8-3-21 roundup: High school athletics, Legion softball, Pro basketball and baseball

By Richard Walker

East Lincoln and Crest are among the Wells Fargo Conference Cup award winners for conferences with Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties.

The Wells Fargo Conference Cup award, sponsored by Wells Fargo and the N.C. High School Athletic Association, is a companion to the statewide Wells Fargo Cup. The Conference Cup is based on regular season performances within league play.

Sponsored since 1980 most conferences award points based on participation and standings within league competition. Each conference determines its own method of awarding points.

Here are the standings for the local conferences:

PAC 7 1A – Pine Lake Prep nipped Community School of Davidson 201-197 to capture the PAC 7 1A Conference Cup. The Pride won seven conference titles outright and tied for a pair of others. Pine Lake’s conference wins included women’s cross country, football, women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s swimming and diving, and women’s track and field while they tied for the top spot in baseball and men’s basketball. Final Standings: 1) Pine Lake Prep – 201; 2) Community School of Davidson – 197; 3) Mountain Island Charter – 171; 4) Union Academy – 169; 5) Bradford Prep – 131; 6) Queen’s Grant – 94; 7) Langtree Charter – 89; 8) Carolina International – 27

Southern Piedmont 1A – No Report

South Fork Athletic 2A – East Lincoln took the Conference Cup title racing past second place North Lincoln 121-109. The Mustangs were outstanding throughout the year, finishing in first in the conference in women’s tennis, men’s soccer, volleyball, baseball, and softball. Final Standings: 1) East Lincoln – 121; 2) North Lincoln – 109; 3) Lake Norman Charter – 99; 4) Newton-Conover – 75; 5) Bandys – 73; 6) Maiden – 69; 7) West Lincoln – 65; 8) Lincolnton – 34

Big South 3A – An incredibly tight race with four teams finishing within six points of each other at the top went the way of Crest as the Chargers outscored Kings Mountain 187.5-186.5. Cramer finished two points behind Crest with Forestview six points in back of the league champions. Crest won conference championships in baseball, softball, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, and women’s golf. Final Standings: 1) Crest – 187.5; 2) Kings Mountain – 186.5; 3) Cramer – 185.5; 4) Forestview – 181.5; 5) Ashbrook – 139; 6) North Gaston – 136; 7) Hunter Huss – 115

I-Meck 4A – Hough rolled by Lake Norman for the I-Meck 4A Conference Cup. The Huskies claimed the conference title in baseball, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s soccer, wrestling, football, women’s tennis, men’s soccer and tied for the title in volleyball. Final Standings: 1) Hough – 121.5; 2) Lake Norman – 108.5; 3) Mooresville – 99; 4) Mallard Creek – 72; 5) North Mecklenburg – 60.5; 6) Hopewell – 60; 7) Z.B. Vance – 45.5; 8) West Charlotte – 23

So Meck 7 4A – Ardrey Kell knocked off Providence 116-108.5 to capture the So Meck 7 4A Conference Cup title. The Knights were conference champions in men’s track and field, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s tennis, men’s basketball, and women’s swimming and diving while tying for the conference title in football and men’s tennis. Final Standings: 1) Ardrey Kell 116; 2) Providence – 108.5; 3) South Mecklenburg – 97; 4) Olympic – 87.5; 5) Berry – 39; 6) Harding University – 26; 7) West Mecklenburg – 15

Southwestern 4A – Myers Park had little trouble on their way to a 117-89.5 Southwestern 4A Conference Cup win over second-place Hickory Ridge. Myers Park won conference championships in football, women’s tennis, men’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s track and field, and women’s soccer. The Mustangs also tied for a share of the conference crown in baseball. Final Standings: 1) Myers Park – 117; 2) Hickory Ridge – 89.5; 3) Porter Ridge – 70.5; 4) Butler – 67.5; 5) East Mecklenburg – 67; 6) Independence – 55.5; 7) Rocky River – 30.5; 8) Garinger – 15.5

Here are the state’s other Wells Fargo Conference Cup winners:

Albemarle 1A – Manteo

Atlantic 5 1A – Bear Grass Charter

Carolina 1A – Princeton

Central Tar Heel 1A – Research Triangle

Coastal Plains 1A – Pamlico County

North Central Athletic 1A – Franklin Academy

Northwest 1A – East Surry

Smoky Mountain 1A – Murphy

Tar Roanoke 1A – North Edgecombe

Yadkin Valley 1A – No 2020-2021 Conference Cup

Coastal 8 1A/2A – Croatan

Mountain Valley 1A/2A – Ashe County

Northern Carolina 1A/2A – Roanoke Rapids

Three Rivers 1A/2A – Whiteville

Western Highlands 1A/2A – Polk County

Central Carolina 2A – Oak Grove

East Central 2A – East Duplin

Eastern Carolina 2A – Washington

Eastern Plains 2A – Farmville Central

Mid-State 2A – Carrboro

Mountain 6 2A – Franklin

Northeastern Coastal 2A – First Flight

Northwestern Foothills 2A – Hibriten

PAC 7 2A – Wheatmore

Western Piedmont 2A – Forbush

\Mid-State Athletic 2A/3A – Northern Guilford

Rocky River 2A/3A – West Stanly

Big East 3A – Fike

Big 8 3A – Chapel Hill

Coastal 3A – West Carteret

Greater Neuse 3A – Clayton

Mid-Piedmont 3A – Southern Alamance

North Piedmont 3A – South Iredell

Piedmont Triad 3A – Mount Tabor

South Piedmont 3A – Cox Mill

Southern Carolina 3A – Weddington

Tri-County 3A – Union Pines

Western Mountain 3A – T.C. Roberson

Eastern Carolina 3A/4A – D.H. Conley

Mideastern 3A/4A – Hoggard

Northwestern 3A/4A – Hickory

Patriot Athletic 3A/4A – Terry Sanford

CAP 7 4A – Cardinal Gibbons

Central Piedmont 4A – West Forsyth

Metro 4A – Northwest Guilford

Northern 4A – Heritage

Sandhills 4A – Pinecrest

South Wake 4A – Apex Friendship

Triangle 8 4A – Panther Creek

Legion softball

Davidson County is the only unbeaten team left after two days of the 2021 N.C. American Legion softball state tournament at Crest High School.

