4-20-23 roundup: Pro basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer, High school baseball and softball, College football, Middle school baseball and soccer, NASCAR
By Richard Walker
The N.C. High School Athletic Association is set for major changes after a vote to increase the state’s number of classifications passed.
An amendment proposal was sent to the 432 NCHSAA principals and needed 324 votes to pass that would increase the state’s classifications from the current four to at least seven classifications beginning with the 2025-26 school year.
A previous attempt to expand the number of classifications and change the realignment process failed to get enough support in 2020.
The NCHSAA, which begin organizing N.C. high school athletic events in 1913, held open championships until 1929 when it began dividing its school into different classifications based on size and/or interest of the schools. From 1929 to 1938, the largest schools competed in Class A with smaller schools competing in Class B and eventually Class C in 1939. From 1946 to 1950, the largest schools competed in Class AA with smaller schools competing in Class A and Class B. From 1950 to 1960, the largest schools competed in Class AAA with smaller schools competing in Class AA and Class A. Finally, in 1960, the state adopted the four classification model it has used ever since, with the larger schools competing in Class AAAA and smaller schools competing in Class AAA, Class AA and Class A.
In the sport of football, the state began sub-dividing each division in 2001 in Class 1A and in Classes 4A, 3A and 2A from 2001 to 2021 with champions crowned in Class 4AA, Class 4A, Class 3AA, Class 3A, Class 2AA, Class 2A, Class 1AA and Class 1A after a 5-week playoff process.
However, in the General Assembly there is currently a bill that most notably would keep the NCHSAA at four classifications and mandate the NCHSAA to place all charter and parochial schools into one classification regardless of their size.
And should that bill – named SB 636 – passes, it would nullify the bylaw amendment for more classifications.
But if the seven classification model is approved, what does that look like for local schools?
Among Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties, it would have schools assigned to five of the seven classifications with the Classes 4A and 5A having the largest representation, respectively.
Here’s a look at where local schools would fall with their most recent ADM (average daily membership) numbers:
Class 1A (64 teams statewide with 31 to 406 ADM)
No. 50 Thomas Jefferson 361
Class 2A (64 teams statewide with 413 to 657 ADM)
No. 22 Cherryville 488
No. 28 Highland Tech 516
No. 32 Mountain Island Charter 543
No. 36 Bessemer City 557
No. 45 Piedmont Community Charter 577
Class 3A (64 teams statewide with 657 to 851 ADM)
No. 30 West Lincoln 753
No. 35 Lincoln Charter 762
No. 48 Lincolnton 797
No. 50 Shelby 804
Class 4A (64 teams statewide with 855 to 1076 ADM)
No. 10 East Gaston 874
No. 24 Burns 917
No. 32 South Point 943
No. 37 Cramer 951
No. 54 East Lincoln 1042
No. 62 Forestview 1064
No. 64 North Lincoln 1076
Class 5A (64 teams statewide with 1078 to 1464 ADM)
No. 7 Huss 1091
No. 9 Crest 1101
No. 10 North Gaston 1110
No. 32 Kings Mountain 1222
No. 40 Ashbrook 1270
Class 6A (64 teams statewide with 1467 to 1967 ADM)
No local teams
Class 7A (48 teams statewide with 1973 to 3720 ADM)
No local teams
The 7A model would seem likely to significantly alter the current Big South 3A and Southern Piedmont 1A/2A conferences.
Area counties could be added to conference involving local teams as as three Rutherford County high schools (Chase, East Rutherford, R-S Central) all are 3A, Burke County’s four schools are split into three classifications – Draughn and Patton are 3A, East Burke is 4A and Freedom is 5A and Catawba County has its seven schools split into three classifications – Bunker Hill and Bandys are 3A, Maiden, Foard and Newton-Conover are 4A and Hickory and St. Stephens are 5A.
In Mecklenburg, all seven classifications are represented though the heavier numbers are in 6A (6 schools) and 7A (12).
In fact, the three largest high schools in the state are South Meck (3427), Kell (3621) and Myers Park (3720).
Pro baseball
Several reports indicate former South Point star Jeffrey Springs’ 2023 major league season is over due to upcoming Tommy John surgery.
