3-11-23 roundup: Pro basketball, football and soccer, High school basketball, baseball and softball, College basketball, Legion baseball

By Richard Walker

North Carolina Area IV American Legion recently met to discuss the upcoming season and its membership for the 2023 season.

Area IV will be divided again into two divisions – the East and West.

The Eastern Division will include teams from Gaston, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties – Gastonia Post 23 and the Gaston Braves Post 144-266 from Gaston County, the Lincoln County Cardinals Post 455 from Lincoln County and Queen City, Mint Hill, Matthews and Huntersville from Mecklenburg County.

The Western Division includes Cherryville Post 100 from Gaston County and Cleveland County Post 82-155 from Cleveland County in addition to Hickory, Caldwell County, Asheville, Burke County and Rutherford County from other area counties.

The regular season starts in mid-May with the teams completing their regular season by June 29.

Area IV playoffs begin on July 1 and will run through July 22 that will send its top two teams to the 2023 N.C. state tournament at Campbell University.from July 24-29. That champion advances to the Southeast regional from Aug. 2-6 at Asheboro.

The Southeast regional champion and winners of seven other regionals advance to the American Legion World Series Aug. 10-15 at Shelby’s Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College basketball

(Conference tournaments)
-2023 Region 10 men (at Cape Fear Community College)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 9
No. 4 Gaston College vs. No. 5 Cape Fear Community College – Cape Fear Community College 88-65
No. 2 Brunswick Community College vs. No. 7 Denmark Tech – Brunswick Community College 93-52
No. 3 Spartanburg Methodist vs. No. 6 Richard Bland – Spartanburg Methodist 64-61 (OT)
Semifinals – Friday, March 10
No. 1 Caldwell Tech vs. No. 4 Cape Fear Community College – Cape Fear Community College 89-85
No. 2 Brunswick Community College vs. No. 3 Spartanburg Methodist – Brunswick Community College 100-73
Final – Saturday, March 11
No. 4 Cape Fear Community College vs. No. 2 Brunswick Community College – Cape Fear Community College 85-65

-2023 ACC men (at Greensboro Coliseum)
(Tuesday, March 7)
Game 1: No. 12 Florida State vs. No. 13 Georgia Tech – Georgia Tech 61-60
Game 2: No. 10 Boston College vs. No. 15 Louisville – Boston College 80-62
Game 3: No. 11 Virginia Tech vs. No. 14 Notre Dame – Virginia Tech 67-64
(Wednesday, March 8)
Game 4: No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 9 Wake Forest – Wake Forest 77-74
Game 5: No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 13 Georgia Tech – Pittsburgh 89-81
Game 6: No. 7 North Carolina vs. No. 10 Boston College – North Carolina 85-61
Game 7: No. 6 N.C. State vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech – N.C. State 97-77
(Thursday, March 9)
Game 8: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 9 Wake Forest – Miami 74-72
Game 9: No. 4 Duke vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh – Duke 96-69
Game 10: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 7 North Carolina – Virginia 68-59
Game 11: No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 N.C. State – Clemson 80-54
(Friday, March 10)
Game 12: No. 1 Miami vs. No. 4 Duke – Duke 85-78
Game 13: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Clemson – Virginia 76-56
(Saturday, march 11)
Game 14: Championship – No. 4 Duke vs. No. 2 Virginia – Duke 59-49

-2023 Conference USA men (at Frisco, Tex.)
(Wednesday, March 8)
No. 8 WKU vs. No. 9 UTEP – WKU 73-67
No. 7 FIU vs. No. 10 Louisiana Tech – Louisiana Tech 81-76 (OT)
No. 6 Rice vs. No. 11 UTSA – Rice 72-71
(Thursday, March 9)
No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 8 WKU – Florida Atlantic 75-51
No. 4 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 5 Charlotte – Middle Tennessee 66-65
No. 2 North Texas vs. No. 10 Louisiana Tech – North Texas 74-46
No. 3 UAB vs. No. 6 Rice – UAB 87-60
(Friday, March 10)
No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 4 Middle Tennessee – Florida Atlantic 68-65
No. 2 North Texas vs. No. 3 UAB – UAB 76-69
(Saturday, March 11)
Final – No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 3 UAB – Florida Atlantic 78-56

-2023 Conference USA women (at Frisco, Tex.)
(Wednesday, March 8)
No. 8 FIU vs. No. 9 Charlotte – Charlotte 72-59
No. 7 North Texas vs. No. 10 UAB – UAB 75-71
No. 6 UTSA vs. No. 11 Florida Atlantic – UTSA 69-68
(Thursday, March 9)
No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 9 Charlotte – Middle Tennessee 84-53
No. 4 UTEP vs. No. 5 Louisiana Tech – UTEP 64-54
No. 2 WKU vs. No. 10 UAB – WKU 71-67
No. 3 Rice vs. No. 6 UTSA – UTSA 62-54
(Friday, March 10)
No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 4 UTEP – Middle Tennessee 68-62
No. 2 WKU vs. No. 6 UTSA – WKU 70-55
(Saturday, March 11)
Final – No. 1 Middle Tennessee 82, No. 2 WKU 70

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school baseball

(Friday, March 10)
Newton-Conover 12, Lincolnton 5: Garett Hedgepeth (3 hits), Jacob Driggers (1 hit), Karson Cloninger (2-run double) and Will Blackburn (1 hit) led Lincolnton.

-Next week’s schedule
(Monday, March 13)
Mountain Island Charter at Metrolina
Piedmont CC at Thomas Jefferson

(Tuesday, March 14)
Ashbrook at Kings Mountain
Crest at Huss
Forestview at South Point
North Gaston at Cramer
Cherryville at Shelby
Highland Tech at Bessemer City
Thomas Jefferson at East Gaston
Hickory at East Lincoln
Statesville at North Lincoln
Bunker Hill at West Lincoln
Lincolnton at Bandys
Mountain Island Charter at Lincoln Charter
Hibriten at Burns
Legion Collegiate at Gaston Christian

(Wednesday, March 15)
Bandys at North Gaston
Cherryville at Lincolnton
Crest at Burns
East Gaston at South Point
Freedom at Shelby
Huss at Palisades
Piedmont CC at Langtree Charter

(Thursday, March 16)
Cramer at Bessemer City
Gaston Christian at Metrolina
Highland Tech at Piedmont CC

(Friday, March 17)
Cramer at North Gaston
Huss at Crest
Kings Mountain at Ashbrook
South Point at Forestview
Bessemer City at Highland Tech
East Gaston at Thomas Jefferson
Shelby at Cherryville
North Lincoln at Hickory
Statesville at East Lincoln
Newton-Conover at West Lincoln
West Caldwell at Lincolnton
Lincoln Charter at Mountain Island Charter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school softball

-Next week’s schedule
(Monday, March 13)
Highland Tech at Bessemer City
R-S Central at Burns

(Tuesday, March 14)
Crest at Huss
Kings Mountain at Ashbrook
North Gaston at Cramer
South Point at Forestview
Cherryville at Shelby
Thomas Jefferson at East Gaston
Hickory at East Lincoln
Statesville at North Lincoln
Bunker Hill at West Lincoln
Lincolnton at Bandys
Sugar Creek at Piedmont CC
Mountain Island Charter at Lincoln Charter

(Wednesday, March 15)
Bessemer City at Highland Tech
Crest at Burns
Lincolnton at South Point
North Lincoln at Bandys
West Lincoln at East Lincoln
Lake Norman at Lincoln Charter
Shelby at Ashbrook

(Thursday, March 16)
Ashbrook at Crest
Cramer at Cherryville
Highland Tech at Piedmont CC
North Gaston at Bessemer City
Gaston Christian at Metrolina

(Friday, March 17)
Cramer at South Point
Huss at Kings Mountain
North Gaston at Forestview
East Gaston at Thomas Jefferson
Shelby at Cherryville
East Lincoln at Statesville
North Lincoln at Hickory
Newton-Conover at West Lincoln
West Caldwell at Lincolnton
Burns at Freedom
Cabarrus Charter at Piedmont CC
Mountain Island Charter at Lincoln Charter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

Charlotte’s Myers Park High won its first-ever state championship on Saturday.

Here are Saturday’s N.C. High School Athletic Association state championship results:

-BOYS
4A – Myers Park 74, Richmond County 60
3A – Central Cabarrus 65, Pittsboro Northwood 51
2A – Farmville Central 75, Reidsville 63
1A – Wilson Prep 84, Eastern Randolph 73

-GIRLS
4A – Cary Panther Creek 75, Lake Norman 63
3A – West Rowan 60, Rocky Mount 50
2A – Salisbury 48, Pittsboro Seaforth 39
1A – Kernersville McGuinness 75, Chatham Charter 43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

The Charlotte Hornets’ 2-game winning streak came to a close on Saturday as Talen Horton-Tucker had 37 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists in a 119-111 Utah Jazz win at the Spectrum Center.

The Hornets were led by Kelly Oubre (24 points, 5 rebounds), Terry Rozier (22 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists), P.J. Washington (18 points, 7 rebounds) and Dennis Smith Jr. (13 points, 5 assists)

Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:

(22-47 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 (L 113-131)
14 Detroit (L 134-141, OT)
16 Atlanta (L 106-125)
18 at Denver (L 115-119)
19 at Sacramento (W 125-119)
21 at L.A. Clippers (L 105-126)
23 at L.A. Lakers (W 134-130)
26 at Portland (L 113-124)
27 at Golden State (L 105-110)
29 Oklahoma City (W 121-113)
31 Brooklyn (L 106-123)
January
2 L.A. Lakers (L 115-121)
4 Memphis (L 107-131)
6 at Milwaukee (W 138-109)
8 at Indiana (L 111-116)
10 at Toronto (L 120-132)
12 at Toronto (L 114-124)
14 Boston (L 106-122)
16 Boston (L 118-130)
18 at Houston (W 122-117)
21 at Atlanta (W 122-118)
23 at Utah (L 102-120)
24 at Phoenix (L 97-128)
26 Chicago (W 111-96)
29 Miami (W 122-117)
31 at Milwaukee (L 115-124)
February
2 at Chicago (L 98-114)
3 at Detroit (L 112-118)
5 Orlando (L 113-119)
8 at Washington (L 104-118)
10 at Boston (L 116-127)
11 Denver (L 105-119)
13 Atlanta (W 144-138)
15 San Antonio (W 120-110)
24 at Minnesota (W 121-113)
25 Miami (W 108-103)
27 Detroit (W 117-106)
March
1 Phoenix (L 91-105)
3 Orlando (L 106-117)
5 at Brooklyn (L 86-102)
7 at New York (W 112-105)
9 at Detroit (W 113-103)
11 Utah (L 111-119)
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 soccer

Charlotte FC fell to 0-3 on the season following Saturday afternoon’s 3-0 home loss to Atlanta United.

The visitors scored all three goals in the first half, including two in the first 12 minutes of action.

Here is Charlotte FC’s full 2023 schedule:

(0-3 record)
Feb. 25 New England Revolution (L 0-1)
March 4 at St. Louis City SC (L 1-3)
March 11 Atlanta United FC (L 0-3)
March 18 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
April 15 Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
April 22 Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 29 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
May 6 New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 at Atlanta United FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 Chicago Fire FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 27 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
May 31 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 0.m.
June 3 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
June 10 Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 5 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
July 8 FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 L.A. FC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Nashville SC, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 at FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 at New England Revoultion, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 Inter Miami CF, TBD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2023 NASCAR schedule (with winners in parentheses):

