12-6-22 roundup: Pro basketball and football, High school football and basketball, College football and softball, Middle school soccer, volleyball and wrestling

By Richard Walker

West Lincoln’s Mason Avery and East Lincoln’s Keandre Walker were named to the North Carolina team for the 2022 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas on Tuesday.

Avery, a running back and linebacker, last week was honored as Catawba Valley 2A Conference co-offensive player of the year and defensive player of the year. It comes after Avery set Lincoln County single-season (2,622 yards) and career (4,726 yards) rushing records while also having team-highs of 105 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.

Avery also becomes the second Shrine Bowler in West Lincoln history; Lanny Ford in 1977 was the first Shrine Bowler from the school.

Walker, a cornerback and wide receiver, has 35 tackles, 3 pass interceptions, 1 fumble return for a touchdown, 3 touchdown punt returns and 42 catches for 818 yards with 8 touchdowns entering the Mustangs’ Saturday night N.C. 3A championship game against Northern Nash.

Avery and Walker are the seventh and eighth players from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties on the 2022 N.C. roster for a game that will be played Dec. 17 at Spartanburg, S.C., High’s Vikings Stadium.

The others are Cahari Haynes of Burns and Ja’Keith Hamilton and Jack Berkowitz of Shelby from Cleveland County, Ben Cutter of East Lincoln and Bryson Esser of North Lincoln from Lincoln County and Sullivan Absher of South Point from Gaston County. Also, Shelby assistant coach Aubrey Hollifield is one of the N.C. assistant coaches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

(Tuesday’s games)
-BOYS
Gaston Day 61, Metrolina Christian 56: Evan Montanari had 19 points, Callum Richard 16 and Colin Fayed 12 to lead Gaston Day.

Bessemer City 67, Huss 60

Cherryville 62, Foard 53

East Lincoln 70, South Iredell 61: Palmer Crichton (16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals), Jackson Fannon (16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Davis Hill (12 points, 6 assists, 3 steals) and Houston Hartsell (10 points, 5 assists) led East Lincoln.

Forestview 53, Chase 40: Brandon Alfonse (17 points, 8 rebounds), Daris Byers (12 points) and Nate Aguilar (10 points, 4 steals) led Forestview.

Kings Mountain 70, R-S Central 64

North Lincoln 56, West Lincoln 39

-GIRLS
Foard 62, Cherryville 17

East Lincoln 66, South Iredell 13

Forestview 71, Chase 13

Kings Mountain 63, R-S Central 23

East Gaston 45, North Gaston 21

West Lincoln 59, North Lincoln 49: Carolina Robinson (12 points, 14 rebounds), Anna Bieberich (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Chloe Norman (21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) led West Lincoln and Hailey Hagler (17 points) and Julia Frantz (14 points) led North Lincoln.

Providence Day 46, Lincoln Charter 44

Piedmont CC 41, Highland Tech 34: Grace East had 19 points and Hailey Moore 10 for Piedmont CC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school football

Here are this week’s N.C. High School Athletic Association state finals pairings:
-Friday
(4A)
New Bern (15-0) vs. Grimsley (15-0) at UNC, 7 p.m.

-Saturday
(2A)
East Duplin (14-1) vs. Reidsville (14-1) at UNC, 11 a.m.
(1A)
Tarboro (13-1) vs. Mount Airy (14=1) at N.C. State, 3 p.m.
(3A)
Northern Nash (15-0) vs. East Lincoln (15-0) at N.C. State, 7 p.m.

 

 

College softball

A pair of Crest High softball standouts, Molly Beam and Jaylen Ledbetter, signed scholarships to attend Cleveland Community College.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle school boys soccer

GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Playoffs)
-Monday, Dec. 5 semifinals
Cramerton def. Stanley 8-0
Holbrook def. Belmont 1-5 (5-4 penalty kicks)

-Thursday, Dec. 8 championship
Holbrook at Cramerton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle School volleyball

GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Playoffs)
-Monday, Dec. 5 semifinals
Mount Holly def. Stanley 3-2
Belmont def. Cramerton 3-1

-Wednesday, Dec. 7 championship
Belmont at Mount Holly

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE

Final regular season standings:
(East Division)
Kings Mountain 9-1
North Lincoln 8-2
Burns 7-3
East Lincoln 4-6
Lincolnton 1-9
West Lincoln 1-9
(West Division)
R-S Central 8-2
East Rutherford 7-3
Crest 7-3
Thomas Jefferson 6-4
Chase 1-9
Shelby 1-9

(Playoffs)
-Thursday, Dec. 8 semifinals
East Rutherford at Kings Mountain
North Lincoln at R-S Central
-Tuesday, Dec. 13 championship
Dec. 8 winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middle School wrestling

GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Final regular season standings:

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

(Tuesday’s matches)
Cramerton def. Chavis 94-12
W.C. Friday at Bessemer City
Belmont def. Grier 78-18
York Chester def. Holbrook 54-51
Stanley def. Mount Holly 88-12

(Saturday’s match)
2022 Gaston County championship at Ashbrook, 9 p.m.

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
(East Division)
West Lincoln 10-0
Burns 6-4
North Lincoln 5-5
Kings Mountain 4-6
Lincolnton 3-7
East Lincoln 2-8
(West Division)
Shelby 10-0
Crest 8-2
R-S Central 6-4
Thomas Jefferson 4-6
East Rutherford 2-8
Chase 0-10

(Playoffs)
-Thursday, Dec. 8 semifinals at West Lincoln
Crest at West Lincoln
Burns vs. Shelby
-Thursday, Dec. 8 championship at West Lincoln
semifinal winners

-Saturday, Dec. 17 individual championships

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:

(7-17 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 (W 110-108)
28 at Boston (L 105-140)
December
2 Washington (W 117-116)
3 Milwaukee (L 96-105)
5 L.A. Clippers (L 117-119)
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

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 (W 23-10)
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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College football

The Charlotte 49ers officially announced Maryland co-offensive coordinator Mike Miller will be the school’s offensive coordinator in 2023 under new head caoch Biff Poggi.

Miller has spent the last four seasons at Maryland. He served as tight ends coach each season and added co-offensive coordinator duties this season while helping the Terrapins to a 7-5 record that includes a 56-21 win at Charlotte on Sept. 10 and a berth in the Dec. 30 Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

“Mike’s name was at the front of every conversation and recommendation when I spoke to people about up-and-coming play callers,” Poggi said in a school news release. “He has coached with Brian Daboll and Nick Saban at Alabama, Dabo Swinney and Mike Locksley. These men are some of the best in our profession. Mike is a great teacher and mentor. Players love him and he loves his players. We have a star in Mike Miller.”

Said Miller, a native of Irmo, S.C. in a school news release: “I’m humbled and thankful that coach Poggi would offer me this opportunity. Megan, our children and I are thrilled to be back home. Being a former high school coach in Charlotte I always thought that Charlotte football was a sleeping giant. Hearing coach Poggi’s vision, I know he’s going to take this place to a standard of excellence that people in this community can be proud of.We came here to develop young people and we came here to win, and win now. I can’t wait to get started.”

Miller, who was offensive coordinator at quarterbacks coach at Charlotte Christian High School in 2016, is one of nine staff hires (out of 11 positions) that Poggi has made since being hired on Nov. 15.

The school officially announced defensive line coach Wayne Dorsey from Baltimore, Md., St. Frances Academy and the other reported hires are Ryan Osborn (NFL Baltimore Ravens) as defensive coordinator, Mike Hartline (Auburn) as wide receivers coach, John Morookian (Kansas) as offensive tackles and tight ends coach, Kyle DeVan (Colorado) as interior offensive line coach, Greer Martini (LSU) as linebackers coach, Rod Ojung (Buffalo) as defensive backs coach and Lewis Caralla (Georgia Tech) as strength and conditioning coach.

Positions still available are running backs coach and special teams coach.

Here is the full 2022-23 NCAA Division I FBS schedule:
(College Football Playoff)
Championship – Jan. 9 at Inglewood, Cal., TBA
Semifinal – Dec. 31 Peach at Atlanta, Ga., 4 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 TCU
Semifinal – Dec. 31 Fiesta at Glendale, Ariz., 8 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Ohio State

(CFP Selection Committee Bowl games)
Jan. 2 – Rose at Pasadena, Cal., 5 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 8 Utah vs. No. 11 Penn State
Jan. 2 – Cotton at Arlington, Tex., 1 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 10 Southern California vs. No. 16 Tulane
Dec. 31 – Sugar at New Orleans, La., Noon (ESPN)
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 9 Kansas State
Dec. 30 – Orange and Miami, Fla., 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Clemson

(Other bowl games)
Jan. 2 – Citrus at Orlando, Fla., 1 p.m. (ABC)
No. 17 LSU vs. Purdue
Jan. 2 – ReliaQuest at Tampa, Fla., Noon (ESPN2)
No. 22 Mississippi State vs. Illinois
Dec. 31 – Music City at Nashville, Tenn., Noon (ABC)
Iowa vs. Kentucky
Dec. 30 – Arizona at Tucson, Ariz., 4:30 p.m. (Barstool)
Ohio vs. Wyoming
Dec. 30 – Gator at Jacksonville, Fla., 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 21 Notre Dame vs. No. 19 South Carolina
Dec. 30 – Sun at El Paso, Tex., 2 p.m. (CBS)
No. 18 UCLA vs. Pittsburgh
Dec. 30 – Duke’s Mayo at Charlotte, Noon (ESPN)
Maryland vs. No. 23 N.C. State
Dec. 29 – Alamo at San Antonio, Tex., 9 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 20 Texas vs. No. 12 Washington
Dec. 29 – Cheez-It at Orlando, Fla., 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Florida State
Dec. 29 – Pinstripe at Bronx, N.Y., 2 p.m. (ESPN)
Minnesota vs. Syracuse
Dec. 28 – Texas at Houston, Tex., 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Mississippi vs. Texas Tech
Dec. 28 – Holiday at San Diego, Cal., 8 p.m. (Fox)
No. 15 Oregon vs. North Carolina
Dec. 28 – Liberty at Memphis, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Arkansas vs. Kansas
Dec. 28 – Military at Annapolis, Md., 2 p.m. (ESPN)
Duke vs. Central Florida
Dec. 27 – Guaranteed Rate at Phoenix, Ariz., 10:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State
Dec. 27 – Birmingham at Birmingham, Ala., 6:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina
Dec. 27 – First Responder at University Park, Tex., 3:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Memphis vs. Utah State
Dec. 27 – Camellia at Montgomery, Ala., Noon (ESPN)
Buffalo vs. Georgia Southern
Dec. 26 – Quick Lane at Detroit, Mich., 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Bowling Green vs. New Mexico State
Dec. 24 – Hawai’i at Honolulu, Hawai’i, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
San Diego State vs. Middle Tennessee
Dec. 23 – Gasparilla at Tampa, Fla., 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Missouri vs. Wake Forest
Dec. 23 – Independence at Shreveport, La., 3 p.m. (ESPN)
Houston vs. Louisiana
Dec. 22 – Armed Forces at Fort Worth, Tex., 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Baylor vs. Air Force
Dec. 21 – New Orleans at New Orleans, La., 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama
Dec. 20 – Boca Raton at Boca Raton, Fla., 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Toledo vs. Liberty
Dec. 20 – Famous Idaho Potato at Boise, Id., 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
San Jose State vs. Eastern Michigan
Dec. 19 – Myrtle Beach at Conway, S.C., 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Marshall vs. Connecticut
Dec. 17 – Frisco at Frisco, Tex., 9:15 p.m. (ESPN)
North Texas vs. Boise State
Dec. 17 – Las Vegas at Las Vegas, Nev., 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Florida vs. No. 14 Oregon State
Dec. 17 – LendingTree at Mobile, Ala., 5:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Southern Miss vs. Rice
Dec. 17 – Jimmy Kimmel L.A. at Inglewood, Cal., 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Washington State vs. Fresno State
Dec. 17 – New Mexico at Albuquerque, N.M., 2:15 p.m. (ESPN)
BYU vs. SMU
Dec. 17 – Fenway at Boston, Mass., 11 a.m. (ESPN)
Louisville vs. Cincinnati
Dec. 16 – Cure at Orlando, Fla., 3 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 24 Troy vs. No. 25 UT-San Antonio
Dec. 16 – Bahamas at Nassau, Bahamas, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)
UAB vs. Miami, O.