A 2011 South Point High graduate, Springs signed a four-year, $31 million extension in January with the Tampa Bay Rays and was 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in three starts before the injury led the Rays to put him on the 15-day disabled list.
Rehabilitation from the Tommy John surgery that will repair a torn ligament in his left (throwing) elbow typically takes 14 months or longer, which would knock Springs out of action until the mid-2024 season.
High school baseball
(Thursday, April 20)
Cherryville 13, Highland Tech 3 (6 innings): Eli Newsome pitched a complete game for Cherryville.
Lincoln Charter 14, Community School of Davidson 6
Legion Collegiate 20, Gaston Christian 3
Piedmont Community Charter 10, Queen’s Grant 8
(Friday, April 21)
Ashbrook at Cramer
Crest at North Gaston
Huss at Forestview
Shelby at Bessemer City
Lincoln Charter at Mountain Island Charter
North Iredell at North Lincoln
West Iredell at East Lincoln
East Burke at Lincolnton
West Caldwell at West Lincoln
Carolina Royals at Mountain Island Charter
High school softball
(Thursday, April 20)
Crest 7, Cramer 3: Winning pitcher Aidan Ledbetter (1 hit, 4-hitter with 9 strikeouts), Jaylen Ledbetter (2 hits, double), Maddie Bowen (2 hits, double), Addie Beaver (2 hits), Riley Parker (1 hit), Jourdan Martin (1 hit) and Makenzie Clark (1 hit) led Crest.
South Point 16-15, Huss 4-3
Cherryville 10, Highland Tech 0: Winning pitcher Raylei Gidney (5 strikeouts), Taylor Digh (2 doubles, triple, 4 RBIs), Emma Proctor (2 doubles, 4 RBIs) and Krista Davis ( double, triple, 1 RBI).led Cherryville.
Lincoln Charter at North Lincoln
(Friday, April 21)
Ashbrook at Forestview
North Gaston at Kings Mountain
Shelby at Bessemer City
North Iredell at North Lincoln
West Iredell at East Lincoln
East Burke at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at West Caldwell
Lincoln Charter at Mountain Island Charter
High school girls soccer
Crest 5, Cramer 1: Cadence Setzer had 5 goals for Crest.
South Point 10, Huss 0
Middle school baseball
Standings through games of April 20:
Stanley 7-1
Belmont 6-1
Chavis 6-1
Cramerton 6-1
Mount Holly 5-2
W.C. Friday 4-3
Bessemer City 2-5
Holbrook 2-5
Southwest 1-7
York Chester 1-7
Grier 0-7
(Thursday’s games)
Holbrook 16, Grier 0: David Proulx (2 hits, 4 RBIs), Julius Roberts (2 hits, home run, 2 RBIs), Christina Ramsey (2 hits, 2 RBIs), A.J. McClain (1 hit), Aiden Smith (1 hit), Christian Meeks (1 hit) and Evan Lee (1 hit, 3 hitless innings with 9 strikeouts) led Holbrook.
Stanley 12, Chavis 9: Winning pitcher Devin Phillips and top hitters Phillips, Bryson Summey, Caleb Smith, Blake Wilkinson, Cam Stillwell, Kai Lucas, Case Nixon and Seth Massey led Stanley.
Cramerton 15, Southwest 0: Owen Kelly, Brock Windham and Emerson Phadke combined for the win with 8 combined strikeouts for Cramerton, whose offense was led by Grayson Lunsford, Kelly, Ryan Payseur, Matthew Queler, Phadke, and Bentley Horne.
W.C. Friday 7, Mount Holly 6: Wooten hit a home run for Friday and Derek Palmeros had 2 hits and Cooper Hartis had a double for Mount Holly.
Bessemer City def. York Chester
(April 24 games)
Grier at W.C. Friday, Holbrook at Cramerton, Mount Holly at Chavis, Southwest at Bessemer City, Stanley at Belmont
Middle school girls soccer
Standings through games of April 19:
Belmont 7-0
Stanley 7-1
Cramerton 6-1
Mount Holly 6-1
W.C. Friday 4-3
Chavis 3-4
Grier 3-4
Holbrook 3-4
York Chester 1-7
Bessemer City 0-7
Southwest 0-8
(Thursday’s games)
Holbrook 8, Grier 0: Madison Crenshaw (6 goals) and Makenzie McCaskill (2 goals) led Holbrook.
