12-8-22 roundup: Pro basketball and football, High school football and basketball, College football and basketball, Middle school soccer, volleyball and wrestling
By Richard Walker
East Lincoln High’s fourth state football championship game on Saturday will follow a similar script to the Mustangs’ three previous matchups.
Each time East Lincoln has advanced this far, it has faced an unbeaten Eastern champion. And each time, the Mustangs have entered with an equally impressive record.
Given the Mustangs’ early history – and particularly the history of predecessor Rock Springs – East Lincoln’s rise to becoming a state power is a tribute to the hard work of many coaches and players.
Rock Springs’ first football program hit the gridiron in 1960 under head coach Wayne Moore. It took until 1964 under head coach Paul Dellinger when the school nicknamed “Warriors” finally won a game.
When East Lincoln opened in 1967, Dellinger coached the “Mustangs” first four teams including a 6-3-1 for the program’s initial winning season in 1968.
Bruce Bolick would guide East Lincoln for the next 15 seasons to 69 victories that include the school’s first playoff victory in 1979 when the Mustangs advanced as the Southern District 7 2A Conference runner-up.
East Lincoln has been a member of eight different conferences in Class 2A and Class 3A over the years.
The Mustangs’ first title came in 1993 under head coach Mike Harrill when they won the Western Piedmont 3A Conference title.
Not long before East Lincoln won its second league title, the 2006 Southern Piedmont 1A/2A championship, the Mustangs were becoming a regular participant in the state playoffs and started to emerge as one of the state’s top programs.
Since 2000 (and entering Saturday’s state championship game), East Lincoln has a 204-97 record, eight league titles 22 playoff appearances in 23 years with 41 postseason victories and all four of their state championship game appearances.
Former head coach Mike Byus guided the Mustangs to each of the first three berths in state finals – in 2008, 2012 and 2014. He also led East Lincoln to a 134-37 overall record from 2005 to 2016 before turning the program over to an assistant he hired in 2007.
Dave Lubowicz assisted Byus for 10 seasons before becoming East Lincoln to head coach in 2017; He’s guided the Mustangs to a 48-23 overall record since then.
The 2008 Mustangs that included future professional basketball player Keith Rendleman went 14-2 overall with losses in its season-opener (37-10 to Newton-Conover) and finale (24-7 to Reidsville in the 2A state title games). Jamie Wilson’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Austin Culp gave East Lincoln the game’s first score before the perennial power Rams scored the game’s final 24 points.
The loss also meant the Mustangs had lost to the eventual state champion for three straight seasons – 2006 to Shelby, 2007 to Lincolnton and 2008 to Reidsville.
In 2012 and 2014, East Lincoln’s first and only NFL player Chazz Surratt was a key figure for the Mustangs’ two championship game victories.
Surratt caught a touchdown pass from game MVP Garrett Young, Young later threw a game-winning 13-yard TD pass to Tyler Brock and linebacker Scott McMichael tackle for a five-yard loss on a fourth-down play with 1:25 clinched the Mustangs’ 24-20 win over three-time defending state champion Tarboro.
Two years later, Surratt was gave MVP and threw a game-winning 9-yard TD pass to Coleton Banks on a 4th-and-3 play with 8:50 left in the game. Surratt, who had 212 yards passing and 75 yards rushing, had earlier scored on a 6-yard TD run.
Surratt, now a member of the New York Jets, would finish his East Lincoln career in 2015 as Parade magazine’s national high school football player of the year after setting N.C. high school records for total offense (16,593 yards) and TD responsibility (229).
Surratt went to play quarterback for three seasons at North Carolina before becoming an All-ACC linebacker and a third-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. After one season with the Vikings, Surratt was released in 2022 training camp and was signed as a free agent by the Jets.
Here’s a preview of all four N.C. state title games:
(Class 1A)
Saturday at 3 p.m. at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium (Locally on WCCB-11)
Tarboro Vikings (13-1) vs. Mount Airy Granite Bears (14-1)
Tarboro notes: Head coach Jeff Craddock is 235-44 in his 19th season as head coach of the Vikings, who are 562-217-5 since 1957 and have won 33 conference titles including a current streak of 11 straight. Tarboro is 8-4 all-time in state title games with championships in 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2021 spring and 2021 fall.
Mount Airy notes: Head coach J.K. Adkins is 51-10 in his 5th season as head coach of the Granite Bears, who have 612 victories since 1937 and have won 29 conference titles. Mount Airy is 6-5 all-time in state title games with championships in 1935, 1938, 1942, 1946, 1948 and 2008.
(Class 2A)
Saturday at 11 a.m. at North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium (Locally on WCCB-11)
East Duplin Panthers (14-1) vs. Reidsville Rams (14-1)
East Duplin notes: Head coach Battle Holley is 107-44 in his 11th season as head coach of the Panthers, who are 370-309-4 with 12 conference titles since the school opened in 1962. East Duplin is 0-1 all-time in state title games with a 2017 loss to Hibriten.
Reidsville notes: Head coach Jimmy Teague is 339-57 in his 28th season as head coach of the Rams, who are 764-314-8 with 27 conference titles all-time including a current streak of 11 straight since 1920. Reidsville 19-6 all-time in state title games with championships in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1943, 1945, 1950, 1954, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021 spring.
(Class 3A)
Saturday at 7 p.m. at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium (Locally on WCCB MeTV)
Northern Nash Knights (15-0) vs. East Lincoln Mustangs (15-0)
Northern Nash notes: Head coach Andrew Farriss is 41-16 in his 5th season as head coach of the Knights, who are 300-313-5 with 9 conference titles since the school opened in 1966. Northern Nash is 0-1 all-time in state title games with with a 2002 loss to A.C. Reynolds in 2002.
