3-7-22 roundup: College basketball, baseball and softball, High school basketball, baseball and softball, Middle school basketball, Pro basketball and soccer

By Richard Walker

Shelby High’s Kate Hollifield and Ford “Scooter” Lawrence took top honors for Southern Piedmont 1A/2A girls basketball in voting done by league coaches.

Hollifield, who averaged 17.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.6 steals, was named the league player of the year. She finished her career with 1,720 points and has signed to play with NCAA Division I Belmont University.

Lawrence was named league coach of the year after guiding the Golden Lions to a 22-3 overall record, an unbeaten SPC finish and a 2022 Western N.C. 2A runner-up finish.

Hollifield is joined on the all-conference team by sister Ally Hollifield and Maraja Pass from Shelby, Janiya Adams and Tionna Pettus from Bessemer City, Kaitlyn Rowe and Margaret Schweppe from Thomas Jefferson, Tishiona Strong and Esynce Howze from Burns, Allie Grice and Zoey Lockridge from East GAston, Gabby McCorkle from Cherryville and Addie McCraw from Highland Tech.

 

 

 

College basketball

Belmont Abbey meets host and top-seeded Augusta in the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional tournament on Saturday.

Here are the pairings for the 2022 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Augusta, Ga.:

(Saturday’s quarterfinals)
Noon – No. 3 Lincoln Memorial vs. No. 6 Georgia College
2:30 p.m. – No. 2 Queens vs. No. 7 Columbus State
5 p.m. – No. 1 Augusta vs. No. 8 Belmont Abbey
7:30 p.m. – No. 4 UNC-Pembroke vs. No. 5 Flagler

(Sunday’s semifinals)
5 p.m. – LM-GC winner vs. Queens-CS winner
7:30 p.m. – Augusta-BA winner vs. UNCP-Flagler winner

(Tuesday, March 15 championship)
7 p.m. (Winner advances to March 22-26 Elite 8 in Evansville, Ind.)

The full 2022 New York Life ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule:

Tuesday, March 8
First Round
2 p.m. – No. 12 Pitt vs. No. 13 Boston College (ACC Network)
4:30 p.m. – No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 15 NC State (ACC Network)
7 p.m. – No. 11 Louisville vs. No. 14 Georgia Tech (ACC Network)

Wednesday, March 9
Second Round
Noon – No. 8 Florida State vs. No. 9 Syracuse (ESPN)
2:30 p.m. – No. 5 Wake Forest vs. Pitt/Boston College winner (ESPN)
7 p.m. – No. 7 Virginia Tech vs. Clemson/NC State winner (ESPN2/ESPNU)
9:30 p.m. – No. 6 Virginia vs. Louisville/Georgia Tech winner (ESPN2)

Thursday, March 10
Quarterfinals
Noon – No. 1 Duke vs. Wednesday Noon winner (ESPN/ESPN2)
2:30 p.m. – No. 4 Miami vs. Wednesday 2:30 p.m. winner (ESPN/ESPN2)
7 p.m. – No. 2 Notre Dame vs. Wednesday 7 p.m. winner (ESPN/ESPN2)
9:30 p.m. – No. 3 North Carolina vs. Wednesday 9:30 p.m. winner (ESPN/ESPN2)

Friday, March 11
Semifinals
7 p.m. – Thursday afternoon winners (ESPN/ESPN2)
9:30 p.m. – Thursday evening winners (ESPN/ESPN2)

Saturday, March 12
Championship
8:30 p.m. – Semifinal winners (ESPN)

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school basketball

Here are full statewide pairings for Saturday’s state championship games:

(1A at Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh)
Girls – Bertie Falcons vs. Bishop McGuinness Villians, 2:30 p.m.
Boys – Chatham Charter Knights vs. Hayesville Yellow Jackets, 5 p.m.

(2A at Smith Center, Chapel Hill)
Girls – Farmville Central Jaguars vs. Salisbury Hornets, Noon
2:30 p.m. – Farmville Central Jaguars vs. J.M. Robinson Bulldogs, 2:30 p.m.

(3A at Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh)
Girls – Northwood Chargers vs. Enka Jets, 7:30 p.m.
Boys – Seventy-First Falcons vs. West Charlotte Lions, Noon

(4A at Smith Center, Chapel Hill)
Girls – Apex Friendship Patriots vs. Julius Chambers Cougars, 5 p.m.
Boys – Panther Creek Catamounts vs. Weddington Warriors, 7:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Middle school basketball

Southwest’s boys and Holbrook’s girls will seek to finish off unbeaten Gaston County Conference championship seasons on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, in the 2022 title games.

Southwest (11-0) meets Belmont (9-2) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Hunter Huss High School. And Holbrook (11-0) meets W.C. Friday (9-2) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Ashbrook High School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

High school baseball

(Monday’s results)
Cramer 17, Rocky River 2 (5 innings)

THIS WEEK’S REMAINING SCHEDULE:
(Tuesday)
Burns at Thomas Jefferson
East Gaston at Bessemer City
Highland Tech at Shelby
Bunker Hill at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at Bandys
Gaston Day at Gaston Christian
Christ the King at Cherryville
Crest at Roberson
East Lincoln at East Rutherford
Kings Mountain at Blacksburg, S.C.
North Lincoln at North Gaston

(Wednesday)
Forestview at East Gaston
Kings Mountain at Gaffney, S.C.
Lincolnton at Burns
R-S Central at West Lincoln

(Thursday)
Community School of Davidson at South Point
West Iredell at Cramer

(Friday)
Bessemer City at East Gaston
Shelby at Highland Tech
Thomas Jefferson at Burns
Lincolnton at Newton-Conover
Maiden at West Lincoln
Christ the King at North Gaston
East Lincoln at Cherryville
East Rutherford at Forestview
Enka at Kings Mountain
Roberson at Crest
Westchester at Gaston Day

 

 

 

High school softball

(Monday’s results)
Piedmont Community Charter 19, Charity Christian 0 (3 innings): Abigale Harris (three hits, five RBIs), Grace East (two hits, two RBIs), Suzie Rhodes (two hits, two RBIs), Julianna East (two-run home run) and Madison Clark (two-run home run) led Piedmont Community Charter’s offense and Ashton Kenna pitched a one-hitter.

