southern Wayne used stifling defense to take down Jacksonville 48-29 on Tuesday night. The Saints tallied 20 steals as a team in the win. Cierra Thompson led the Saints with 14 points and eight steals. Zarra Atkins added...

Richardson, Holloman lead Warriors on the road

HAVELOCK -- Malik Richardson notched a double-double and Eastern Wayne launched its 2012-13 season with a 70-62, non-conference triumph over Havelock. Richardson tallied 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for the Warriors, who triumphed in Glen Darden's head coaching...

Goldsboro-RM Prep basketball boxes

BOYS Rocky Mt. Prep 18 22 23 23 -- 86 Goldsboro 9 9 10 22 -- 50 ROCKY MOUNT PREP Aaron Oates 3 0 1-3 7, Donte Samuels 3 1 4-5 13, Jacob Barrett 4 0 9-12 17, Isiah Armstrong...

Rocky Mount Prep-Goldsboro boys

Russell Stephens knows nothing in high school basketball is decided in November. After a 36-point, season-opening home loss, Stephens also knows his team has plenty of work to do. Goldsboro struggled to match Rocky Mount Prep's blistering pace in an...

Preps digest: JV, middle school sports

JV sports * Boys' basketball: Goldsboro 81, Rocky Mount Prep 40 -- Kisheem Faison led the Cougars (1-0 overall) with 18 points. Andre Castille scored 13 points and Daktavius Wheeler added 12 points. Eric Bufkin scored 11 points. *...

Sauls leads Aycock's effort in the pool

The Golden Falcons girls, the reigning ECC team champions, piled up 104.5 points in their eight-team portion of the marathon event. Savannah Sauls claimed first-place honors in the 200 free (2:13.33) and qualified for the regionals with a meet-best performance...

Cougars turn up defensive heat, roll past RM Prep

Goldsboro scored 18 consecutive points in the second quarter to break open a close game in a season-opening, 66-23 win over visiting Rocky Mount Prep on Tuesday evening. The Cougars turned up their defensive pressure in the second quarter and...

Hunt hands CBA first loss of the season

PIKEVILLE -- Wilson Hunt used a big second quarter to pull away from Charles B. Aycock in a 47-24 victory on Tuesday night. Brianna Pate let the Hunt attack with 12 points. Myleah Jones scored eight points for C.B. Aycock....

Warriors tip off season with road win

HAVELOCK -- Eastern Wayne won its first game of the season with a 64-34 win over Havelock on Tuesday night. Tamiya Dortch led the Warriors with 13 points. Elondia Grant added 11 points and Tianna Christopher finished with 10. Eastern...

Wayne Christian girls defeat Terra Ceia

PANTEGO -- Wayne Christian played stellar defense in a 38-23 win over Terra Ceia Christian on Tuesday night. Kelsey Kornegay led the Eagles with 12 points and eight rebounds. Brooke Barfield added 11 points and eight boards. Katie Isenhower finished...

Raynor pumps in 24 points, Eagles stop Panthers

KENLY -- Rosewood got a big night from Jyonte Raynor en route to a 60-39 win over North Johnston on Tuesday night. Raynor led the Eagles with 24 points. Zach Barnes added 12 points for the Eagles. Rosewood (1-0 overall)...

WCDS boys dominate Wilson Christian

Wayne Country Day got its offense rolling early in a 92-55, non-conference win over Wilson Christian on Tuesday night. Lee Atkinson led the Chargers with 22 points. Deshar Thomas added 20 points and Kris Coley finished with 15. Joel Davis...

Wayne Christian boys break into win column

PANTEGO -- Wayne Christian earned its first win of the season with a 56-40 triumph over Terra Ceia on Tuesday night. Tyler Lacerda led the Eagles with 16 points. Dylan Smith added 14 points and six rebounds. David Swets finished...

Southern Wayne grapples with Hunt

WILSON -- Six Southern Wayne grapplers emerged victorious during a season-opening, 48-33 dual-team loss to perennial Class 3-A power Wilson Hunt on Tuesday evening. Heavyweight Deonta Hayes, 106-pounder Noah Blackmon, 152-pounder Okhanye Wallace and 182-pounder Chris Brinson each pinned their...

