12-6-21 roundup: High school football and basketball, Pro football and basketball, College football, basketball and baseball, Middle school boys soccer, volleyball and wrestling

By Richard Walker

Crest won three top awards and Cramer, Kings Mountain and South Point got one top honor apiece in All-Big South 3A Conference football honors that were announced on Monday.

Crest’s Mari Adams (offensive player of the year), Eli Hall (defensive lineman of the year) and Nick Eddins (coach of the year) helped the Chargers finish 10-3 overall and 7-0 in the league to win the conference title.

Other top award winners were Cramer’s Arias Nash (defensive player of the year), Kings Mountain’s Tykel Smith (offensive lineman of the year) and South Point’s Dylan Nicks (special teams player of the year).

Here’s the full All-Big South 3A Conference team:

(1st Team)
Offense: QB – Justin Rocquemore (Cramer), RB – Mari Adams (Crest), OL – Tykel Smith (Kings Mountain), Jacob Patterson (South Point), Cameron McDowell (Crest), Isaiah Eskridge (Kings Mountain), Sullivan Absher (South Point), Athlete – Tyson Riley (South Point), Camury Reid (Forestview), Carmello Bess (Ashbrook), Javarius Green (Crest)
Defense: DL – Arias Nash (Cramer), Eli Hall (Crest), Christian Williams (Forestview), John Derricott (Ashbrook), LB – Jaycob Neely (Forestview), Nick Beason (Crest), Ryan Harris (South Point), DB – Jake Lloyd (Kings Mountain), Carter Greene (Crest), Gene Neely III (Huss), Jesse Osborne (Forestview), Will Ross (South Point)
Specialists – Dylan Nicks (South Point), Peyton Fisher (Kings Mountain)

(2nd Team)
Crest: DaVonyae Pettis, Taree Watkins, Montrell Ross
Kings Mountain: A.J. Richarson, D’Andre Hoyle, Seth Neal, Jaden Ellis
South Point: Wyatt Triplett
Forestview: Jakeem Dennard, Austin Parker
Cramer: Josue Sanchez, Damien Bentley, Markiss Nelson
Ashbrook: Chandler Meeks, Sincere Sanders-Moss
North Gaston: Brian Coley, Jason Melton, J.J. Gordon
Huss: Malachi Coleman

 

 

College basketball

 

Two local products earned top honors from their respective NCAA Division II leagues on Monday.

Gastonia’s Cress Worthy was named CIAA men’s basketball player of the week after averaging 25.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in two games for Fayetteville State last week. Worthy, a 2017 Huss graduate, had a career-high 28 points in a non-conference win over Virginia State. A junior guard, Worthy also had seven assists and three steals and converted 50 percent of his field goals and 54 percent of his 3-pointers last week.

And Denver’s Sidney Sidney Dollar was named Conference Carolinas defensive player of the week after averaging 7.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 assists in three games for Lees-McRae last week. A 2019 East Lincoln High graduate, Dollar had 12 points, seven rebounds, four rebounds, four steals, two blocks and one assist in the Bobcats’ 69-63 win at league rival Francis Marion.

 

 

College baseball

Crest senior Cole Drewery signed a letter of intent to play at Catawba Valley Community College.

 

 

 

College football

Transfer portal: Former South Point High standout Larry Dowdy announced on social media Monday that he was leaving Appalachian State and entering the transfer portal. A 2019 South Point High graduate, Dowdy is a 6-foot-4, 285-pound offensive tackle who will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Here’s the full college bowl schedule:

Friday, Dec. 17
Bahamas Bowl: Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo, noon
Cure Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 18
Boca Raton Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky, 11 a.m.
Celebration Bowl: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State, noon
New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. UTEP, 2:15 p.m.
Independence Bowl: No. 13 BYU vs. UAB, 3:30 p.m.
LendingTree Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty, 5:45 p.m.
LA Bowl: Oregon State vs. Utah State, 7:30 p.m.
New Orleans Bowl: No. 23 Louisiana vs. Marshall, 9:15 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 20
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Tulsa vs. Old Dominion, 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 21
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Kent State vs. Wyoming, 3:30 p.m.
Frisco Bowl: No. 24 San Diego State vs. UTSA, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 22
Armed Forces Bowl: Missouri vs. Army, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 23
Frisco Football Classic: Miami, O. vs. North Texas, 3:30 p.m.
Gasparilla Bowl: Florida vs. Central Florida, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 24
Hawai’i Bowl: Memphis vs. Hawaii, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 25
Camellia Bowl: Ball State vs. Georgia State, 2:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 27
Quick Lane Bowl: Western Michigan vs. Nevada, 11 a.m.
Military Bowl: East Carolina vs. Boston College, 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 28
Birmingham Bowl: No. 20 Houston vs. Auburn, noon
First Responder Bowl: Air Force vs. Louisville, 3:15 p.m.
Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State, 6:45 p.m.
Holiday Bowl: No. 18 N.C. State vs. UCLA, 8 p.m.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Minnesota vs. West Virginia, 10:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 29
Fenway Bowl: Virginia vs. SMU, 11 a.m.
Pinstripe Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Maryland, 2:15 p.m.
Cheez-It Bowl: No. 19 Clemson vs. Iowa State, 5:45 p.m.
Alamo Bowl: No. 14 Oregon vs. No. 16 Oklahoma, 9:15 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 30
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs. South Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
Music City Bowl: Tennessee vs. Purdue, 3 p.m.
Peach Bowl: No. 10 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Las Vegas Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Arizona State, 10:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 31
Gator Bowl: No. 17 Wake Forest vs. No. 25 Texas A&M, 11 a.m.
Sun Bowl: Washington State vs. Miami, Fla., noon
Arizona Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Boise State, 2 p.m.

(College Football Playoff semifinals)
Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m.
Orange Bowl: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 1
Outback Bowl: No. 21 Arkansas vs. Penn State, noon
Citrus Bowl: No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 22 Kentucky, 1 p.m.
Fiesta Bowl: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State, 1 p.m.
Rose Bowl: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Utah, 5 p.m.
Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 8 Mississippi, 8:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 4
Texas Bowl: Kansas State vs. LSU, 9 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 10
(College Football Playoff championship game)
At Indianapolis: Cotton/Orange bowl winners, 8 p.m.

 

 

 

High school basketball

(Monday games)

Boys results:
Hickory 68, Ashbrook 31

Cramer 65, Lincolnton 56: Will Kelly (25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals), Jacob Joyner (13 points) and Mason Craig (9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) led unbeaten Cramer (5-0). Lincolnton won the JV game 39-38. Cramer was led by Quinton Rybczyk (12 points, 2 rebounds), John Adams-McClendon (10 points, 5 rebounds), Isaiah Foster (8 points, 6 assists, 1 block, 1 steal) and D.J. Cross (4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks).

East Gaston at Forestview, no report

Bessemer City 66, East Rutherford 61: Randall Pettus (24 points, 8 assists, 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks), Keyshawn Adams (14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks), Nazari Smarr (13 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals) and Jameer Holmes (10 points, 12 rebounds) led unbeaten Bessemer City (6-0).

Girls results:
Hickory 56, Ashbrook 55

Lincolnton 71, Cramer 34

East Gaston at Forestview, no report

East Rutherford 33, Bessemer City 24

Cox Mill 48, Kings Mountain 41 (Saturday): Saniya Wilson (20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) and Khalia King (14 points, 4 3-pointers, 3 steals) led Kings Mountain.

Schedule for the rest of the week:

(Tuesday)
Crest at Burns
East Gaston at South Point
Foard at Cherryville
Gaston Christian at SouthLake Christian
Gaston Day at Metrolina Christian
Kings Mountain at R-S Central
Lincoln Charter at West Caldwell
Mountain Island Charter at Davidson Day
North Gaston at East Lincoln
West Lincoln at North Lincoln

(Wednesday)
Ashbrook at East Lincoln
Bessemer City at Forestview
Crest at East Rutherford
North Gaston at East Gaston
North Lincoln at Maiden
Northwest Cabarrus at Cramer
South Point at York, S.C.

(Thursday)
Thomas Jefferson at Piedmont CC

(Friday)
Cramer at South Point
Crest at Ashbrook
Forestview at North Gaston
Kings Mountain at Huss
East Lincoln at Hickory
North Lincoln at Statesville
A.C. Reynolds at Shelby (ppd., no date)
Cherryville at West Lincoln
Lincoln Charter at Lincolnton
Mountain Island Charter at Mountain Island Day
Westminster Catawba at Gaston Day

 

 

 

 

High school football

Next week’s state finals pairings, dates, times and sites:

Class 1A: Tarboro (13-1) vs. Mitchell (13-2), Dec. 11 at noon (Kenan Stadium, North Carolina)
Class 2A: Shelby (14-1) vs. Wallace-Rose Hill (13-2), Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. (Carter-Finley Stadium, N.C. State)
Class 3A: Greensboro Dudley (14-1) vs. Greenville Rose (11-4), Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. (Kenan Stadium, North Carolina)
Class 4A: Charlotte Chambers (13-2) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (14-1), Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. (Carter-Finley Stadium, N.C. State)

 

 

 

Pro basketball

The Philadelphia 76ers’ hex over the Charlotte Hornets continued Monday night.

The 76ers won their 15th straight game against Charlotte in a 127-124 overtime victory that saw a 25-point swing in the second quarter of a game where the Hornets were without five players due to health and safety protocols.

Without LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee and Jalen McDaniels in Sunday’s 130-127 win at Atlanta, Ish Smith was declared out on Monday to leave the Hornets without the only point guards who have started for them this season.

And with Cody Martin starting at point guard, Charlotte led 34-23 after the first quarter and by a game-high 37-25 with 11:28 left in the first half before a 42-17 76ers’ surge put them ahead 67-54 with 47.2 seconds left in the first half.

The teams battled closely the rest of the way and eventually had the Hornets’ fourth overtime game – all losses – this season.

Kelly Oubre (35 points), Miles Bridges (16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists), P.J. Washington (16 points, 8 rebounds), Martin (14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), Gordon Hayward (12 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists) and James Bouknight (11 points) led Charlotte.

But Philadelphia won behind Joel Embiid’s 24 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists to extend their winning over Charlotte that dates to Jan. 13, 2017. The Hornets still lead the all-time series over the 76ers 58-55.

The 15-game losing streak is the fourth longest in Charlotte history; Dallas won 21 straight games over the Hornets from 2000 to 2012, Miami 20 straight from 2010 to 2014 and Chicago 17 straight from 1989 to 1992.

Here is the Charlotte Hornets’ full regular season schedule (with results):

OCTOBER
Wed. 20 INDIANA (W 123-122)
Fri. 22 at Cleveland (W 123-112)
Sun. 24 at Brooklyn (W 111-95)
Mon. 25 BOSTON (L 129-140, OT)
Wed. 27 at Orlando (W 120-111)
Fri. 29 at Miami (L 99-114)
Sun. 31 PORTLAND (W 125-113)
NOVEMBER
Mon. 1 CLEVELAND (L 110-113)
Wed. 3 at Golden State (L 92-114)
Fri. 5 at Sacramento (L 110-140)
Sun. 7 at LA Clippers (L 106-120)
Mon. 8 at L.A. Lakers (L 123-126, OT)
Wed. 10 at Memphis (W 118-108)
Fri. 12 NEW YORK (W 104-96)
Sun. 14 GOLDEN STATE (W 106-102)
Wed. 17 WASHINGTON (W 97-87)
Fri. 19 INDIANA (W 121-118)
Sat. 20 at Atlanta (L 105-115)
Mon. 22 at Washington (W 109-103)
Wed. 24 at Orlando (W 108-99)
Fri. 26 MINNESOTA (W 133-115)
Sat. 27 at Houston (L 143-146, OT)
Mon. 29 at Chicago (L 119-133)
DECEMBER
Wed. 1 at Milwaukee (L 125-127)
Sun. 5 at Atlanta (W 130-127)
Mon. 6 PHILADELPHIA (L 124-127, OT)
Wed. 8 PHILADELPHIA 7:00
Fri. 10 SACRAMENTO 7:00
Mon. 13 at Dallas 8:30
Wed. 15 at San Antonio 8:30
Fri. 17 at Portland 10:00
Sun. 19 at Phoenix 8:00
Mon. 20 at Utah 9:00
Thu. 23 at Denver 9:00
Mon. 27 HOUSTON 7:00
Wed. 29 at Indiana 7:00
JANUARY
Sun. 2 PHOENIX 7:00
Mon. 3 at Washington 7:00
Wed. 5 DETROIT 7:00
Sat. 8 MILWAUKEE 7:00
Mon. 10 MILWAUKEE 7:00
Wed. 12 at Philadelphia 7:00
Fri. 14 ORLANDO 7:00
Mon. 17 at New York 1:00
Wed. 19 at Boston 7:30
Fri. 21 OKLAHOMA CITY 7:00
Sun. 23 ATLANTA 7:00
Tue. 25 at Toronto 7:00
Wed. 26 at Indiana 7:00
Fri. 28 L.A. LAKERS 7:00
Sun. 30 LA CLIPPERS 1:00
FEBRUARY
Wed. 2 at Boston 7:30
Fri. 4 CLEVELAND 7:00
Sat. 5 MIAMI 7:00
Mon. 7 TORONTO 7:00
Wed. 9 CHICAGO 7:30
Fri. 11 at Detroit 7:00
Sat. 12 MEMPHIS 7:00
Tue. 15 at Minnesota 8:00
Thu. 17 MIAMI 7:00
Fri. 25 TORONTO 7:00
Sun. 27 DETROIT 7:00
Mon. 28 at Milwaukee 8:00
MARCH
Wed. 2 at Cleveland 7:00
Sat. 5 SAN ANTONIO 7:00
Tue. 8 BROOKLYN 7:00
Wed. 9 BOSTON 7:00
Fri. 11 at New Orleans 8:00
Mon. 14 at Oklahoma City 8:00
Wed. 16 ATLANTA 7:00
Sat. 19 DALLAS 7:00
Mon. 21 NEW ORLEANS 7:00
Wed. 23 NEW YORK 7:00
Fri. 25 UTAH 7:00
Sun. 27 at Brooklyn 7:30
Mon. 28 DENVER 7:00
Wed. 30 at New York 7:30
APRIL
Sat. 2 at Philadelphia 12:30
Tue. 5 at Miami 7:30
Thu. 7 ORLANDO 7:00
Fri. 8 at Chicago 8:00
Sun. 10 WASHINGTON TBD

 

 

 

 

Pro football

Here is the Carolina Panthers’ 2021 schedule (with results):

Sept. 12 New York Jets (W 19-14)
Sept. 19 New Orleans (W 26-7)
Sept. 23 at Houston (W 24-9)
Oct. 3 at Dallas (L 28-36)
Oct. 10 Philadelphia (L 18-21)
Oct. 17 Minnesota (L 28-34, OT)
Oct. 24 at New York Giants (L 3-25)
Oct. 31 at Atlanta (W 19-13)
Nov. 7 New England (L 6-24)
Nov. 14 at Arizona (W 34-10)
Nov. 21 Washington (L 21-27)
Nov. 28 at Miami (L 10-33)
Dec. 5 BYE WEEK
Dec. 12 Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Dec. 19 at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Dec. 26 Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Jan. 2 at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Jan. 9 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle school championships

Cramerton will be hosting both the boys soccer and volleyball Gaston County Conference championship games on Thursday. Since both games are being played at Cramerton and a 3:30 p.m. school dismissal, all fans are encouraged to park at Life Church.
The game time for boys soccer is 3:45 p.m. with volleyball slated for 4:15 p.m. Volleyball fans will enter the front of the school with boys soccer fans entering behind the school. (Boys soccer fans wishing to purchase concessions will need to walk to the front of the school and enter the front door.)

 

 

Middle school boys soccer

(Playoffs)
Monday’s semifinals
No. 1 Cramerton 1, No. 4 Holbrook 0: Tristan Holt scored the only goal and Isaac Aycock recorded five saves in goal for Cramerton.

No. 3 Belmont 2, No. 2 Grier 1: Belmont’s scored goals on an own goal off a corner from Charlie Rodenberger and Bryan Shaw’s goal off an assist from Owen Bene. Bennet Nixon led Belmont’s defense.

Thursday’s final
No. 3 Belmont (9-2) at No. 1 Cramerton (11-0)

 

 

 

Middle school volleyball

(Playoffs)
Monday’s semifinals
No. 1 Cramerton 3, No. 4 Chavis 0: Arydn Thornburg, Cailey Evans, Lilly Coletta, Julianna Mott, Addison Townsend, Ava Cabe, Jordan Gates and Finley Watson led Cramerton.

No. 3 Stanley 3, No. 2 Mount Holly 1

Thursday’s final
No. 3 Stanley (9-2) at No. 1 Cramerton (11-0)

 

 

 

 

Middle school wrestling

Gaston County Conference wrestling standings through Dec. 3:

W.C. Friday 9-0
Cramerton 8-1
Belmont 8-1
Holbrook 6-3
York Chester 6-3
Chavis 3-6
Stanley 4-5
Mount Holly 3-7
Grier 2-7
Southwest 1-8
Bessemer City 0-9

(Tuesday’s matches)
Cramerton at Belmont
Chavis at Bessemer City
W.C. Friday at York Chester
Grier at Stanley
Holbrook at Southwest

END REGULAR SEASON

(Championship)
Sat. Dec. 11 at South Point HS