Davidson County, which beat Wayne County 8-2 on Tuesday, is assured of a spot in Wednesday’s 1 p.m. championship game. Post 8 will meet the winner of Wednesday’s 10 a.m. game between Wayne County and Robeson County.

Wayne County had won its Monday opener before losing on Tuesday. And Robeson County (19-2) eliminated Hickory 7-6 on Tuesday morning and host Cleveland County 4-2 on Tuesday evening.

Complete results and schedule follow:

Monday, Aug. 2

Game 1 – Davidson County 9, Hickory 0
Game 2 – Wayne County 9, Robeson County 1
Game 3 – Davidson County 5, Cleveland County 4

Tuesday, Aug. 3

Game 4 – Robeson County 7, Hickory 6
Game 5 – Davidson County 8, Wayne County 2
Game 6 – Robeson County 4, Cleveland County 2

Wednesday, Aug. 4

Game 7 – Wayne County vs. Robeson County, 10 a.m.
Game 8 – Championship game: Davidson County vs. Game 7 winner, 1 p.m.

Pro baseball

Former East Lincoln High standout Alec Burleson continues to progress through the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

A second-round pick in the 2020 draft out of East Carolina, Burleson was promoted for the second time this season on Monday and will spend the rest of the week in his home state.

Burleson was hitting .288 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 63 games for Class AA Springfield before being promoted to Class AAA Memphis. Memphis is currently playing a six-game road trip at Durham that began on Tuesday and continues through Sunday.

A 2017 East Lincoln High graduate, Burleson earlier this season was promoted from Class A Peoria to Springfield after hitting .286 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 11 games for Peoria.

College men’s soccer

Charlotte 49ers: A season-opening contest with Big 10 opponent Maryland, a date with defending Sun Belt Conference Champions (and new Conference USA member Coastal Carolina) and eight C-USA matches that include a home match against defending NCAA champion Marshall highlight the 2021 Charlotte schedule.

“As always, we will play a great and challenging schedule,” 49ers head coach Kevin Langan said in school news release. “We are very excited about our players and wanted to present them with the best that college soccer has to offer.”

To end the season, Charlotte will host the Conference USA Men’s Soccer Championship at Transamerica field. It’ll be the sixth time the school has hosted a league tournament title and fourth time in Conference USA.

The 49ers open their 2021 campaign with a pair of exhibitions; Charlotte will visit Virginia Tech on Aug. 13 before hosting Winthrop on Aug. 21.

Charlotte officially begins its quest to reach its 10th NCAA Tournament in 11 years with a trip to College Park, Md., on Aug. 26 against Maryland.

The full regular season schedule is as follows:

Aug. 26 at Maryland, 7 p.m.
Aug. 29 Georgia Southern, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 Seattle, 7 p.m.
Sept. 10 VCU, TBA
Sept. 14 at UNC-Wilmington, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19 Niagara, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Sept. 28 Wofford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 at Florida International, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 Old Dominion, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12 at Coastal Carolina, 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Florida Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 Marshall, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30 Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6 at UAB, 7 p.m.
Nov. 10-14 Conference USA tournament at home

Pro basketball

Free agency continues to be a busy time for the Charlotte Hornets and local product Ish Smith agreed to a two-year free agent contract with the team, four rookies signed contracts and former Hornets lottery pick Malik Monk agreed to a deal with another team.

Smith, a 2006 Central Cabarrus High graduate who played at Wake Forest, will be playing for his 12th NBA team when he suits up for the Hornets in the fall. Smith most recently played for the Washington Wizards and the undrafted 2010 free agent has also played for the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers (twice) and Detroit Pistons.

The team announced the signings of rookies James Bouknight and Kai Jones, both first-round picks last week, in addition to 2018 second-rounder Arnoldas Kulboka and 2021 second-rounder Scottie Lewis. All four will be playing for the Hornets’ Las Vegas Summer League team.

Finally on Tuesday, Monk agreed to a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 11th pick in the 2011 draft out of Kentucky, the Hornets on Sunday decided not to make Monk a contract offer to make him an unrestricted free agent.

On Monday, former Hornets Cody Zeller (Portland Trail Blazers) and Devonte’ Graham (New Orleans Pelicans) agreed to terms with other teams, with Graham being a part of a sign-and-trade deal that gives Charlotte a future lottery-protected first round draft selection.

The team announced the signings of rookies James Bouknight and Kai Jones, who were first-round picks last week and will be playing the the Hornets’ Las Vegas Summer League team.

Finally on Tuesday, Monk agreed to a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 11th pick in the 2011 draft out of Kentucky, the Hornets on Sunday decided not to make Monk a contract offer to make him an unrestricted free agent.

The Charlotte Hornets’ Las Vegas Summer League schedule:

Aug. 8 Portland, 6 p.m. (NBA TV)

Aug. 9 Sacramento, 6 p.m. (NBA TV)

Aug. 12 San Antonio, 3 p.m. (ESPNU)

Aug. 14 Toronto, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)

Aug. 16 or 17 TBD

Pro baseball

The Gastonia Honey Hunters’ Tuesday night game at West Virginia was postponed due to inclement weather.

Gastonia (27-31) is scheduled to play West Virginia on Wednesday as part of its ongoing 10-game road trip.