CBA varsity boys off to 2-0 start

PIKEVILLE -- C.B. Aycock earned its second win in as many nights with a 55-54 triumph over Wilson Hunt on Tuesday evening. Cameron Johnson led the Golden Falcons with 13 points. Michael Williams added 12 points in the win. A.J....

Walnut Creek LGA news

Faye Franklin seized low putts during weekly play contested on the picturesque Walnut Creek Country Club links. Hiromi Sueki and Mary Morris claimed low gross and low net, respectively....

Saints' Davis leads regional-qualifying parade

Chad Davis hasn't lost his stroke. The reigning Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference male swimmer-of-the-year, Davis returned to the Family Y pool Tuesday evening and posted two eastern regional-qualifying times in season-opening action. Davis, a senior at Southern Wayne, churned through...

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Local preps digest

Girls' basketball Faith Christian 35, Cornerstone Christian 33 Meredith Mooring collected 10 points and Faith Christian defeated Cornerstone Christian, 35-33, for its first victory of the season Monday evening. Abigail Pierce and Meredith Skinner scored six points apiece for the...

Trojan women easily dispose of Crusaders

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College women's basketball team got off to the kind of start that most squads dream about. North Greenville University never recovered. The Trojan women romped from the opening tip during a 100-63 victory at...

North Greenville upends Trojans

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College head men's basketball coach Joey Higginbotham opened the final stat sheet and scratched his head. The Trojans claimed nearly every offensive category against North Greenville (S.C.) University on Monday evening. But the field-goal percentage...

'Old-school' player likes Heels' style

An "old-school" player who relishes the "thinking" side of baseball, Adam Pate found the perfect home to continue his career. And he's not traveling too far from his roots, either. The Charles B. Aycock senior signed a national letter-of-intent with...

16th MOC golf tournament raises funds

MOUNT OLIVE -- The 16th annual Mount Olive College Alumni Golf tournament, contested at Southern Wayne Country Club, raised additional proceeds for its ever-growing Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is nearing the $80,000 mark. Ryan Fields, Taylor Jones, Heath Whitfield...

Monday, November 19, 2012

Lafond sets new record at national meet

MOC Sports Information JOPLIN, Mo. -- Freshman Dylan Lafond emerged Mount Olive College's top performer during the NCAA Division II men's cross country championships contested Saturday. Lafond took 93rd overall among 245 runners with a time of 31 minutes, 25.4...

Prep notebook: Princeton avenges another regular-season loss

Princeton head football coach Derrick Minor used familiarity to his advantage when preparing for a second meeting with Carolina 1-A Conference foe North Duplin in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A (small-school) playoffs. The...

Prep football players of the week

Offense: Ja'Quan Williams, James Kenan. Sophomore rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns for unbeaten Tigers, who reached eastern championship game for first time since 2007.Defense: Adrian Whack, Princeton. One of three players to record six tackles, Whack also picked...

Eagles fall to Oakwood

FAYETTEVILLE -- Wayne Christian dropped a 53-34 decision to Oakwood in the Cape Fear Christian Academy Senior Classic on Saturday night. Chris Easom led the Eagles with 18 points. David Swets added six points and four blocks. Wayne Christian (0-4...

Faith Christian boys split pair of games in Southeastern Tip-Off

ZEBULON -- Faith Christian split a pair of games at the annual Southeastern Tip-off Invitational during the weekend. The Conquerors defeated Cremmerton Christian 57-44 on Friday night. Aaron Hill led the victors with 16 points and Blake Floars added 14....

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Local preps digest

Boys' basketball Cape Fear Christian 95, Wayne Christian 55 * ERWIN -- Senior Dylan Smith led three Wayne Christian players with 15 points in a 95-55 loss to Cape Fear Christian in opening-round play of the CFCA Senior Classic on...

Tigers outlast Red Devils, reach east final

WARSAW -- Some teams would be ecstatic over reaching the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-AA (large-school) east regional championship game. There would be an on-field celebration, a coach doused with Gatorade and fans jumping out of the stands to...