Feb 5 Clash at The Coliseum, Los Angeles CA (Martin Truex, Jr.)
Feb 16 Duel No. 1, Daytona Beach FL (Joey Logano)
Feb 16 Duel No. 2, Daytona Beach FL (Aric Almirola)
Feb 19 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach FL (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.)
Feb 26 NASCAR Cup Series at California, Fontana CA (Kyle Busch)
Mar 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV (William Byron)
Mar 12 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 19 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Apr 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Apr 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7 p.m. on FOX
Apr 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville VA, 3 p.m. on FS1
Apr 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 3 p.m. on FOX
Apr 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Dover, Dover DE, 2 p.m. on FS1
May 7 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 14 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 6 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 8 p.m. on FS1
May 28 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 6 p.m. at FOX
Jun 4 NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Jun 11 NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma, Sonoma CA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Jun 25 NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville, Lebanon TN, 7 p.m. on NBC
Jul 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Chicago, Chicago IL, 5:30 p.m. on NBC
Jul 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 7 p.m. on USA
Jul 16 NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire, Loudon NH, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono, Long Pond PA, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 6 NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan, Brooklyn MI, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Aug 13 NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Road Course, Speedway IN, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Aug 20 NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen NY, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona, Daytona Beach FL, 7 p.m. on NBC

(Cup Playoffs)
Sep 3 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 6 p.m. on USA
Sep 10 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on USA
Sep 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7:30 p.m. on USA
Sep 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Texas, Fort Worth TX, 3:30 p.m. on USA
Oct 1 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 8 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 15 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 22 NASCAR Cup Series at Miami, Homestead FL, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 29 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville, 2 p.m. on NBC
Nov 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3 p.m. on NBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Basketball

The Denver Nuggets Travel boys’ basketball teams will be holding tryouts for the following teams: 7th-8th Grade Boys Monday, March 20th, Thursday, March 23rd, and Monday, March 27th from 6:00-7:30 PM in the competition gym at East Lincoln High School (6471 Hwy 73 Denver, NC 28037). 9th-11th grade boys have the same dates 7:30-9:00 PM. Players need to be at all 3 tryout dates if possible.

All basketball players in Lincoln and surrounding counties are encouraged to tryout for the teams. Parent Permission, Medical Consent, and Information forms are required to tryout and can be electronically sent to you. Contact Chip Ashley, at [email protected] or call 704-718-5136.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hall of Fame

The Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame has announced a five-member induction class for 2023.

This year’s RCSHOF, presented by Hardin’s Drug, will be Thursday, April 20 at The Foundation Performing Arts Center at Isothermal Community College in Spindale at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online or at the Foundation Performing Arts Center box office with a small service charge applied to online orders. For additional information, please visit the RCSHOF website (rcshof.org) or call The Foundation Performing Arts Box Office at (828) 286-9990.

The class is comprised of Keenan Lee Carpenter, Pam K. Harmon, Billy Ray Haynes Jr., Charles Dean Huffstickler and Chris Michael.

Carpenter, a 1984 R-S Central High graduate, scored more than 1,000 points in basketball for the Hilltoppers before starring at Anderson, S.C., Junior College and at Auburn. Carpenter once scored 44 points against LSU and was named to Auburn’s 1980s all-decade team.

Harmon, a 1977 East Rutherford High graduate, was a tennis, basketball and softball standout for the Cavaliers. A former Duke women’s basketball player, Harmon was a three-time MVP and all-conference tennis player and won the prestigious “Women in Sports Award” that was presented to her by tennis legend Billie Jean King

Haynes, a 1988 Chase High gradaute, was a football and baseball star for the Trojans and set a Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas record for tackles (16) as a linebacker in 1987 before finishing with 364 career tackles at N.C. State (8th in Wolfpack history) where he helped the school to two bowl victories.

Huffstickler, a 1958 R-S Central High graduate who now lives in Gastonia after a long career as a police officer, was a high school boxing champion who gained great acclaim in that sport as a coach. A 2022 Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Huffstickler formed the Gastonia Police Youth Club that sponsored several sports and would eventually coach local, regional and national teams including once coaching Olympic gold medal-winning heavyweight champion Teafilo Stevenson of Cuba and future heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

Michael, a 1981 R-S Central High graduate, was a basketball and track star for the Hilltoppers. He helped R-S Central’s 32-0 state championship team in 1980 and to a 27-5 record and state runner-up finish in 1981 before becoming a top player at Clemson in the mid-1980s.