6-30-22 roundup: Pro basketball, baseball and soccer, Legion baseball, College cross country, Auto racing

By Richard Walker

Gaston College didn’t have to look far for its new cross country coach.

The Rhinos, whose 2021 cross country team was the school’s first athletic team in 50 years, have hired title-winning South Point High coach Kody Kubbs as their second head coach.

Kubbs replaces Jamie Rosser, who in May was promoted from Gaston College’s associate basketball coach and head cross country coach to head basketball coach.

Kubbs, 37, has guided Belmont Middle School and South Point High School to cross country, basketball and track championships during his 16-year Gaston County coaching and teaching career and will remain at South Point as a teacher and boys basketball head coach.

“The idea of getting college experience, building a program and getting the support Gaston College is giving to athletics is really attractive for me,” Kubbs said. “There’s a real buy-in to the athletic program from the school administration and the resources they’ve provided.”

A 2003 graduate of Watkins Memorial High School in Pataskala, Ohio, Kubbs came to North Carolina after graduating from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, in 2007.

His impact on the Belmont Middle School program was immediate as his first Wildcats basketball won the 2008 conference regular season title and his first girls track team won its division title.

After four years at Belmont with one Gaston County basketball title, three girls track division titles and two boys track division titles, Kubbs was hired as South Point’s boys basketball coach and, two years later, became the Red Raiders’ boys and girls cross country coach.

Over the last 12 years at South Point, Kubbs has become the winningest basketball coach in Red Raiders’ history with 133 victories. He also guided the school to its farthest playoff advance in school history in 2017 and its first regular season boys conference title in school history in 2018.

In cross country, Kubbs’ teams have won two boys conference championships and three girls conference championships and he has been honored as his league’s coach of the year five times. The three girls titles have come in the last four seasons.

His goal at Gaston College is to help the Rhinos become a competitive force in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Region 10.

“I’m excited about what the program can be,” Kubbs said. “We’ve got two coming back from the first team. Since I’ve coached in the area during the last 10 years and have a lot of connections, I know there’s some really talented runners in this area.
“We’ve got to get them to come out and keep running in college.”

Kubbs’ returnees from Gaston College’s 2021 team are Victoria Perez, a 2020 graduate of Gastonia’s Highland Tech, and Rein Norton-Small. Perez was the Rhinos’ individual medalist in all four meets last fall.

Kubbs is looking to field a roster of 10 to 12 runners – five is necessary for Gaston College to have a team score – and has already worked on arranging a schedule that will start in early September. As a second-year program, the Rhinos will be eligible to compete for NJCAA national and Region 10 honors.

“It’s going to be a challenge to get the program off the ground,” Kubbs said. “But with the talent in the area, I’m excited about what we can do and the possibilities of it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legion baseball

Queen City 5, Cherryville 1: The 2022 Area IV regular season came to a close with a matchup between the two No. 1 seeds in the upcoming playoffs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junior Legion baseball

Area IV East Division standings (through Thursday):

Burns 12-2
Matthews 12-2
Dallas 7-6
Shelby 7-7
Cherryville 6-7
Belmont 6-8
Stuart Cramer 3-10
Gaston Christian 1-12

(Thursday’s games)
Matthews 14, Cherryville 4 (5 innings)
Shelby 4-0, Stuart Cramer 3-10
Burns 7, Belmont 1
Dallas 3, Gaston Christian 0

(Friday’s games)
Cherryville at Dallas
Stuart Cramer at Gaston Christian
END REGULAR SEASON

 

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

Just one day before he would be considered one of the most coveted restricted free agents in the NBA, Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles.

TMZ reported Bridges is facing felony domestic violence charges. LAPD spokeswoman Lizeth Lomeli confirmed to the Associated Press that Bridges had been arrested but did not release details on the charges.

The Hornets’ leading scorer last season, Bridges could command a max contract in the coming weeks. NBA free agency begins Thursday night with teams able to speak with free agents.

