8-24-21 roundup: Middle school football, High school football, girls tennis and volleyball, Pro football

By Richard Walker

After a year or disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, middle school football returns to the area with conventional schedules for both area leagues.

In the Gaston County Conference, action begins on Wednesday in its 11-school league with five games. Gaston County didn’t play any football in the 2020-21 school year.

And in the Tri-County Conference of Cleveland, Lincoln and Rutherford counties, games begin on Sept. 8. That league split in half and played in the winter and spring with Lincoln County declaring a county champion and Cleveland and Rutherford counties pairing up to declare another champion.

Here is the full schedule of middle school games for each league:

GASTON COUNTY CONFERENCE

Wednesday, Aug. 25
Grier at Stanley
Cramerton at W.C. Friday
Holbrook at Bessemer City
Southwest at Belmont
Mount Holly at York Chester
Bye – Chavis

Wednesday, Sept. 1
Chavis at Holbrook
Belmont at Grier
Bessemer City at Cramerton
York Chester at Southwest
W.C. Friday at Mount Holly
Bye – Stanley

Wednesday, Sept. 8
Stanley at Belmont
Mount Holly at Southwest
Grier at Cramerton
York Chester at Bessemer City
W.C. Friday at Chavis
Bye – Holbrook

Wednesday, Sept. 15
Southwest at Cramerton
Stanley at W.C. Friday
Mount Holly at Holbrook
Belmont at Bessemer City
Chavis at York Chester
Bye – Grier

Wednesday, Sept. 22
Cramerton at Mount Holly
Holbrook at Grier
Bessemer City at Chavis
Stanley at York Chester
Belmont at W.C. Friday
Bye – Southwest

Wednesday, Sept. 29
Grier at Mount Holly
Holbrook at Southwest
Belmont at Chavis
Bessemer City at Stanley
W.C. Friday at York Chester
Bye – Cramerton

Wednesday, Oct. 6
York Chester at Belmont
Southwest at Grier
Cramerton at Holbrook
Chavis at Stanley
W.C. Friday at Bessemer City
Bye – Mount Holly

Wednesday, Oct. 13
County championship game

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE

Wednesday, Sept. 8
East Rutherford at Lincolnton
R-S Central at West Lincoln
East Lincoln at Chase
Kings Mountain at Shelby
Burns at Crest
Thomas Jefferson at North Lincoln

Wednesday, Sept. 15
Crest at East Rutherford
R-S Central at Shelby
Chase at Thomas Jefferson
East Lincoln at Burns
Kings Mountain at West Lincoln
Lincolnton at North Lincoln

Wednesday, Sept. 22
East Rutherford at Chase
Crest at R-S Central
Shelby at Thomas Jefferson
Burns at Kings Mountain
North Lincoln at East Lincoln
West Lincoln at Lincolnton

Wednesday, Sept. 29
East Rutherford at Shelby
Thomas Jefferson at R-S Central
Chase at Crest
Lincolnton at Burns
East Lincoln at Kings Mountain
West Lincoln at North Lincoln

Wednesday, Oct. 6
R-S Central at East Rutherford
Shelby at Chase
Crest at Thomas Jefferson
North Lincoln at Burns
Kings Mountain at Lincolnton
West Lincoln at East Lincoln

Wednesday, Oct. 13
Thomas Jefferson at East Rutherford
Chase at R-S Central
Shelby at Crest
Burns at West Lincoln
North Lincoln at Kings Mountain
Lincolnton at East Lincoln

Wednesday, Oct. 20
Playoff semifinals

Wednesday, Oct. 27
Conference championship game

 

 

 

High school football

Here is this week’s schedule for games in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties:

Alexander Central at North Gaston
Ashbrook at T.C. Roberson
Bessemer City at Cramer
Crest at Burns
East Lincoln at Forestview (Saturday at Cramer)
Hickory Grove at Highland Tech
Huss at Hibriten, cancelled
Kings Mountain at Asheville
North Lincoln at Lincolnton
Shelby at A.C. Reynolds
South Point at East Gaston
Thomas Jefferson at Pine Lake Prep
West Lincoln at Cherryville
Off – Mountain Island Charter

Other games in the area:
Bandys at Foard
Berry Academy at West Meck
Bunker Hill at St. Stephens
Charlotte Latin at Hickory
Chase at Owen
Cuthbertson at Kell
Freedom at East Burke
Hickory Ridge at Catholic
Hopewell at East Meck
Hough at Mooresville
Independence at Marvin Ridge
Myers Park at Clover, S.C.
Newton-Conover at West Iredell
North Iredell at Lake Norman
North Meck at Garinger
Richmond at Butler
Rocky River at Olympic
South Caldwell at Hickory, cancelled
South Iredell at Statesville
South Meck at Providence
Thomas Jefferson at Pine Lake Prep
Watauga at Maiden
West Caldwell at R-S Central, cancelled
West Charlotte at Harding
York, S.C. at Clover, S.C., cancelled