Red Springs-James Kenan box

Red Springs 21 0 0 20 -- 41 James Kenan 14 21 14 19 -- 68 First quarter RS -- Lesane 1 run (Bannick kick), 10:50 JK -- Williams 58 run (Hernandez kick), 10:34 RS -- McGeatchy 27 pass from...

Princeton ousts archrival Rosewood

Minutes after the biggest win in his tenure at Princeton, first-year head coach Derrick Minor spoke to his team about the importance of continuing to build upon the Bulldogs' football tradition. That tradition got even richer Friday evening. Princeton dominated...

Princeton-Rosewood box

Princeton 13 6 0 8 -- 27 Rosewood 0 0 7 0 -- 7 First quarter PHS -- Woodard 38 pass from Allen (Woodard kick failed), 10:45 PHS -- McDougald 31 pass from Wooten (Woodard kick), 3:02 Second quarter PHS...

Mount Olive men bounce back

MOUNT OLIVE -- The second night of the 47th annual Mount Olive Pickle Classic turned out to be much more fun for the home team than the first night. Mount Olive College claimed its first win of the college basketball...

NC prep football scores

CLASS 4AA EAST (1) Garner 56, (3) Raleigh Leesville Road 35 MIDEAST (2) Fayetteville Britt 56, (1) Richmond County 52 MIDWEST (1) Matthews Butler 25, (2) East Forsyth 15 WEST (1) Charlotte Mallard Creek 42, (2) Charlotte Olympic 0 CLASS...

MOC inducts seventh athletics hall of fame class

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Young men who laid the groundwork for the success of the Mount Olive College baseball program and one of the cornerstones of the early years of Trojan women's athletics were inducted into the MOC...

Trojans roll past Converse

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive proved defense wins ballgames. But the Trojan women grew up a little bit, too, Saturday afternoon. Tamara Nesmith led four players in double figures with 21 points in an 87-34 thrashing of Converse (S.C.) College...

Friday, November 16, 2012

Aycock's Simmons signs NLI with Dartmouth College

Those daydreams of hitting golf balls for an Ivy League school are over. They're finally reality for Tara Simmons. The Charles B. Aycock senior inked a national letter-of-intent with Dartmouth College on Wednesday afternoon. She entertained offers from the University...

Special teams play could affect Rosewood-Princeton outcome

Whether its a momentum-changing kick return, a costly missed extra point or what appears to be a routine punt that alters field position, the true value of special teams is not often felt until they dramatically alter the outcome of...

Rosewood defense must contain Princeton's Frasier

Three weeks ago when Rosewood and Princeton played their regular-season finale at the Fred Bartholomew Athletic Complex, there was a chance that the loser of that game would get left out of the playoffs. The Eagles and Bulldogs meet again...

Faith Christian girls fall to Hilltop

WENDELL -- Faith Christian endured a 39-14 loss to Hilltop Christian on Thursday in the Southeast Tipoff Tournament. Meredith Mooring led the Conquerors with four points. Five different Faith players each scored two points. Faith (0-2 overall) faces Heritage Christian...

Hill sparks Faith Christian boys to opening-round win

WENDELL -- Aaron Hill scored 23 points to lead Faith Christian to a 72-52 win over Mount Calvary on Thursday in the Southeast Tipoff Tournament. Richard Sasser provided 15 points for the Conquerors and Blake Floars added 13. Faith (2-0...

Trojans carry different mindset to NCAA Division II men's cross country championships

Forget the "happy to be here" mentality. The objective is different this time for the Mount Olive College men's cross country team. Simply qualifying for the NCAA Division II national championship meet isn't enough any more. The Trojans expect to...

Higginbotham: Trojans must bring their 'A' game each night during Pickle Classic

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive finds itself at a disadvantage when the 47th annual Pickle Classic tips off Friday evening. The Trojans have yet to play a game, while their three guests -- West Virginia State, Lenoir-Rhyne and Fayetteville State...

MOC -- Hall of Fame induction

Carl Lancaster's coaching career came full circle when he recruited his sons, Jesse and Nolan, to play baseball at Mount Olive College. The circle is widening. Lancaster finds himself receiving emails of kids who are fathered by former Trojans, and...