Bridges, 24, averaged career highs with 20.2 points and seven rebounds last season, his fourth in the NBA.

The Hornets extended Bridges a qualifying offer on Tuesday, which allows them to a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team.

Following the reports, the team released the following statement regarding Bridges: “The Charlotte Hornets are aware of the situation involving Miles Bridges. We are in the process of gathering additional information. We will have no further comment at this time.”

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

Gastonia’s Honey Hunters lost their second straight game to the Kentucky Wild Health Gnomes on Thursday night.

The 7-6 loss dropped Gastonia to 41-20 on the season; On Tuesday, the Honey Hunters clinched the South Division first half title in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

The full Gastonia Honey Hunters’ 2022 schedule (Games times 6:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 4:15 on Sunday):

April (8-1)
21 Lancaster, Pa. (L 2-5)
22 Lancaster, Pa. (W 4-3)
23 Lancaster, Pa. (W 8-1)
24 Lancaster, Pa. (W 13-4)
26 Wild Health, Ky. (W 12-1)
27 Wild Health, Ky. (W 17-4)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 6-4)
29 Staten Island (W 5-4)
30 Staten Island (W 6-5)

May (16-10)
1 Staten Island (W 10-5)
3 at York, Pa. (W 3-1)
4 at York, Pa. (L 4-5 in 10)
5 at York, Pa. (W 12-7)
6 at Staten Island (ppd.)
7 at Staten Island (ppd.)
8 at Staten Island (W 4-1)
8 at Staten Island (W 7-2)
10 at So. Maryland (W 2-0)
11 at So. Maryland (L 0-4)
12 at So. Maryland (L 2-4)
13 at Staten Island (ppd.)
14 at Staten Island (ppd.)
15 at Staten Island (L 1-2)
15 at Staten Island (W 1-0)
16 at Staten Island (W 8-3)
17 So. Maryland (L 4-5)
18 So. Maryland (L 6-8)
19 So. Maryland (W 13-1)
20 Charleston, W.Va.(W 12-10)
21 Charleston, W.Va.(W 6-4)
22 Charleston, W.Va.(L 1-8)
24 at Lancaster, Pa.(W 2-1)
25 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 3-13)
26 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 1-4)
27 at Long Island (W 5-3)
28 at Long Island (W 10-3)
29 at Long Island (W 3-2)
30 at Long Island (W 5-2)
31 Long Island (L 7-8)

June (17-9)
1 Long Island (L 9-10 in 11)
2 Long Island (L 0-5)
3 at High Point (W 5-4)
4 at High Point (W 8-3)
5 at High Point (W 8-3)
7 at Charleston,W.Va.(L 5-7)
8 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 6-0)
9 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 3-2)
10 High Point (W 7-6)
11 High Point (W 6-4)
12 High Point (W 9-5)
14 Charleston, W.Va. (L 4-6)
15 Charleston, W.Va. (W 14-7)
16 Charleston, W.Va. (W 2-0)
17 at Lexington, Ky. (W 6-1)
18 at Lexington, Ky. (L 2-3 in 10)
19 at Lexington, Ky. (W 4-0 in 11)
21 Charleston, W.Va. (W 8-7)
22 Charleston, W.Va. (L 1-4)
23 Charleston, W.Va. (W 5-4)
24 at So. Maryland (ppd.)
25 at So. Maryland (W 6-3)
25 at So. Maryland (W 3-0)
26 at So. Maryland (L 7-9)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 4-0)
29 Wild Health, Ky. (L 2-10)
30 Wild Health, Ky. (L 6-7)

July
1 at Lexington, Ky.
2 at Lexington, Ky.
3 at Lexington, Ky.
4 High Point
–end of 1st half of season
5 High Point
6 at High Point
7 at High Point
8 High Point
9 High Point
10 High Point
12 at Wild Health, Ky.
13 at Wild Health, Ky.
14 at Wild Health, Ky.
15 Lexington, Ky.
16 Lexington, Ky.
17 Lexington, Ky.
19 at York, Pa.
20 at York, Pa.
21 at York, Pa.
22 at High Point
23 at High Point
24 at High Point-
26 Lexington, Ky.
27 Lexington, Ky.
28 Lexington, Ky.
29 York, Pa.
30 York, Pa.
31 York, Pa.

