12-8-21 roundup: College football and baseball, High school football and basketball, Pro football and basketball, Middle school boys soccer, volleyball and wrestling
By Richard Walker
Former Ashbrook High standout British Brooks will be returning for another season with the University of North Carolina, the school announced on Wednesday.
A 2018 Ashbrook graduate, Brooks has gone from recruited walkon to special teams standout and offensive contributor for the Tar Heels.
This season, Brooks rushed for 223 yards and three touchdowns and had six tackles in 10 games for UNC (6-6), which will play South Carolina in Charlotte’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30.
In four seasons at UNC, Brooks has 389 yards rushing and four touchdowns with 17 tackles in 39 games, highlighted by being named the school’s Special Teams MVP and special teams captain in 2020. Brooks was a two-time All-Big South 3A Conference and one-time league offensive player of the year selection at Ashbrook while rushing for 2,834 yards in his Green Wave career.
College baseball
Last Saturday, a pair of local products were given championship rings for the U.S. Merchant Marine’s historic Skyline Conference championship season. Jack Millen (2020 Crest graduate) hit .354 with 19 RBIs in 20 games and Billy Todd (Forestview 2018) went 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in eight appearances for the Mariners, who went 18-5 overall and 12-3 in the Skyline Conference and advanced to the NCAA Division III Auburn, N.Y., regional.
Millen became only the third MMA player in 75 years to win conference rookie of the year honors and later became only the second MMA bsaeball player to win his school’s Male Athlete of the Year.
College basketball
Spartanburg Methodist 69, Gaston College 56: A hot-shooting Spartanburg Methodist team was too much for Gaston College to overcome Wednesday night in its Region 10 home opener at North Gaston High School. The visiting Pioneers hit six of their first eight 3-pointers and finished with 11 3-pointers overall. Jaylen Bates (18 points, 10 rebounds), Kalil Camara (8 points, 9 rebounds) and Da’marco Watson (7 points, 6 assists) led the Rhinos (8-4, 1-1).
Wofford 78, Gardner-Webb 70: Gardner-Webb trailed by only two at halftime, and remained in striking distance throughout the second half, but Wofford was able to overcome a late charge in the final minutes with strong free throw shooting as the Runnin’ Bulldogs (4-5) suffered their first home loss of the season.
Pro basketball
Philadelphia 110, Charlotte 106: The Hornets dropped their 16th straight game to the 76ers in a nip-and-tuck contest.
Charlotte led 53-51 at halftime but Joel Embiid (32 points, 8 rebounds) led Philadelphia to the win.
The Hornets (14-13) were led by Gordon Hayward (31 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists).
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 (L 106-110)
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
High school football
This week’s state finals pairings, dates, times and sites:
Class 1A: Tarboro (13-1) vs. Mitchell (13-2), Saturday at noon (Kenan Stadium, North Carolina)
Class 2A: Shelby (14-1) vs. Wallace-Rose Hill (13-2), Saturday at 3 p.m. (Carter-Finley Stadium, N.C. State)
Class 3A: Greensboro Dudley (14-1) vs. Greenville Rose (11-4), Friday at 7:30 p.m. (Kenan Stadium, North Carolina)
Class 4A: Charlotte Chambers (13-2) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (14-1), Saturday at 7 p.m. (Carter-Finley Stadium, N.C. State)
High school basketball
(Wednesday games)
Boys results:
East Lincoln 61, Ashbrook 32: Logan Craig had 15 points and Drew Bean 11 for East Lincoln (5-0).
Bessemer City at Forestview, no report
Crest 63, East Rutherford 53
Mountain Island Charter 74, Davidson Day 52
East Gaston 60, North Gaston 49
Maiden 48, North Lincoln 34
South Point at York, S.C., no report
Girls results:
East Lincoln 58, Ashbrook 55
Bessemer City at Forestview, no report
Crest at East Rutherford, no report
Mountain Island Charter at Davidson Day, no report
North Gaston at East Gaston, no report
Maiden 41, North Lincoln 23
South Point at York, S.C., no report
Here’s the schedule for the rest of the week:
(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
Cherryville at West Lincoln
Lincoln Charter at Lincolnton
Westminster Catawba at Gaston Day
Middle school athletics
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.)
The boys soccer playoffs:
Monday’s semifinals
No. 1 Cramerton 1, No. 4 Holbrook 0
No. 3 Belmont 2, No. 2 Grier 1
Thursday’s final
No. 3 Belmont (9-2) at No. 1 Cramerton (11-0)
The volleyball playoffs:
Monday’s semifinals
No. 1 Cramerton 3, No. 4 Chavis 0
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 volleyball
Kings Mountain 3, North Lincoln 0 (25-9, 25-9, 25-23): Kings Mountain completed an unbeaten regular season behind Camden Pasour (11 service points, 4 aces, 31 digs, 12 assists, 18 kills), Abigail Hedgepath (13 service points, 2 aces, 12 digs, 6 kills, 20 assists), Kenzlie Morris (14 service points, 2 aces, 2 kills, 1 block), Megan Harrison (17 service points, 2 aces, 14 kills), Ava Tipton (12 service points, 2 aces, 17 digs) and Sarah Bouchard (6 service points, 12 digs). The Patriots begin Tri-County playoff action on Thursday at 6 p.m. at home against East Rutherford.
College football
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.
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 wrestling
Gaston County Conference wrestling standings through Dec. 3:
W.C. Friday 10-0
Belmont 9-1
Cramerton 8-2
Holbrook 7-3
York Chester 6-4
Stanley 5-5
Chavis 4-6
Mount Holly 3-7
Grier 2-8
Southwest 1-9
Bessemer City 0-10
(Tuesday’s matches)
Belmont 52, Cramerton 46
Chavis 81, Bessemer City 12: Josh Earls, Landry Pruitt, Justin Harris, Jetson Hamilton, Holden Parker, Joseph Cross, Hunter Griffin, Gracie Adkins, Patrick Bowman, Adin Anthony, Gabriel Mcswain, Weston Bowers and Nathan Hall were Chavis’ winners.
W.C. Friday 68, York Chester 36: Jordan Coy, Connor Bates, Jacari Long, Carter Mason, Camryn Stafford, Eli Johnson, Landon Wilson and Dylan Lafollette were Friday’s winners.
Stanley d. Grier
Holbrook 72, Southwest 36: Tucker Motes, Elijah Christenbury, Michael Bradbury, Louis Scott, Keola Ondayog, David Proulx, Rylan Barber, Nakaya Hale, Gavin Robinson, Quingston Gordon, Anthony Taylor and Keegan Davis were Holbrook’s winners.
END REGULAR SEASON
(Championship)
Sat. Dec. 11 at South Point HS