High school football standings

Conference record listed first followed by overall record:

BIG SOUTH 3A
South Point 0-0, 1-0
Ashbrook 0-0, 0-0
Crest 0-0, 0-0
Cramer 0-0, 0-1
Forestview 0-0, 0-1
Huss 0-0, 0-1
Kings Mountain 0-0, 0-1
North Gaston 0-0, 0-1

WESTERN FOOTHILLS 3A
East Lincoln 0-0, 1-0
Statesville 0-0, 1-0
Foard 0-0, 0-1
Hickory 0-0, 0-1
North Iredell 0-0, 0-1
North Lincoln 0-0, 0-1
St. Stephens 0-0, 0-1
West Iredell 0-0, 0-1

CATAWBA VALLEY 2A
Bandys 0-0, 1-0
Bunker Hill 0-0, 1-0
East Burke 0-0, 1-0
Maiden 0-0, 1-0
West Lincoln 0-0, 1-0
Lincolnton 0-0, 0-1
Newton-Conover 0-0, 0-1
West Caldwell 0-0, 0-1

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT 1A/2A
Burns 0-0, 1-0
Cherryville 0-0, 1-0
East Gaston 0-0, 1-0
Shelby 0-0, 1-0
Highland Tech 0-0, 0-0
Thomas Jefferson 0-0, 0-0
Bessemer City 0-0, 0-1

SOUTH MECK 4A
Berry Academy 0-0, 1-0
Harding 0-0, 1-0
Olympic 0-0, 1-0
Kell 0-0, 0-0
Myers Park 0-0, 0-1
South Meck 0-0, 0-1

SOUTHWESTERN 4A
Catholic 0-0, 1-0
Providence 0-0, 1-0
Independence 0-0, 0-0
Butler 0-0, 0-1
East Meck 0-0, 0-1
Garinger 0-0, 0-1
Rocky River 0-0, 0-1

QUEEN CITY 3A/4A
Chambers 0-0, 1-0
Hough 0-0, 1-0
Mallard Creek 0-0, 1-0
West Meck 0-0, 1-0
West Charlotte 0-0, 0-0
Hopewell 0-0, 0-1
North Meck 0-0, 0-1

OTHERS
Chase 0-0, 1-0
Clover 0-0, 0-0
Mtn Island Charter 0-0, 0-0
R-S Central 0-0, 0-1

 

 

 

 

High school girls tennis

Shelby-South Point: Shelby knocked off South Point 6-3 on Monday in non-conference matchup. Shelby’s winners were Carson Lowery, Emma Goforth, Ella Hensley and Caroline Curtis and South Point’s winners were Lauren Lucas and Carlie Ann Phillips. South Point’s next matches are at East Lincoln on Wednesday and East Rutherford on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

High school volleyball

Cherryville: The Lady Ironmen varsity improved to 2-2 with a 3-2 win over Chase (25-21, 25-16, 20-25, 12-25, 16-14) on Monday behind Rileigh Kiser (18 assists, 18 digs, 5 kills, 3 aces), Skye Reed (5 aces, 9 kills) and Taylor Digh (13 digs). Chase won the junior varsity match 2-0.

 

 

 

 

 

Pro football

The Carolina Panthers ended speculation on the future of wide receiver Robby Anderson on Tuesday when the team and Anderson agreed to a two-year, $37.5 million contract extension. Anderson was set to become a free agent at the end of this season.

Here is the Carolina Panthers’ full 2021 schedule as they prepare for their preseason finale on Thursday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers:

(Preseason)

Aug. 15 at Indianapolis (Lost 18-21)
Aug. 21 Baltimore (Lost 3-20)
Aug. 27 Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

(Regular season)

Sept. 12 New York Jets, 1 p.m.
Sept. 19 New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Sept. 23 at Houston, 8:20 p.m.
Oct. 3 at Dallas, 1 p.m.
Oct. 10 Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Oct. 17 Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Oct. 24 at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Nov. 7 New England, 1 p.m.
Nov. 14 at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 21 Washington, 1 p.m.
Nov. 28 at Miami, 1 p.m.
Dec. 5 BYE WEEK
Dec. 12 Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Dec. 18 or 19 at Buffalo, TBD
Dec. 26 Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Jan. 2 at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Jan. 9 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m