Two individuals, 1992 baseball team comprise latest MOC Athletics Hall of Fame class

Expect the unexpected and make adjustments is the message James Kenan head football coach Ken Avent Jr. has given his team in preparation for tonight's game against Red Springs. The No. 2-ranked Tigers (12-0 overall) play host to the Red...

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Walnut Creek LGA news

* WILSON -- Hiromi Sueki claimed first net in first flight competition during an Eastern Carolina Ladies Golf Association tournament contested at Willow Springs Country Club. Sueki captured low gross during regular play-day action on the Walnut Creek Country...

Northwood girls upend Wayne Christian

Wayne Christian rallied from a 10-point deficit but couldn't complete the comeback in a 45-40 loss to visiting Northwood Temple in the Carolina Christian 1-A Conference opener for both teams Tuesday evening. Brooke Barfield paced the Eagles with 17...

Senior leadership must surface for Trojan women

The latest edition of the Mount Olive College women's basketball team finds itself searching for an identity without major players in the starting rotation. Andrea Jones, a two-time all-Conference Carolinas performer, is lost to an undisclosed injury for an undetermined...

Northwood boys roll past Eagles

Northwood Temple placed four scorers in double figures in an 88-39 win against Carolina Christian 1-A Conference foe Wayne Christian. Chris Easom led the Eagles with 13 points and David Swets contributed eight points. Dylan Smith had seven points,...

Princeton's Frasier showing more confidence each week

Princeton's Johnny Frasier took the handoff, followed his blockers and met a North Edgecombe defender one-on-one in open space. No problem. Frasier hurdled over the defender and never broke his stride en route to a third-quarter touchdown during second-round action...

Rosewood offense finding its groove

Their names don't get called out over the PA system, aren't in a box score and not common knowledge to the casual fan, but the impact offensive linemen make on a football game is truly immeasurable. Rosewood can attest to...

Inexperience drives MOC men's basketball team to improve each day

Mount Olive College came to the realization that it doesn't want to experience the "hard-knock life" on the basketball court this season after its preseason exhibition game at Old Dominion University. The Monarchs punched the Trojan men in the mouth...

Monday, November 12, 2012

Rosewood, Princeton prepare for third-round battle

Separated by a few miles and the Wayne-Johnston county line, archrivals Rosewood and Princeton get another crack at each other on the football field Friday evening. The stakes are higher this time. The winner punches its ticket to the N.C....

Prep notebook: Princeton defense plays disciplined

LEGGETT -- Trust in yourself. Princeton head football coach Derrick Minor admits the needle is stuck on the record since he and his coaching staff deliver that message to their players every day in practice. They're finally starting to...

Area players of the week

Offense -- Johnny Frasier, Princeton. Sophomore rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns in second-round playoff victory at North Edgecombe. Defense -- Michael Melendez, James Kenan. Logged team-leading nine tackles in Tigers' come-from-behind win over Union in second round of...

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Princeton-N. Edgecombe box

Princeton 7 15 13 6 -- 43 North Edgecombe 6 0 0 6 -- 12 First quarter P -- Wooten 2 run (R. Woodard kick), 4:18 Second quarter P -- Frasier 10 run (R. Woodard kick), 9:14 P -- Wooten...

Princeton rolls past N. Edgecombe

LEGGETT -- Princeton needed its initial offensive and defensive series to size up perennial Class 1-A football powerhouse North Edgecombe on Friday evening. Then someone forgotten to tighten the Bulldogs' leash. Johnny Frasier flirted with the 1,500-yard rushing plateau and...

Preps digest

Middle schools * Football: Dillard 42, Brogden 0 -- Jamal Alston paced the Tigers' rushing attack with two touchdowns on runs of 60 and 40 yards. Darryl Gaddis contributed a 30-yard TD run. Jaryan Hargis and Malicah Carter each rushed...

NC prep football playoff scores

CLASS 4AA EAST (1) Garner 76, (4) Raleigh Wakefield 34 (3) Leesville Road 37, (2) Middle Creek 30 MIDEAST (1) Richmond County 34, (4) Fuquay-Varina 14 (2) Fayetteville Britt 17, (3) Hoke County 10 MIDWEST (1) Butler 55, (4) Charlotte...