Cramer 13, East Gaston 2

East Rutherford 2, North Gaston 1

THIS WEEK’S REMAINING SCHEDULE:
(Tuesday)
Burns at Thomas Jefferson
East Gaston at Bessemer City
Highland Tech at Shelby
Bunker Hill at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at Bandys
East Rutherford at Kings Mountain
Elkin at Crest
North Lincoln at Lincoln Charter

(Wednesday)
Bunker Hill at East Lincoln
Chase at Highland Tech
Foard at Burns
Forestview at North Lincoln
R-S Central at Crest
Shelby at Cramer
West Lincoln at Cherryville

(Thursday)
Lincolnton at South Point

(Friday)
Bessemer City at East Gaston
Shelby at Highland Tech
Thomas Jefferson at Burns
Lincolnton at Newton-Conover
Maiden at West Lincoln
Alexander Central at North Lincoln
North Gaston at Cherryville

 

 

 

 

College baseball

A week after making school history as the first Gaston College athletic team to earn a national ranking of any kind, the Rhinos’ baseball team made some more on Monday when they were ranked No. 10 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II poll. Gaston College (18-0) is one of three unbeaten teams in the poll and has the second-highest number of victories in the poll – trailing only No. 1 LSU-Eunice (19-3).

The Rhinos play again on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Gastonia’s CaroMont Health Park against perennial NJCAA Division I power Louisburg.

 

 

College softball

A new era in Gaston College athletics history launched on Feb. 19 when the school’s first softball team opened the 2022 season at Martha Rivers Park in Gastonia. More history was set Monday when the Rhinos picked up their inaugural win. And the way they did so could not have been more dramatic.

Trailing 7-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning against the touring Monroe College-Bronx Varsity Express, the Rhinos scored six runs with two out for an 8-7 win in the opener of the doubleheader. Monroe won 9-0 in the nightcap.

 

Pro basketball

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 (W 124-123)
Mon. 13 at Dallas (L 96-120)
Wed. 15 at San Antonio (W 131-115)
Fri. 17 at Portland (L 116-125)
Sun. 19 at Phoenix (L 106-137)
Mon. 20 at Utah (L 102-112)
Thu. 23 at Denver (W 115-107)
Mon. 27 HOUSTON (W 123-99)
Wed. 29 at Indiana (W 116-108)
JANUARY
Sun. 2 PHOENIX (L 99-133)
Mon. 3 at Washington (L 121-124)
Wed. 5 DETROIT (W 140-111)
Sat. 8 MILWAUKEE (W 114-106)
Mon. 10 MILWAUKEE (W 103-99)
Wed. 12 at Philadelphia (W 109-98)
Fri. 14 ORLANDO (L 109-116)
Mon. 17 at New York (W 97-87)
Wed. 19 at Boston (W 111-102)
Fri. 21 OKLAHOMA CITY (W 121-98)
Sun. 23 ATLANTA (L 91-113)
Tue. 25 at Toronto (L 113-125)
Wed. 26 at Indiana (W 158-126)
Fri. 28 L.A. LAKERS (W 117-114)
Sun. 30 LA CLIPPERS (L 90-115)
FEBRUARY
Wed. 2 at Boston (L 107-113)
Fri. 4 CLEVELAND (L 101-102)
Sat. 5 MIAMI (L 86-104)
Mon. 7 TORONTO (L 101-116)
Wed. 9 CHICAGO (L 109-121)
Fri. 11 at Detroit (W 141-119)
Sat. 12 MEMPHIS (L 118-125)
Tue. 15 at Minnesota (L 120-126, OT)
Thu. 17 MIAMI (L 107-111, 2 OT)
Fri. 25 TORONTO (W 125-93)
Sun. 27 DETROIT (L 126-127, OT)
Mon. 28 at Milwaukee (L 106-130)
MARCH
Wed. 2 at Cleveland (W 119-98)
Sat. 5 SAN ANTONIO (W 123-117)
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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Here’s the full Charlotte FC schedule for the 2022 season (with results):

Feb. 26 at D.C. (L 0-3)
March 5, L.A. (L 0-1)
March 13, at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m.
March 19, New England, 7 p.m.
March 26, Cincinnati, 6 p.m.
April 4, at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
April 10, Atlanta, 1:30 p.m.
April 16, at New England, 7:30 p.m.
April 23, at Colorado, 9 p.m.
April 30, at Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
May 7, Miami, 3:30 p.m.
May 14, Montreal, 7 p.m.
May 22, Vancouver, 5 p.m.
May 29, at Seattle, 9:30 p.m.
June 11, New York, 3 p.m.
June 18, at Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
June 25, at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
June 30, Austin, 7 p.m.
July 3, at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
July 9, Nashville, 7 p.m.
July 16, at Miami, 8 p.m.
July 23, at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 30, Columbus, 7 p.m.
August 3, D.C., 7 p.m.
August 6, Chicago, 7 p.m.
August 13, at LAFC, 10:30 p.m.
August 17, at New York City, TBD
August 21, Orlando, 7 p.m.
August 27, Toronto, 7 p.m.
September 3, at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
September 10, New York City, 7 p.m.
September 17, at Chicago, 8 p.m.
October 1, Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
October 9, at New York, TBD