August
2 at Lexington, Ky.
3 at Lexington, Ky.
4 at Lexington, Ky.
5 High Point
6 High Point
7 High Point
9 Staten Island
10 Staten Island
11 Staten Island
12 at High Point
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
16 So. Maryland
17 So. Maryland
18 So. Maryland
19 High Point
20 High Point
21 High Point
23 at Charleston,W.Va.
24 at Charleston,W.Va.
25 at Charleston,W.Va.
26 at High Point
27 at High Point
28 at High Point
30 High Point
31 High Point

September
1 High Point
2 Wild Health, Ky.
3 Wild Health, Ky.
4 Wild Health, Ky.
6 at Wild Health, Ky.
7 at Wild Health, Ky.
8 at Wild Health, Ky.
9 Lexington, Ky.
10 Lexington, Ky.
11 Lexington, Ky.
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
15 at High Point
16 at Charleston,W.Va.
17 at Charleston,W.Va.
18 at Charleston,W.Va.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Charlotte FC suffered its first home loss in more than a month in a 1-0 defeat against Austin on Thursday.

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

(6-10-2 record)
Feb. 26 at D.C. (L 0-3)
March 5, L.A. (L 0-1)
March 13, at Atlanta (L 1-2)
March 19, New England (W 3-1)
March 26, Cincinnati (W 2-0)
April 2, at Philadelphia (L 0-2)
April 10, Atlanta (W 1-0)
April 16, at New England (L 1-2)
April 23, at Colorado (T 0-0)
April 30, at Orlando (L 1-2)
May 7, Miami (W 1-0)
May 14, Montreal (L 0-2)
May 22, Vancouver (W 2-1)
May 29, at Seattle (L 1-2)
June 11, New York (W 2-0)
June 18, at Columbus (T 1-1)
June 25, at Montreal (L 1-2)
June 30, Austin (L 0-1)
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

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2022 NASCAR cup schedule (with winners):

Feb. 6 Busch Light Clash (Joey Logano)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 (Brad Keselowski)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 (Chris Buescher)
Feb. 20 Daytona 500 (Austin Cindric)
Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 (Kyle Larson)
Mar. 6 Pennzoil 400 (Alex Bowman)
Mar. 13 Ruoff Mortgage (Chase Briscoe)
Mar. 20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (William Byron)
Mar. 27 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Ross Chastain)
Apr. 3 Toyota Owners (Denny Hamlin)
Apr. 9 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 (William Byron-2)
Apr. 17 Food City Dirt Race (Kyle Busch)
Apr. 24 Geico 500 (Ross Chastain-2)
May 2 DuraMAX Drydene 400 (Chase Elliott)
May 8 Goodyear 400 (Joey Logano)
May 15 AdventHealth 400 (Kurt Busch)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star Open (Daniel Suarez)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star (Ryan Blaney)
May 29 Coca-Cola 600 (Denny Hamlin-2)
June 5 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Joey Logano-2)
June 12 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Daniel Suarez)
June 26 Ally 400 (Chase Elliott-2)
July 3 Kwik Trip 250
July 10 Quaker State 400
July 17 Ambetter 301
July 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono
July 31 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
Aug. 7 FireKeepers Casino 400
Aug. 14 Federated Auto Parts 400
Aug. 21 Go Bowling at The Glen
Aug. 27 Coke Zero Sugar 400
Sept. 4 Cook Out Southern 500
Sept. 11 Hollywood Casino 400
Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Sept. 24 AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Oct. 2 YellaWood 500
Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400
Oct. 16 South Point 400
Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400
Oct. 30 Xfinity 500
Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship