11-23-22 roundup: Pro basketball and football, High school football and volleyball, College football, basketball and baseball Middle school soccer, volleyball and wrestling
By Richard Walker
Gardner-Webb will set school history on Saturday in its 5 p.m. Football Championship Series (FCS) playoff game at Eastern Kentucky.
It marks the Bulldogs’ first FCS playoff game and sixth national playoff game in its history.
Previously, Gardner-Webb participated in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) playoffs twice – both times as champions of the South Atlantic Conference and each time with Woody Fish as head coach.
In 1987, Fish took SAC coach of the year honors and 10 Bulldogs were selected all-conference, among them former Ashbrook High standout Jesse James and former Crest High standout Chris Poston.
James (quarterback) and Poston (running back) were joined on All-SAC by teammates Kelvin Richardson (wide receiver), Thurman Leach (offensive lineman), Darrell Middleton (running back), Jeff Parker (kicker), Jim Chappell (offensive lineman), Thomas Mack (defensive back), Kevin Sawyer (linebacker) and Eric Brewton (defensive back).
A season-opening victory at then-FCS team Western Kentucky sparked the team to a 6-1 first-place finish in the league and 11-2 overall. G-W defeated Moorhead State, Minn., 27-7 in a home first round playoff game before losing 27-24 at Carson-Newman. Carson-Newman, a NAIA power, had also handed the Bulldogs their lone regular season loss in a 35-16 victory at G-W.
In 1992, Fish had an even stronger team that would finish 12-2 overall and 7-0 in the SAC. Former Shelby standouts Rodney Robinson (wide receiver) and Dunsey Harper (defensive line), former Crest standout James Harbison (defensive back) and future NFL Super Bowl winner Gabe Wilkins (defensive lineman) were among 10 All-SAC selections in the final year the school and conference was affiliated with NAIA; The next year, all SAC schools joined NCAA Division II.
Other all-conference performers were Archie Wood (offensive lineman), John Craven (quarterback), Andre Kwasnik (kicker), Raymond Jennings (linebacker), Terry McGowan (defensive back) and Richie Ambrose (punter).
After a 71-21 loss at NCAA Division I-AA Central Florida, the Bulldogs rolled to 12 straight victories before losing a 19-16 heartbreaker to Central State, Ohio, in the NAIA title game played at Gardner-Webb’s Spangler Stadium.
During the season, G-W won 10 games by 15 or more points highlighted by a 56-0 victory over Charleston Southern.
The Bulldogs later would win the first two Big South Conference titles in 2002 and 2003, but that was before the Big South champion had an automatic Division I-AA (now FCS) playoff berth.
College football
This year’s Gardner-Webb team took five top Big South Conference honors and 14 all-league selection after the Bulldogs’ championship season.
Gardner-Webb quarterback Bailey Fisher was named offensive player of the year, defensive lineman Ty French defensive player of the year, linebacker Ty Anderson defensive freshman of the year, Tre Lamb coach of the year and linebacker William McRainey football scholar-athlete of the year in selections made the conference’s sports information directors.
The Bulldogs had 10 first team selections, three second team selections and one all-academic team selection, among them 2021 Kings Mountain High graduate Jamie Wilson as second team long snapper.
Fisher was a four-time league offensive player of the week and is a finalist Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Offensive Player of the Year Award. He completed 220 of 339 passes for a league-best 64.9 completiong percentage with 2,755 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also rushed for eight touchdowns.
French is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year Award and had a league-leading 11 quarterback sacks (tied for league single-season record) among his 61 total tackles (13 1/2 total tackles for losses).
Anderson becomes the third Gardner-Webb player to be voted as Big South’s Defensive Freshman of the Year in the award’s five-year history after making 33 total tackles that included 4 1/2 for losses.
Lamb guided the Bulldogs to their first FCS Playoff berth in program history and the school’s first Big South title since 2003. While playing an early-season schecule against three FBS opponents and two nationally-ranked FCS teams, Gardner-Webb bounced back from a 1-4 start to finish 6-5 overall and 5-0 in the league. Lamb is a finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award.
And McRainey is a 3.59 student majoring in economics/finance, and has been a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree twice in his career (2021 and 2022). He also was a first team all-conference selection.
Here is the full 2022 All-Big South football team that also includes 2017 Huss graduate Devin Harrell as a first team defensive lineman and 2016 Burns graduate Zach Leslie as a second team wide receiver – both of North Carolina A&T:
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
(OFFENSE)
QB Bailey Fisher, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB Bhayshul Tuten, Soph., North Carolina A&T
RB Narii Gaither, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR TJ Luther, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
WR Cutrell Haywood, Gr., Gardner-Webb
WR Landon Ruggieri, Soph., Bryant
TE Julian Hill, Sr., Campbell
OL Gabe Thompson, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL Clayton Frady, Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL Tairiq Stewart, Sr., North Carolina A&T
OL Dacquari Wilson, Gr., North Carolina A&T
OL Mike Edwards, R-Sr., Campbell
(DEFENSE)
DL Ty French, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DL Kenny Dyson, Sr., Bryant
DL Devin Harrell, Gr., North Carolina A&T
DL Jermaine McDaniel Jr., R-Sr., North Carolina A&T
LB Joe Andreessen, Sr., Bryant
LB Garrett Sayegh, Gr., Charleston Southern
LB William McRainey, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB Tyquan King, Soph., North Carolina A&T
DB Karon Prunty, R-Soph., North Carolina A&T
DB Raequan Ousley, R-Soph., Gardner-Webb
DB Jamari Brown, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DB Kamron Smith, Soph., Charleston Southern
(SPECIAL TEAMS)
PK Ethan Gettman, Soph., Bryant
P David Gelb, Gr., Charleston Southern
LS Jackson Hayes, Gr., Campbell
KR Anthony Frederick, Sr., Bryant
PR Josh McNeely, R-Sr., Campbell
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
(OFFENSE)
QB Zevi Eckhaus, Soph., Bryant
RB JD Moore, R-Soph., Charleston Southern
RB Bryant Barr, Gr., Campbell
WR Zach Leslie, Gr., North Carolina A&T
WR Seth Anderson, Fr., Charleston Southern
WR Vinson Davis III, Fr., Charleston Southern
TE Jihad Edmond, Sr., Bryant
OL Ricky Lee III, Gr., North Carolina A&T
OL Isaiah Burch, Gr., Campbell
OL Jamichael Watts, Sr., Bryant
OL Korion Sharpe, Soph., North Carolina A&T
OL Cesar Minarro, R-Soph., North Carolina A&T
(DEFENSE)
DL Brevin Allen, R-Sr., Campbell
DL Anton Williams, Gr., Charleston Southern
DL Janathian Turner, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL Josh Johnson, R-Sr., Campbell
LB Jacob Roberts, Jr., North Carolina A&T
LB Ryan Saddler, Sr., Bryant
LB CJ Tillman, Soph., Campbell
LB Joe Casale, R-Jr., Robert Morris
DB Hombre Kennedy, Gr., Charleston Southern
DB Jamel Johnson, Fr., Charleston Southern
DB Sydney Audiger, Gr., Robert Morris
DB AJ Thomas, Sr., Gardner-Webb
(SPECIAL TEAMS)
PK Caleb Dowden, Gr., Campbell
P Corey Petersen, Gr., Campbell
LS Jamie Wilson, R-Fr., Gardner-Webb
KR Taymon Cooke, R-Jr., North Carolina A&T
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Ryan Saddler, LB, Sr., Bryant
Keshawn Thompson, LB, Gr., Campbell
Hombre Kennedy, DB, Gr., Charleston Southern
William McRainey, LB, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Nathaniel Spindle, DB, Soph., North Carolina A&T
Hayden Baron, OL, Jr., Robert Morris
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bailey Fisher, QB, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ty French, DL, Jr., Gardner-Webb
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Anthony Frederick, KR, Sr., Bryant
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Seth Anderson, WR, Fr., Charleston Southern
DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ty Anderson, LB, Fr., Gardner-Webb
COACH OF THE YEAR
Tre Lamb, Gardner-Webb
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
William McRainey, LB, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Pro basketball
Terry Rozier scored nine of his game-high 22 points in the final five minutes as the slumping Charlotte Hornets rallied past the Philadelphia 76ers 107-101 on Wednesday night.
Charlotte trailed by 13 points in the first half before coming from behind for only its second win in its last 13 games.
Here is the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(5-14 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 (L 93-113)
29 Golden State (W 120-113, OT)
31 Sacramento (L 108-115)
November
2 at Chicago (L 88-106)
4 at Memphis (L 99-130)
5 Brooklyn (L 94-98)
7 Washington (L 100-108)
9 Portland (L 95-105)
10 at Miami (L 112-117, OT)
12 at Miami (L 115-132)
14 at Orlando (W 112-105)
16 Indiana (L 113-125)
18 at Cleveland (L 122-132, 2 OT)
20 at Washington (L 102-106)
23 Philadelphia (W 107-101)
25 Minnesota, 5 p.m.s
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.
Pro football
Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks confirmed on Wednesday that Sam Darnold would be his starting quarterback for Sunday’s home against the Denver Broncos.
Darnold began the 2021 season as the starter and finished that season with a 4-7 record in his 11 starts.
Wilks added that Baker Mayfield will be Darnold’s backup with P.J. Walker still out with an ankle injury; Mayfield started last week and has a 1-5 record at starting quarterback this season for the Panthers.
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 (L 34-37, OT)
Week 9, Nov. 6, at Cincinnati (L 21-42)
Week 10, Nov. 10, Atlanta (W 25-15)
Week 11, Nov. 20, at Baltimore (L 3-13)
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
High school basketball
(Wednesday’s games)
-BOYS
Watauga 67, Shelby 59
Kings Mountain 78, R-S Central 45 (Tuesday): Bradley Floyd had 21 points, Thomas Spicer 14, Kee’Donn Linney 11 and Tucker Robinette 10 for Kings Mountain.