Mount Holly 4, W.C. Friday 2: Sara Pawlish (2 goals), Mallory Hall (1 goal) and Alitzy Cortes-Nicolas (1 goal) led Mount Holly.
Cramerton 5, Southwest 0: Ava Cabe (1 goal), Savannah Barnhill (1 goal), Lily Porter (2 goals), JyiYanna Watkins (1 goal), Briley Christensen (1 assist), Anna Robinson (1 assist) and goalkeeper Layla Wagner led Cramerton.
Stanley 7, Chavis 1: Kayla Maiers had 3 goals and Payton Lenox, Ana Astudillo and Alexa Cloniger had 1 goal each for Stanley.
York Chester def. Bessemer City
(April 24 games)
Grier at W.C. Friday, Holbrook at Cramerton, Mount Holly at Chavis, Southwest at Bessemer City, Stanley at Belmont
College football
In a week in which new Charlotte head coach Biff Poggi will hold his first spring game on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the school’s Jerry Richardson Stadium, the 49ers announced events that will be joined with their 2023 home football games.
Homecoming has been set for Oct. 14 against Navy in a contest that also will be Charlotte’s first American Athletic Conference home game.
Other highlighted events will be the 10th anniversary of Charlotte 49ers football on Sept. 2 against South Carolina State, Hall of Fame Day against Georgia State (that will be on day after official Hall of Fame ceremonies on Sept. 15), Military Appreciation Day on Nov. 11 against Memphis and Senior Day on Nov. 18 against Rice.
Kickoff times and television designations for the first three weeks of the season, as well as the season-long weeknight games, will be finalized by June 1. The rest of the schedule will fall under the customary 12-day and six-day selection processes.
The full 2023 Charlotte schedule is as follows with an asterisk (*) listed with AAC games:
Sept. 2 S.C. State
Sept. 9 at Maryland
Sept. 16 Georgia State
Sept. 23 at Florida
Sept. 30 at SMU*
Oct. 14 Navy*
Oct. 21 at East Carolina*
Oct. 27 Florida Atlantic*
Nov. 4 at Tulsa*
Nov. 11 Memphis*
Nov. 18 Rice*
Nov. 25 at South Florida*
Pro soccer
Here is Charlotte FC’s full 2023 schedule:
(1-4-3 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 (W 2-1)
March 25 New York Red Bulls (T 1-1)
April 1 at Toronto FC (T 2-2)
April 8 at Real Salt Lake (L 1-3)
April 15 Colorado Rapids (T 2-2)
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 Revolution, 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
Pro basketball
The NBA play-in tournament games:
(April 11)
Game 1- East No. 8 Atlanta at East No. 7 Miami – Atlanta 116-105
Game 2- West No. 8 Minnesota at West No. 7 L.A. Lakers – L.A. Lakers 108-102 (OT)
(April 12)
Game 3- East No. 10 Chicago at East No. 9 Toronto – Chicago 109-105
Game 4- West No. 10 Oklahoma City at West No. 9 New Orleans – Oklahoma City 123-118
(April 14)
East No. 10 Chicago at East No. 7 Miami – Miami 102-91
West No. 10 Oklahoma City at West No. 8 Minnesota – Minnesota 120-95
The first round NBA playoffs schedule (x-if necessary):
East No. 1 Milwaukee vs. East No. 8 Miami
Game 1: April 16 at Milwaukee – Miami 130-117
Game 2: April 19 at Milwaukee – Milwaukee 127-106
Game 3: April 22 at Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: April 24 at Miami
Game 5: April 26 at Milwaukee
Game 6-x: April 28 at Miami
Game 7-x: April 30 at Milwaukee
East No. 2 Boston vs. East No. 7 Atlanta
Game 1: April 15 at Boston – Boston 112-99
Game 2: April 18 at Boston – Boston 119-106
Game 3: April 21 at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: April 23 at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5-x: April 25 at Boston
Game 6-x: April 27 at Atlanta
Game 7-x: April 29 at Boston (TNT)
East No. 3 Philadelphia vs. East No. 6 Brooklyn
Game 1: April 15 at Philadelphia – Philadelphia 121-101
Game 2: April 17 at Philadelphia – Philadelphia 96-84
Game 3: April 20 at Brooklyn – Philadelphia 102-97
Game 4: April 22 at Brooklyn, 1 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5-x: April 24 at Philadelphia
Game 6-x: April 27 at Brooklyn
Game 7-x: April 29 at Philadelphia (TNT)
East No. 4 Cleveland vs. East No. 5 New York
Game 1: April 15 at Cleveland – New York 101-97
Game 2: April 18 at Cleveland – Cleveland 107-90
Game 3: April 21 at New York, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4: April 23 at New York, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: April 26 at Cleveland
Game 6-x: April 28 at New York
Game 7-x: April 30 at Cleveland
West No. 1 Denver vs. West No. 8 Minnesota
Game 1: April 16 at Denver – Denver 109-80
Game 2: April 19 at Denver – Minnesota 122-113
Game 3: April 21 at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: April 23 at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5-x: April 25 at Denver
Game 6-x: April 27 at Minnesota
Game 7-x: April 29 at Denver (TNT)
West No. 2 Memphis vs. West No. 7 L.A. Lakers
Game 1: April 16 at Memphis – L.A. Lakers 128-112
Game 2: April 19 at Memphis – Memphis 103-93
Game 3: April 22 at Los Angeles, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4: April 24 at Los Angeles
Game 5: April 26 at Memphis
Game 6-x: April 28 at Los Angeles
Game 7-x: April 30 at Memphis
West No. 3 Sacramento vs. West No. 6 Golden State
Game 1: April 15 at Sacramento – Sacramento 126-123
Game 2: April 17 at Sacramento – Sacramento 114-106
Game 3: April 20 at Golden State, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: April 23 at Golden State, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5-x: April 26 at Sacramento
Game 6-x: April 28 at Golden State
Game 7-x: April 30 at Sacramento
West No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. West No. 5 L.A. Clippers
Game 1: April 16 at Phoenix – L.A. Clippers 115-110
Game 2: April 18 at Phoenix – Phoenix 123-109
Game 3: April 20 at LA, 10:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 4: April 22 at LA, 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5-x: April 25 at Phoenix
Game 6-x: April 27 at LA
Game 7-x: April 29 at Phoenix (TNT)
Pro baseball
Former South Point High standout Garrett Davila has been returned to the Charlotte Knights in Thursday transactions made the Chicago White Sox organization.
A 2015 South Point High graduate, the 26-year-old Davila was first promoted to the Class AAA Knights on April 8 from Class AA Birmingham and would go 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in two appearances before sent to the Barons; In Birmingham, Davila wnet 0-0 with a 5.06 ERA in two appearances.
Louisville 6, Charlotte 2: The Knights fell behind early and had a late rally stopped by Louisville as they dropped the third game of the 6-game road series. Charlotte continues the series on Friday night at 7:15 p.m.
Pro hockey
The Carolina Hurricanes’ NHL playoffs schedule (x-if necessary):
(First round)
Carolina vs. New York Islanders
Game 1: April 17 at Carolina – Carolina 2-1
Game 2: April 19, 7 p.m. at Carolina – Carolina 4-3 in OT
Game 3: April 21, 7 p.m. at N.Y. Islanders (TBS)
Game 4: April 23, 1 p.m. at N.Y. Islanders (TNT)
Game 5-x: April 25, TBD at Carolina (TBD)
Game 6-x: April 28, TBD at N.Y. Islanders (TBD)
Game 7-x: April 30, TBD at Carolina (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 (William Byron-2)
Mar 19 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA (Joey Logano-2)
Mar 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX (Tyler Reddick)
Apr 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA (Kyle Larson)
Apr 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN (Christopher Bell)
Apr 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville VA (Kyle Larson-2)
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