12-9-22 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 head coach Dave Lubowicz knows that some see their unbeaten run to a state title game as unexpected.
He’s certainly not among that group.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Lubowicz said. “We’ve got a lot of four-year lettermen so we’ve got a lot of talented experience playing out there for us.”
Among those players are 2022 Shrine Bowl selections (and NCAA Division I recruits) running back/linebacker Ben Cutter and wide receiver/cornerback Keandre Walker in addition to linebacker Landen Glezen, wide receiver/safety Markell Clark, tackle Joshua Gilbert and defensive end Blake Bradford.
The team also has other talented seniors in quarterback Tyler Mizzell, linebackers Aiden Terrell and Parker Davis and defensive end Diego Neira.
East Lincoln, which previously won state titles in 2012 and 2014, has slowly built to this moment.
When the seniors were freshman, East Lincoln went 8-4 overall and lost in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2021 spring season, the Mustangs went 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference and missed a playoff bracket that was smaller than usual. And in the 2021 season, East Lincoln went 8-4 overall and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
“So we’ve been kind of building to it,” Lubowicz said. “Having a lot of experience has helped and gave me confidence in this team. So where everybody else might be surprised, I’m not.”
Mizzell has passed for 2,533 yards with 35 touchdowns and four interceptions and rushed for 666 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the 5,461-yard offense that also got 1,671 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns from Christoher Daley, 61 catches for 850 yards and 16 touchdowns from Clark, 42 catches for 818 yards and 8 touchdowns from Walker, 38 catches for 368 yards and 7 touchdowns from Jackson Beam and 23 catches for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns from Riley Shropshire.
Cutter leads the defense with 182 tackles. He’s followed by Terrell (121), Davis (98), defensive end Marcel Johnson (94), linebacker Hampton Good (78), cornerback Jaylen Roseboro (75), Niera (72), Bradford (63), Glezen (53) and cornerback Jarvis Stevens (51).
Johnson and Neira lead in quarterback sacks with 17 and 12, respectively. And Cutter had four interceptions and Walker three and Good and Neira had two fumble recoveries apiece.
Here are this weekend’s N.C. High School Athletic Association state finals pairings:
-Friday
(4A)
New Bern 40, Grimsley 28
-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.
High school basketball
(Friday’s games)
-BOYS
Kings Mountain 50, Ashbrook 48
West Lincoln 82, Cherryville 75
Crest 65, Huss 62: A.J. Adams had 23 points and Tylik Briscoe 20 for Crest and Justin Ross had 17 points and Jordan Falls 16 for Huss.
South Point 76, Forestview 61: Greyson Kines (25 points), Parker Natale (10 points) and Sean Gore (9 assists, 4 steals) led South Point.
East Lincoln 64, Lincolnton 51
Cramer 63, North Gaston 59: Quinton Rybczyk (17 points, 7 rebounds), Jacob Joyner (15 points), John Hill (12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals), Justin Rocquemore (8 points, 6 rebounds) and Owen Sloan (4 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals) led Cramer and Jeyson Payne (24 points) led North Gaston.
Cramer also won the JV game 53-38 behind Zack Alexander (16 points, 3 steals), D.J. Cross (14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals) and Kingston Womack (6 points, 5 steals).
Lincoln Charter 69, North Lincoln 68
Gaston Christian 62, Northside Christian 55
Gaston Day 57, Westminster Catawba 44: Callum Richard had 25 points and Evan Montanari 18 for Gaston Day.
East Gaston 58, Kings Mountain 48 (Thursday): Connor Rankin had 20 points and Trenton Sherrill 11 to lead East Gaston and Bradley Floyd had 14 points to lead Kings Mountain.
-GIRLS
Ashbrook 60, Kings Mountain 38
West Lincoln 59, Cherryville 31
Huss 58, Crest 46
South Point 55, Forestview 28
Lake Norman 83, Bessemer City 52
East Lincoln 71, Lincolnton 21
Cramer 54, North Gaston 20: Oshauna Holland (17 points, 11 steals, 4 assists), Hadley Womack (16 points, 3 steals) and Zion Duncan (10 points) led Cramer and Madison Davis (14 points) led North Gaston.
Lincoln Charter 63, North Lincoln 26
College basketball
(Friday’s game)
Queens 87, High Point 79: Kenny Dye scored 28 points and became the sixth Royals player to reach 1,500 points in his career as Queens improved to 8-2.
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
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
(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
Pro basketball
The Charlotte Hornets lost their fifth straight game on Friday in a 121-102 loss to the New York Knicks in front of 17,696 at Spectrum Center.
Terry Rozier (24 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), Kelly Oubre (22 points) and Mason Plumlee (13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists) led the Hornets.
Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(7-19 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 (L 102-121)
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.