-GIRLS
Watauga at Shelby
College baseball
Cherryville High senior Collin Huss announced on twitter that he’s committed to play next year at Cleveland Community College. Huss also is a Cherryville American Legion Post 100 standout.
High school football
This week’s fourth round pairings:
(1A)
Northampton County at Tarboro
Rosewood at North Moore
Mount Airy at Eastern Randolph
Draughn at Andrews
(2A)
Wallace-Rose Hill at Princeton
Whiteville at East Duplin
Maiden at Reidsville
Monroe at Burns
(3A)
Triton at Northern Nash
Terry Sanford at 71st
East Lincoln at Kings Mountain
Eastern Guilford at South Point
(4A)
Millbrook at Hillside
Rolesville at New Bern
Hough at Grimsley
A.C. Reynolds at Weddington
College football
(This weekend’s NCAA Division I Carolinas schedule:)
-Friday
N.C. State at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
-Saturday
South Carolina at Clemson, noon
Coastal Carolina at James Madison, noon
East Carolina at Temple, 1 p.m.
Wake Forest at Duke, 3:30 p.m.
Appaalchian State at Georgia Southern, 6 p.m.
-Saturday’s NCAA Division II playoffs
Wingate at Benedict
-FCS playoffs
(Nov. 25 first round games)
Elon at Furman, noon
Davidson at Richmond, 2 p.m.
Saint Francis at Delaware, 2 p.m.
Fordham at New Hampshire, 2 p.m.
North Dakota at Weber State, 4 p.m.
Gardner-Webb at Eastern Kentucky, 5 p.m.
Idaho at Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m.
Southeast Missouri at Montana, 10 p.m.
(Dec. 3 second round game)
Fordham/New Hampshire winner at Holy Cross, noon
Elon/Furman winner at Incarnate Word, 2 p.m.
Gardner-Webb/Eastern Kentucky winner at William & Mary, 2 p.m.
Idaho/Southeastern Louisiana winner at Samford, 3 p.m.
Sain Francis/Delaware winner at South Dakota State, 3 p.m.
North Dakota/Weber State winner at Montana State, 3 p.m.
Southeast Missouri/Montana winner at North Dakota State, 3:30 p.m.
Davidson/Richmond at Sacramento State, 5 p.m.
College basketball
(Men’s game)
Detroit Mercy 70, Charlotte 49: The 49ers fell to 4-2 in their first true road game of the 2022-23 season.
Queens 107, University of Lynchburg 72: The Royals improved to 5-1 with their first 100-point game a NCAA Division I school.
Middle school boys soccer
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Standings through Nov. 21:
Cramerton 8-0
Belmont 7-1
Holbrook 6-2
Stanley 6-3
Mount Holly 5-2
Bessemer City 3-5
Southwest 3-6
York Chester 2-4-1
Chavis 2-5-1
Grier 1-7
W.C. Friday 0-8
(Monday’s games)
Grier def. W.C. Friday 5-2
Cramerton def. Holbrook 5-0
Mount Holly at Chavis (moved to Nov. 30)
Bessemer City def. Southwest
Belmont def. Stanley 3-0
(Nov. 28 games)
Belmont at Mount Holly, Bessemer City at Holbrook, Chavis at Grier, Cramerton at W.C. Friday, York Chester at Southwest
Middle School volleyball
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Standings through Nov. 21:
Mount Holly 7-0
Belmont 7-1
Cramerton 7-1
Stanley 7-2
Chavis 5-2
Bessemer City 3-5
W.C. Friday 3-5
Holbrook 3-5
York Chester 1-7
Southwest 1-8
Grier 0-8
(Monday’s games)
W.C. Friday def. Grier 3-0
Cramerton def. Holbrook 3-0
Mount Holly at Chavis (moved to Nov. 30)
Bessemer City def. Southwest
Belmont def. Stanley 3-2
(Nov. 28 games)
Belmont at Mount Holly, Bessemer City at Holbrook, Chavis at Grier, Cramerton at W.C. Friday, York Chester at Southwest
Middle School wrestling
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Standings through Nov. 22:
Stanley 8-0
Belmont 6-1
Cramerton 6-1
W.C. Friday 5-2
Grier 4-3
Chavis 3-4
Holbrook 3-4
York Chester 3-5
Mount Holly 2-5
Bessemer City 0-7
Southwest 0-8
(Tuesday’s matches)
Holbrook def. Grier 64-36
W.C. Friday def. Mount Holly
Cramerton def. Southwest 88-15
Stanley def. Chavis 65-42
York Chester def. Bessemer City 42-30
(Nov. 29 matches)
Grier at W.C. Friday, Holbrook at Cramerton, Mount Holly at Chavis, Southwest at Bessemer City, Stanley at Belmont