MOC women beat St. Augustine's

MOC Sports Information RALEIGH -- Senior Tamara Nesmith sank one of two free throws in the closing seconds, and Mount Olive College opened its 2012-13 women's basketball season with a 61-57 triumph over in-state foe St. Augustine's on Friday evening....

Rosewood football moves into third round

Josh Davis thought his high school football career might be over after an ejection and one-game suspension put his future in jeopardy just three weeks ago. Davis is back on the field and doing everything within his power to make...

Jones Senior-Rosewood box

Jones Senior 7 0 10 0 -- 17 Rosewood 13 16 0 13 -- 42 First quarter RHS -- McGowan 94 kickoff return (Almontser kick), 11:48 RHS -- Davis 29 run (kick failed), 5:59 J -- White 10 run (Bryant...

James Kenan outlasts Union

WARSAW -- The same characteristics that describe a successful assassin also often describe a successful football team. Intelligence, emotional balance and stone-cold efficiency. James Kenan displayed all of those traits in a near-perfect second half on Friday night. The Tigers...

James Kenan-Union box

Union 0 14 0 0 -- 14 James Kenan 7 0 14 7 -- 28 First quarter JK -- Williams 14 run (Hernandez kick), 0:02 Second quarter U -- Banks 43 pass from Garcia (Garcia kick), 10:14 U -- Faison...

Goldsboro-Northampton box

Goldsboro 14 6 0 7 -- 27 Northampton 7 0 6 21 -- 34 First quarter N -- Lassiter 4 run (McInville kick), 6:22 GHS -- Alston 75 kickoff return (McAlduff kick), 6:08 GHS -- Alston 55 punt return (McAlduff...

Goldsboro dropped by Northampton Co.

Northampton 34, Goldsboro 27 * CONWAY -- Brian Lassiter scored the go-ahead touchdown with 65 seconds left and Northampton completed its comeback for a 34-27 win over Goldsboro on Friday night in the second round of the North Carolina High...

Eastern Alamance defeats C.B. Aycock

Eastern Alamance 42, C.B. Aycock 6 * MEBANE -- Charles B. Aycock struggled to get its offense going in a 42-6 loss on Friday night at Eastern Alamance. Jeremy Hooks scored the Golden Falcons' (6-6) lone touchdown on a 65-yard...

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Preps digest: Middle schools, NRYFL

Middle schools * Voleyball: Norwayne d. Rosewood, 26-24, 25-22, 25-21 -- Norwayne finished the season undefeated at 14-0 overall with a three-set win over Rosewood on Wednesday afternoon. Becka Lynn Pittard led Rosewood with 10 kills. The Eagles concluded the...

No. 4-ranked Stallions gallop past Gators in soccer playoffs

JACKSONVILLE -- Fueled by a season-ending loss to Southwest Onslow on its home pitch a year ago, Spring Creek hoped to return the favor Wednesday evening. The Stallions were just too good ... again. Senior midfielder Austin Tausch notched two...

Princeton finds self belief

Moments after his team knocked off North Duplin 28-21 in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A (small school) football playoffs last Friday night, Princeton's Derrick Minor had the look of a head coach who fully...

North Edgecombe, Princeton's next opponent, starting to discover identity

There is no better lesson learned in any sport than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss contains its own seed and provides its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. The North Edgecombe football team...

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Gators don't skip a beat

Linda Salter expected an easy transition when taking over the Spring Creek boys' soccer program. Her history with the current Gators started on the middle school level and two of those teams won Wayne County Middle School Athletic Conference regular-season...

Local Preps Digest

Boys' basketball Goldsboro Heat 50, Wayne Christian 45 * Wayne Christian tipped off its varsity boys' basketball campaign with a 50-45 loss to Goldsboro Heat. Senior Chris Easom pumped in a team-high 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Senior Dylan...

Britt: Eagles finding stride

One month ago Rosewood head football coach Robert Britt stood on the field at Goldsboro High School and talked about being prepared, playing with intensity and trying to maintain focus for four quarters. Britt sounded like a coach searching for...

C.B. Aycock faces another tough road challenge

Charles B. Aycock has been used to wearing the "underdog" tag during most of its football games this season. This week is no different. The fifth-seeded Golden Falcons (6-5 overall) are the guests of state-ranked and top-seeded Eastern Alamance (11-1)...

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Six Trojans earn spot on Conference Carolinas All-Academic volleyball team

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College and Erskine (S.C.) College shared honors for the most selections on the 2012 Conference Carolinas women's volleyball all-academic team. The Trojans' representatives were Lauren Lee, Nicole Powell, Ashlee Reuter, Talita Rocha, Nicole Sparks...

Preps digest: Middle school, NRYFL

Middle schools * Volleyball: Rosewood d. Mount Olive 25-15, 25-15, 19-25, 25-21 -- Hailey Weeks served six aces for the Eagles, who improved to 12-1 overall this season. Rosewood concludes regular-season play at Norwayne on Wednesday. Youth sports Neuse River...

Monday, November 5, 2012

Prep notebook: James Kenan JV players see quality playing time

WARSAW -- Sophomore. Sophomore. Sophomore. See a pattern here? Several underclassmen saw quality playing time and helped develop a little more depth during James Kenan's opening-round shutout win over East Montgomery in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class...

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Morris, WAVE president, excited about adding boys' program

Deanna Morris hopes a successful informational meeting about adding a boys' program to the Wayne Area Volleyball Enthusiasts organization is a sign of things to come. A solid number of interested parents and boys attended the recent gathering and left...

Spring Creek blanks Midway, advances in 1-A boys' soccer playoffs

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek had 10 days to sit and think about its final game of the regular season, a loss to archrival Rosewood. The Gators came out hungry and intense in a 3-0 victory over Midway in the...

Rosewood avenges loss to Lejeune

Daily News Correspondent JACKSONVILLE -- The Rosewood Eagles soared into Camp Lejeune and got a 34-20 win over the Devilpups on Friday night in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A (small-school) football playoffs. Lejeune...

Rosewood-Lejeune box

Rosewood 6 14 0 14 -- 34 Lejeune 13 0 7 0 -- 20 First quarter L -- Richardson 9 run (kick failed) R -- Garrison 3 run (kick failed) L -- Collins 5 run (kick good) Second quarter R...

Princeton upsets North Duplin in 1-A football playoffs

CALYPSO -- Since the day he was named head football coach at Princeton, Derrick Minor has preached relentlessly to his players about determination, refusing to quit and believing in one another. The Bulldogs never doubted Minor's message. That belief was...

Princeton-North Duplin box

Princeton 7 14 0 7 -- 28 North Duplin 0 7 7 7 -- 21 First quarter PHS -- McDougald 24 pass from Wooten (Woodard kick), 5:10 Second quarter PHS -- Wooten 1 run (Woodard kick), 2:38 ND -- Royal...

Orange eliminates Eastern Wayne from 3-A football playoffs

HILLSBOROUGH -- Eastern Wayne's season ended with a 38-6 loss to Orange High School in the NCHSAA 3-A (small-school) football playoffs Friday evening. The Panthers (9-2 overall) finished with 331 yards of offense compared to just 157 for the Warriors....

Aycock rallies past Burlington Williams in 3-A football playoffs

BURLINGTON -- Charles B. Aycock staged a second-half comeback and defeated Walter Williams, 36-22, in opening-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A (small-school) football playoffs Friday evening. The fifth-seeded Golden Falcons (6-5) travel to Eastern Alamance,...

NC prep football scores

CLASS 4AA EAST (1) Garner 59, (8) Raleigh Athens Drive 21 (2) Apex Middle Creek 31, (7) Wilmington Laney 21 (3) Raleigh Leesville Road 43, (6) Wake Forest Heritage 13 (4) Raleigh Wakefield 40, (5) Wake Forest-Rolesville 38 MIDEAST (1)...

Lafond leads MOC to 2nd straight trip to NCAA D2 cross country national meet

CHARLOTTE -- Freshman Dylan Lafond emerged one of four Mount Olive runners to break the 33-minute barrier, and helped the Trojans earn a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II men's cross country championships in two weeks at...

Eastern Wayne-Orange box

Eastern Wayne 6 0 0 0 -- 6 Orange 13 12 13 0 -- 38 First quarter EW -- Pridgen 29 pass from Pike (kick failed), 1:49 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING -- Eastern Wayne -- Chris Allen 10-18; Mitch Pike 8-13....

Goldsboro wakes up in 2nd half, shuts out Dixon

With his team's high-flying passing game grounded for much of the night, Goldsboro head coach Eric Reid turned to a tried-and-true offensive strategy. The Cougars pounded the ball on the ground and wore down the smaller defenders from Dixon en...

Dixon-Goldsboro box

Dixon 0 0 0 0 -- 0 Goldsboro 0 14 12 14 -- 40 Second quarter G -- Murphy 2 run (McAlduff kick), 11:47 G -- Alston 41 punt return (McAlduff kick), 2:09 Third quarter G -- Maddox 1 run...

C.B. Aycock-Williams box

C.B. Aycock 8 6 15 7 -- 36 Williams 7 15 0 0 -- 22 First quarter W -- Jeffries 4 run (kick good) CBA -- Hooks 10 run (run good) Second quarter W -- McCray 25 run (run good)...

Capt. Antoine Hood patiently waiting for call from NBA

His sleeveless blue T-shirt dripping with sweat and baggy shorts flapping as he dribbles downcourt, Capt. Antoine Hood sizes up his defender. He stops, dribbles between his legs and drives toward the basket. The move momentarily catches his opponent off...

Friday, November 2, 2012

Princeton, Rosewood face familiar foes in first-round playoff games

Second chances don't come along very often, particularly in sports. Carolina Conference archrivals Princeton and Rosewood seek redemption during their respective opening-round games tonight in the 2012 N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A (small-school) football playoffs. Princeton (2-8 overall) travels...

Old Dominion defeats Trojans

MOC Sports Information NORFOLK, Va. -- Jordan McCain scored 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting as Mount Olive fell to Old Dominion, 102-67, in a men's college basketball exhibition game Thursday evening. Mahammed Ibrahim scored nine of his 12 points in...

Tigers ground Eagles, 48-0

WARSAW -- Marcelias Sutton spun away from one defender. A second tackler couldn't wrap up his ankles. Running with grit and determination, Sutton wiggled from another defender and raced toward the end zone for a touchdown. Yeah, it was that...

Diminutive Alston producing for Cougars

Goldsboro's Karon Alston admits he has learned to accept getting overlooked on the football field because of his 5-foot-8, 144-pound frame. Alston has always been one of the smallest players on any team, including when he played flag football as...

JK-E. Montgomery box

E. Montgomery 0 0 0 0 -- 0 James Kenan 27 14 7 0 -- 48 First quarter JK -- Sutton 46 run (kick failed), 10:28 JK -- Barnes 1 run (Hernandez kick), 5:11 JK -- Fullwood 29 pass from...

Local Preps Digest

Golf Walnut Creek LGA * Hiromi Sueki claimed low gross during weekly play on the Walnut Creek Country Club links. Linda Cannon and Mary Morris seized low net and low putts, respectively. Middle schools * Football: Spring Creek 20, Eastern...

Aycock faces Williams

Charles B. Aycock has played its fair share of tradition-rich teams throughout its football history. Tonight is no exception. The Golden Falcons travel to Burlington Williams for an opening-round game in the 2012 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A...

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Preps digest: Nash Central eliminates CBA in 3-A dual-team tennis playoffs

Girls' tennis Nash Central 6, C.B. Aycock 0 * RED OAK -- Nash Central swept the singles courts and captured a 6-0, third-round victory over Charles B. Aycock in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A women's dual-team tennis...

MOC travels to Old Dominion for an exhibition game

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive concludes the preseason portion of its men's basketball schedule with an exhibition game at Old Dominion University today. The Trojans, directed by fifth-year head coach Joey Higginbotham, are playing an exhibition game against a...

James Kenan begins 1-AA state-title quest

The title -- "We Meet Again" -- could be attached to tonight's game between James Kenan and East Montgomery in opening-round action of the 2012 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-AA (large-school) football playoffs. The Tigers are playing a...