10-26-22 roundup: Pro basketball, football and soccer, High school football, girls tennis, volleyball and softball, College football and basketball, Middle school football, boys soccer and volleyball, Auto racing
By Richard Walker
Shelby avenged its only loss of the season on Wednesday in a 28-0 win over visiting R-S Central in the Tri-County Conference middle school football championship game at Shelby High School.
The Blue Devils, who had lost 26-20 at R-S Central on Sept. 14 in the regular season, won their last six games to finish 7-1 overall.
Coach Justin Bowden’s team won its third straight title with touchdowns from Majay Thompson, Tyler Morgan and Eser Lopez.
Shelby’s title was its ninth in Tri-County championship game history that dates to 2002; The Blue Devils previously won championships in 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2021 spring and 2021 fall.
TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Playoffs)
Oct. 19 – No. 2 West (R-S Central) at No. 1 East (Kings Mountain) – R-S Central 20-0
Oct. 24 – No. 2 East (East Lincoln) at No. 1 West (Shelby) – Shelby 27-12
Oct. 26 – Championship game: R-S Central at Shelby – Shelby 28-0
College basketball
Gardner-Webb’s women’s basketball team was picked as the co-favorite and its men’s team a fourth-place selection in preseason voting by league head coaches and media.
The results were announced during Wednesday’s Big South Conference media day at Charlotte’s Bojangles’ Coliseum complex.
Also for G-W, Alasia Smith was named women’s preseason player of the year and joined on the preseason women’s all-league team on first team with Jhessyka Williams and second-teammer Lauren Bevis and men’s player Kareem Reid was a second team all-conference selection.
“With a team with this many returnees and this much experience, it’s expected,” Bulldogs women’s basketball coach Alex Simmons of sharing preseason favorite honors with High Point.
Gardner-Webb finished 16-15 overall last season and 13-5 and tied for fourth in the 2022 Big South regular season race before falling in the tournament semifinals. High Point was 17-14 overall, 13-5 in the league and lost in the tournament quarterfinals.
The Bulldogs’ women’s team open their 2022-23 season on Nov. 7 at Clemson at 11 a.m. and has a schedule that also includes a Nov. 27 matchup at Alabama.
Defending tournament champion Longwood was picked sixth and defending regular season champion Campbell third.
USC Upstate, in its first year under former Belmont Abbey head coach Jason Williams, is an eighth-place selection in the 10-team league.
Defending tournament and regular season champion Longwood was the preseason selection in the men’s race. The Lancers went 26-7 overall and 15-1 in the league last season.
Gardner-Webb finished 18-13 overall, 11-5 in the league and lost in the tourament semifinals.
Coach Tim Craft’s returns two starters and nine letterwinners but has also added four transfers to its roster.
“We feel really good about our team,” Craft said. “We’ve got eight guys with four years of college basketball experience. We had never really used the transfer portal before. But with the changing landscape and us losing some talented players to the transfer portal, we decided to go all in.
“And we’ve got some talented players and some guys that really talented, high-character guys.”
The Bulldogs open their 2022-23 season on Nov. 7 at Colorado State. The schedule is highlighted by a Nov. 15 game at No. 1-ranked North Carolina.
High school softball
The Belmont sports community is mourning the death of longtime Belmont and South Point softball coach George Kitchen.
Kitchen, who started coaching youth sports in Belmont in 1973, died last Saturday, Oct. 22 at 83.
An April 2022 inductee into the Belmont Sports Hall of Fame, Kitchen first coached Little League baseball before becoming a South Point High assistant softball coach in 1984 and a Belmont Middle School assistant softball coach in 2016.
Kitchen was born in York County, S.C., and was the son of the late Fred and Ellen Stiles Kitchen.
He was preceded in death by his wife Judy Kitchen and his brother A.V. Kitchen and survivors include his children Chris Kitchen (Celeste) and Donna Hodges (Donald Ray); his grandchildren: Noelle Roberts (Michael), Nick Kitchen (Rachel), Samuel Sanchez, Michael Spargo, Brian Spargo, Jordan Brann, and Ryan Spargo; his great grandchildren: Anna Roberts, Dracen Roberts, Barrett Roberts, Lily Kitchen, Grayson Kitchen, and Gracie Brann; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life service will be held in George Kitchen’s honor at 5 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 29, 2022 at Independent Baptist Tabernacle in Dallas. The family will receive friends from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, also at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the South Point High School Softball Team: 906 South Point Rd. Belmont, NC 28012. Arrangements are in the care of Woodlawn Funeral Home of Mount Holly.
Pro basketball
The Charlotte Hornets rallied from a 12-point deficit late in the third quarter to force overtime at New York on Wednesday night before the Knicks took a 134-131 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Charlotte, which fell to 2-2 on the season, was led by Gordon Hayward (21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists), Jalen McDaniels (17 points, 6 rebounds), Kelly Oubre (17 points, 5 rebounds), Theo Maledon (15 points) and Dennis Smith (14 points, 11 assists).