East Lincoln notes: Head coach Dave Lubowicz is 48-23 in his 6th season as head coach of the Mustangs, who are 349-269-3 with 8 conference titles since the school opener in 1967. East Lincoln is 2-1 all-time in state title games with championships in 2012 and 2014.
(Class 4A)
Friday at 7 p.m. at North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium (Locally on WCCB MeTV)
New Bern Bears (15-0) vs. Greensboro Grimsley Whirlies (15-0)
New Bern notes: Head coach Torry Nowell is 42-7 in his 4th season as head coach of the Bears, who are 437-284-8 since 1958 with 20 conference titles. New Bern is 3-4 all-time in state title games with championships in 2007, 2012 and 2014.
Grimsley notes: Head coach Darryl Brown is 63-23 in his 7th season as head coach of the Whirlies, who are 536-438-27 since 1929 with 26 conference titles. Previously Greensboro High – it became Grimsley in 1962 – is 5-9-2 all-time in state title games with championships in 1940, 1942, 1954, 1960 and 2021 spring and co-championships in 1938 and 1956.
High school basketball
(Thursday’s games)
-BOYS
R-S Central 70, Burns 66
East Gaston 58, Kings Mountain 48
Piedmont CC 71, East Rutherford 55
Bessmer City 62, Pine Lake Prep 51: Randall Pettus (20 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds), Nazari Smarr (20 points, 7 rebounds), Keyshawn Adams (12 points, 15 rebounds) and Terrance Smith (10 points, 6 rebounds) led Bessemer City.
Mountain Island Charter 62, Queen’s Grant 55
-GIRLS
Burns 48, R-S Central 27
East Rutherford 88, Piedmont CC 37: Grace East had 28 points to Piedmont CC.
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
Cramerton def. Holbrook 6-0: Jacob Ledwak scored 2 goals, Jarrett Bumpas, Ben Kelly, M.J. Liwosz and Jake Harms added 1 goal apiece, Carson Holcomb, Maxi Rodriguez, Bumpas and Kelly had assists and Owen Kelly recorded 4 saves for the shutout in goal for Cramerton.
The win completed a 12-0 season for the Eagles, who outscored their opponents 93-4 in winning their fifth consecutive league championship. Cramerton also finished with the season with 45 consecutive wins – after surpassing the county record of 42 set by Grier 1992 to 1995 earlier in the season.
Members of this year’s Eagles were Anas Alzaghari, Jarrett Bumpas, Santiago Calle, Lane Crotts, Caleb Debbold, Brock Dyer, Brody Dyer, Ernesto Gonzales, Jake Harms, Andrew Hellams, David Herrera, Carson Holcomb, Zachary Janik, Ben Kelly, Owen Kelly, Jacob Ledwak, M.J. Liwosz, Nick Markley, Gabe Paredes, Marcus Rhodes, Maxi Rodriguez, Britton Steede, Ibrahem AbuBaker and Camden McGinnis.
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
Mount Holly def. Belmont 3-2: Coach Mike Nixon’s Hawks completed a 12-0 season for the second time in the 17-year history of the sport and won their third county title. Mount Holly went 11-1 when it won its 2015 and 2017 titles. Belmont finished 9-3.
TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
(Playoffs)
-Thursday, Dec. 8 semifinals
Kings Mountain def. East Rutherford 3-0 (25-12, 25-8, 25-10): Campbell Benton (11 service points, 6 aces, 2 digs, 14 kills), Avaclaire Moss (5 service points, 1 ace, 1 dig, 18 assists), Avery Cruise (17 service points, 5 aces, 15 digs, 1 assist, 1 kill), Jillian Patton (14 service points, 5 aces, 15 digs, 4 assists, 1 kill), Ava Broome (5 service points, 14 digs) and Jaylee Woodward (5 kills) led Kings Mountain.
North Lincoln def. R-S Central
-Tuesday, Dec. 13 championship
North Lincoln at Kings Mountain
Middle School wrestling
GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE
Final regular season standings:
Belmont 9-1
Cramerton 9-1
Stanley 9-1
W.C. Friday 7-3
Chavis 5-5
York Chester 5-5
Grier 4-6
Holbrook 4-6
Mount Holly 2-8
Southwest 1-9
Bessemer City 0-10
(Tuesday’s matches)
Cramerton def. Chavis 94-12
W.C. Friday def. Bessemer City 96-12
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
(Playoffs)
-Thursday, Dec. 8 semifinals at West Lincoln
Crest at West Lincoln – WL 75-27
Burns vs. Shelby – Shelby 56-39
-Tuesday, Dec. 13 championship
Shelby at West Lincoln
-Saturday, Dec. 17 individual championships
High school swimming
(Wednesday’s meet)
GIRLS- Ashbrook 118, North Gaston 65, Hunter Huss 29: Ashbrook’s Aissatou Diouf (200 Medley 1st, 100 Breastroke 1st), Monica Velasco (100 Freestyle 1st) and Christina Kucherenko (100 Backstroke 1st), North Gaston’s Zoye Rudisill (50 Freestyle 1st) and Huss’ Kendall Boone (200 Freestyle 1st) were top performers.
BOYS- North Gaston 75, Hunter Huss 52, Ashbrook 20: North Gaston’s Nathan Hastings (1st on 2 Relay teams, 200 Medley 2nd, 100 Freestyle 2nd), Huss’ Casey Jones (200 Freestyle 1st, 100 Freestyle 1st) and Ben Kimmel (200 Medley 1st, 100 Butterfly 1st) and Ashbrook’s Alfredo Tario (50 Freestyle 1st) were top performers.
College baseball
Cramer’s Nathan Brittain signed his college baseball scholarship with Campbell University.
Pro basketball
Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(7-18 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 (L 116-122)
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
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.