Here is the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(2-2 record)
October
19 at San Antonio (W 129-102)
21 New Orleans (L 112-124)
23 at Atlanta (W 126-109)
26 at New York (L 131-134, OT)
28 at Orlando, 7 p.m.
29 Golden State 7 p.m.
31 Sacramento, 7 p.m.
November
2 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
4 at Memphis, 8 p.m.
5 Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
7 Washington, 7 p.m.
9 Portland, 7 p.m.
10 at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
12 at Miami, 8 p.m.
14 at Orlando, 7 p.m.
16 Indiana, 7 p.m.
18 at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
20 at Washington, 6 p.m.
23 Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
25 Minnesota, 5 p.m.
28 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
December
2 Washington, 7 p.m.
3 Milwaukee, 6 p.m.
5 L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.
7 at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
9 New York, 7 p.m.
11 at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
14 Detroit, 7 p.m.
16 Atlanta, 7 p.m.
18 at Denver, 8 p.m.
19 at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
21 at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
23 at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
26 at Portland, 10 p.m.
27 at Golden State, 10 p.m.
29 Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
31 Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
January
2 L.A. Lakers, 7 p.m.
4 Memphis, 7 p.m.
6 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
8 at Indiana, 5 p.m.
10 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
14 Boston, 7 p.m.
16 Boston, 1 p.m.
18 at Houston, 8 p.m.
21 at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
23 at Utah, 9 p.m.
24 at Phoenix, 9 p.m.
26 Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
29 Miami, 1 p.m.
31 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
February
2 at Chicago, 8 p.m.
3 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
5 Orlando, 1 p.m.
8 at Washington, 7 p.m.
10 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
11 Denver, 7 p.m.
13 Atlanta, 7 p.m.
15 San Antonio, 7 p.m.
24 at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
25 Miami, 7 p.m.
27 Detroit, 7 p.m.
March
1 Phoenix, 7 p.m.
3 Orlando, 7 p.m.
5 at Brooklyn, 6 p.m.
7 at New York, 7:30 p.m.
9 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
11 Utah, 7 p.m.
12 Cleveland, 5 p.m.
14 Cleveland, 7 p.m.
17 Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
20 Indiana, 7 p.m.
23 at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
24 at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
26 Dallas, 1 p.m.
28 at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
31 Chicago, 7 p.m.
April
2 Toronto, 1 p.m.
4 Toronto, 7 p.m.
7 Houston, 7 p.m.
9 at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
High school volleyball
Here are Oct. 22 first round playoff results:
(Class 1A)
No. 6 Murphy def. No. 27 Cherryville 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-22)
No. 4 Highland Tech def. No. 29 Millenium Charter 3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-9)
No. 3 Bishop McGuinness def. No. 30 Thomas Jefferson 3-1 (25-7, 25-9, 22-25, 25-11)
No. 2 Mountain Island Charter def. No. 31 Bradford Prep 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 30-28)
No. 8 Piedmont Community Charter def. No. 25 Avery County 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-20, 25-21)
(Class 2A)
No. 23 North Stanly def. No. 10 East Gaston 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-8)
No. 19 Community School of Davidson def. No. 14 Lincoln Charter 3-1 (19-25, 25-13, 25-15, 25-14)
(Class 3A)
No. 4 North Henderson def. No. 29 Cramer 3-0 (25-9, 25-11, 25-9)
No. 12 Forestview def. No. 21 Crest 3-1 (17-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-22)
No. 3 Kings Mountain def. No. 30 North Davidson 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-9)
No. 11 West Henderson def. No. 22 South Point 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-14)
No. 14 East Lincoln def. No. 19 St. Stephens 3-0
No. 27 North Lincoln def. No. 6 Rockingham County 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-14)
Here are Tuesday’s second round results:
(Class 1A)
No. 9 Draughn def. No. 8 Piedmont Community Charter 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-20)
No. 4 Highland Tech def. No. 13 Robbinsville 3-2 (24-26, 14-25, 25-17, 25-14, 15-11)
No. 2 Mountain Island Charter def. No. 16 Cherokee 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 12-25, 25-22)
(Class 3A)
No. 12 Forestview def. No. 5 Ashe County 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23)
No. 3 Kings Mountain def. No. 14 East Lincoln 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-10)
No. 11 West Henderson def. No. 27 North Lincoln 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-10)
Here are Thursday’s third round pairings:
(Class 1A)
No. 4 Highland Tech hosts No. 5 Uwharrie Charter
No. 2 Mountain Island Charter hosts No. 26 South Stokes
(Class 3A)
No. 12 Forestview at No. 4 North Henderson
No. 3 Kings Mountain hosts No. 11 West Henderson
High school girls tennis
DUAL TEAM PLAYOFFS:
Oct. 19 first round results:
(Class 1A)
No. 4 Highland Tech (10-3) hosts No. 13 Piedmont Community Charter (3-7) – HT 6-0
(Class 2A)
No. 8 Shelby (11-2) hosts Wheatmore (12-7) – Shelby 8-1
No. 7 West Lincoln (15-2) hosts Mount Pleasant (9-6) – WL 8-0
No. 2 Lincoln Charter (11-0) hosts Southwestern Randolph (10-5) – LC 5-2
(Class 3A)
No. 1 Kings Mountain (8-0) hosts West Henderson (10-4) – WH 6-3
No. 5 North Lincoln (14-1) hosts Hickory (9-2) – NL 5-1
No. 11 East Lincoln (12-2) at W-S Atkins (11-2) – EL 5-3
No. 15 Forestview (8-2) at Franklin (14-0) – Franklin 5-1
Oct. 24 second round results:
(Class 1A)
No. 4 Highland Tech (11-3) hosts No. 12 Elkin (7-8) – HT 5-1
(Class 2A)
No. 8 Shelby (12-2) at No. 1 Salisbury (16-0) – Salisbury 5-1
No. 7 West Lincoln (16-2) at No. 2 Lincoln Charter (12-0) – WL 5-2
(Class 3A)
No. 5 North Lincoln (15-1) at No. 4 Lake Norman Charter (18-1) – LNC 5-1
No. 11 East Lincoln (13-2) at No. 3 Montgomery Central (16-0) – EL 7-2
Oct. 31 third round pairings:
(Class 1A)
No. 4 Highland Tech (12-3) at No. 1 Mount Airy (18-1)
(Class 2A)
No. 7 West Lincoln (17-2) at No. 6 Hendersonville (14-1)
(Class 3A)
No. 11 East Lincoln (14-2) at No. 2 Franklin (16-0)
Middle School boys soccer
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Thursday’s games)
Bessemer City at Belmont, Chavis at York Chester, Cramerton at Stanley, W.C. Friday at Southwest, Grier at Mount Holly
Middle School volleyball
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Thursday’s games)
Bessemer City at Belmont, Chavis at York Chester, Cramerton at Stanley, W.C. Friday at Southwest, Grier at Mount Holly
Pro football
Here’s the full Carolina Panthers schedule for the 2022 season:
Week 1, Sept. 11, Cleveland (L 24-26)
Week 2, Sept. 18, at N.Y. Giants (L 16-19)
Week 3, Sept. 25, New Orleans (W 22-14)
Week 4, Oct. 2, Arizona (L 16-26)
Week 5, Oct. 9, San Francisco (L 15-37)
Week 6, Oct. 16, at L.A. Rams (L 10-24)
Week 7, Oct. 23, Tampa Bay (W 21-3)
Week 8, Oct. 30, at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Week 9, Nov. 6, at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Week 10, Nov. 10, Atlanta, 8:15 p.m.
Week 11, Nov. 20, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Week 12, Nov. 27, Denver, 1 p.m.
Week 13, Dec. 4, BYE
Week 14, Dec. 11, at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.
Week 15, Dec. 18, Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Week 16, Dec. 24, Detroit, 1 p.m.
Week 17, Jan. 1, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Week 18, Jan. 7 or 8, at New Orleans, TBD
Pro soccer
Charlotte FC on Wednesday announced that head coach Christian Lattanzio has signed a contract extension through the 2024 season with an option for 2025.
“I’ve said many times that Charlotte FC is a special place, not only in Major League Soccer, but around the world of football,” Lattanzio said in a news release. “I’m excited to sign an extension here in Charlotte as we continue to build our culture and identity. I’m honored to be the head coach of Charlotte FC and know everyone at this football club is aligned and prepared to move forward into 2023 as we improve on the foundation we have built together this season.”
Lattanzio, who took over midseason when Miguel Angel Ramirez was fired, led Charlotte to an 8-10-2 record that sweep of defending MLS champion New York City FC; The sweep marked the first time a MLS expansion team in the modern era had swept the defending league champion.
Additionally, Sporting Director Zoran Krneta, Director of Scouting Thomas Schaling and Head of Analytics & Technical Scouting Lisandro Isei signed new, multi-year contracts with the franchise.
College basketball
The Charlotte Sports Foundation announced on Wednesday that tickets to the inaugural Jumpman Invitational presented by Novant Health will go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m.
The event that will be held Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center will feature the men’s and women’s teams from the original four schools to sign partnership deals with Jordan Brand in basketball and football: Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
The schedule for the inaugural event:
(Dec. 20)
7 p.m. – Michigan vs. North Carolina (women)
9:30 p.m. – Florida vs. Oklahoma (men)
(Dec. 21)
7 p.m. – Michigan vs. North Carolina (men)
9:30 p.m. – Florida vs. Oklahoma (women)
Both North Carolina teams are ranked nationally in the Associated Press preseason poll; The Tar Heels men are No. 1 and the women No. 12.
“We are thrilled to have both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from UNC participating in a premier event like the Jumpman Invitational,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a news release. “It is going to be two nights of incredible basketball in Charlotte, and I hope the stands will be filled with Tar Heels cheering on our student-athletes.”
Tickets will be available on the Jumpman Invitational Ticketmaster page at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday, Oct. 27.
High school football
(This week’s Cleveland/Gaston/Lincoln games:)
Bessemer City at Cherryville
Cramer at Forestview
Highland Tech at East Gaston
Huss at Ashbrook
Kings Mountain at Crest
Mountain Island Charter at Lake Norman Charter
North Lincoln at East Lincoln
Shelby at Burns
South Point at North Gaston
West Lincoln at Lincolnton
(This week’s other area games:)
Foard at St. Stephens
Statesville at Hickory
North Iredell at West Iredell
Bunker Hill at Bandys
West Caldwell at East Burke
Maiden at Newton-Conover
Chambers at Mallard Creek
Hough at Hopewell
West Charlotte at North Meck
Berry Academy at Kell
Harding at South Meck
Olympic at Myers Park
Charlotte Catholic at Palisades
Butler at Independence
East Meck at Providence
Rocky River at Garinger
Chase at R-S Central
Rock Hill, S.C. at Clover, S.C.
College football
(This weekend’s NCAA Division I Carolinas schedule:)
-Thursday
Virginia Tech at N.C. State, 7:30 p.m.
-Friday
East Carolina at BYU, 8 p.m.
-Saturday
South Carolina State at Morgan State, noon
Presbyterian at Marist, noon
Charleston Southern at Kennesaw State, 1 p.m.
Campbell at North Carolina A&T, 1 p.m.
East Tennesee State at Wofford, 1:30 p.m.
Bryant at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 p.m.
Charlotte at Rice, 2 p.m.
North Carolina Central at Delaware State, 2 p.m.
Chattanooga at Furman, 2 p.m.
Samford at The Citadel, 2 p.m.
Wake Forest at Louisville, 3:30 p.m.
Robert Morris at Appalachian State, 3:30 p.m.
Delaware at Elon, 3:30 p.m.
Missouri at South Carolina, 4 p.m.
Coastal Carolina at Marshall, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at North Carolina, 8 p.m.
Auto racing
The 2022 NASCAR cup schedule (with winners):
Feb. 6 Busch Light Clash (Joey Logano)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 (Brad Keselowski)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 (Chris Buescher)
Feb. 20 Daytona 500 (Austin Cindric)
Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 (Kyle Larson)
Mar. 6 Pennzoil 400 (Alex Bowman)
Mar. 13 Ruoff Mortgage (Chase Briscoe)
Mar. 20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (William Byron)
Mar. 27 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Ross Chastain)
Apr. 3 Toyota Owners (Denny Hamlin)
Apr. 9 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 (William Byron-2)
Apr. 17 Food City Dirt Race (Kyle Busch)
Apr. 24 Geico 500 (Ross Chastain-2)
May 2 DuraMAX Drydene 400 (Chase Elliott)
May 8 Goodyear 400 (Joey Logano-2)
May 15 AdventHealth 400 (Kurt Busch)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star Open (Daniel Suarez)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star (Ryan Blaney)
May 29 Coca-Cola 600 (Denny Hamlin-2)
June 5 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Joey Logano-3)
June 12 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Daniel Suarez)
June 26 Ally 400 (Chase Elliott-2)
July 3 Kwik Trip 250 (Tyler Reddick)
July 10 Quaker State 400 (Chase Elliott-3)
July 17 Ambetter 301 (Christopher Bell)
July 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono (Chase Elliott-4)
July 31 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Tyler Reddick-2)
Aug. 7 FireKeepers Casino 400 (Kevin Harvick)
Aug. 14 Federated Auto Parts 400 (Kevin Harvick-2)
Aug. 21 Go Bowling at The Glen (Kyle Larson-2)
Aug. 27-28 Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Austin Dillon)
Sept. 4 Cook Out Southern 500 (Erik Jones)
Sept. 11 Hollywood Casino 400 (Bubba Wallace)
Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Chris Buescher)
Sept. 25 AutoTraderEchoPark Automotive 500 (Tyler Reddick-3)
Oct. 2 YellaWood 500 (Chase Elliott-5)
Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Christopher Bell)
Oct. 16 South Point 400 (Joey Logano-4)
Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400 (Kyle Larson-3)
Oct. 30 Xfinity 500
Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship