8-3-26 roundup: Pro football, baseball, basketball, auto racing, soccer and rodeo, Legion baseball, High school football, basketball

By Richard Walker

Four coaches with area ties have been honored by the N.C. Coaches Association with two selected to coach in the East-West All-Star games and two others to coach in the Carolinas Classic.

Shelby’s longtime offensive coordinator Chris Emery has been named as an assistant for the West team in the December 2026 football game.

And Cramer’s Carey Pohlman will be head coach of the West girls’ team in the July basketball game.

In March, East Lincoln’s Jon Hancock is a boys assistant coach for the N.C. team in the Carolinas Classic and former West Lincoln standout April Rose of Pamlico County is the girls head coach for the N.C. team.

 

 

 

 

Legion baseball

Here are the pairings for all 8 regionals, who send their winners to the American Legion World Series in Shelby Aug. 13-18:
(All game times listed are local)

-Region 1: Northeast (at Shrewsbury MA)
(Thursday, August 6)
Game 1 – Essex (VT) Post 91 vs. Cumberland (RI) Post 14, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Bedford (NH) Post 54 vs. Franklin (MA) Post 75, DH
Game 3 – Sanford (ME) Post 19 vs. Host-Shrewsbury (MA) Post 397, 4:30 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 4 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 – Winner 1 vs. Loser 3, DH
Game 6 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 4:30 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 7 – Winner 4 vs. Loser 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8 – Winner 5 vs. Winner 6, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9 – Winner 7 vs. Loser 8, DH

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 10 – Winner 8 vs. Winner 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-Region 2: Mid-Atlantic (at Shrewsbury MA)
(Thursday, August 6)
Game 1 – Funkstown (MD) Post 211 vs. Dover (DE) Post 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Whitehouse (NJ) Post 284 vs. Greater Pittston (PA), DH
Game 3 – Kingston/Saugerties (NY) Post 150/72 vs. Waterford (CT) Post 161, 4:30 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 4 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 – Winner 1 vs. Loser 3, DH
Game 6 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 4:30 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 7 – Winner 4 vs. Loser 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8 – Winner 5 vs. Winner 6, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9 – Winner 7 vs. Loser 8, DH

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 10 – Winner 8 vs. Winner 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-Region 3: Southeast (at Cherryville NC)
(Wednesday, August 5)
Game 1 – Harrison (OH) Post 199 vs. Toa Alta Dorado (PR) Post 45, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Chesapeake (VA) Post 280 vs. Florence (SC) Post 1, 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Wheeling (WV) Post 1 vs. Garner (NC) Post 232, 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 – Jacksonville (FL) Post 316 vs. Host-Cherryville (NC) Post 100, 7:30 p.m.

(Thursday, August 6)
Game 5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 7:30 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 12:30 p.m.
Game 10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 4:30 p.m.
Game 11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 7:30 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 12 – Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 4:30 p.m.
Game 13 – Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, 7:30 p.m.

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 14 – Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 1:30 p.m.
Game 15 (if necessary) 4:30 p.m.

-Region 4: Mid-South (at Gastonia NC and Cherryville NC)
(Thursday, August 6)
Game 1 – Tupelo (MS) Post 49 vs. Columbia (TN) Post 19, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Bossier City (LA) Post 202 vs. Bryant (AR) Post 298, DH
Game 3 – Daphne (AL) Post 199 vs. Ada (OK) Post 72, 4:30 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 4 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 – Winner 1 vs. Loser 3, DH
Game 6 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 4:30 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 7 – Winner 4 vs. Loser 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8 – Winner 5 vs. Winner 6, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9 – Winner 7 vs. Loser 8, DH

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 10 – Winner 8 vs. Winner 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-Region 5: Great Lakes (at Lexington KY)
(Wednesday, August 5)
Game 1 – Terre Haute (IN) Post 346 vs. Valparaiso (IN) Post 94, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Pittsburg (KS) Post 64 vs. Midland (MI) Post 165, DH
Game 3 – Washington (MO) Post 218 vs. Owensboro (KY) Post 9, 4 p.m.
Game 4 – Aviston (IL) Post 1239 vs. Host-Lexington (KY) Post 8, 8 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, DH
Game 7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 8 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 9:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, DH
Game 11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 8 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 12 – Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 1 p.m.
Game 13 – Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, DH

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 14 – Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, Noon
Game 15 (if necessary) 4:30 p.m.

-Region 6: Central Plains (at Fargo ND)
(Thursday, August 6)
Game 1 – Rapid City (SD) Post 22 vs. Dubuque County (IA) Post 7, 11 a.m.
Game 2 – Lincoln East (NE) Post 500 vs. Fargo (ND) Post 2, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Excelsior Blue (MN) Post 259 vs. Host-Mandan (ND) Post 40, 4:30 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 4 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5 – Winner 1 vs. Loser 3, Noon
Game 6 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 3:30 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 7 – Winner 4 vs. Loser 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8 – Winner 5 vs. Winner 6, Noon
Game 9 – Winner 7 vs. Loser 8, 3:30 p.m.

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 10 – Winner 8 vs. Winner 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11 (if necessary) 1:30 p.m.

-Region 7: Northwest (at Medford OR)
(Wednesday, August 5)
Game 1 – Kennewick Tri-City (WA) vs. Kenai (AK) Post 20, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Honolulu Team Central (HI) vs. Cheyenne (WY) Post 6, DH
Game 3 – Lewiston (ID) vs. Portland (OR) Post 158, 4 p.m.
Game 4 – Missoula (MT) Post 27 vs. Host-Medford (OR), DH

(Thursday, August 6)
Game 5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, DH
Game 7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, DH

(Friday, August 7)
Game 9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 9:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 4 p.m.
Game 11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 7 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 12 – Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 4 p.m.
Game 13 – Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, 7 p.m.

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 14 – Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 1 p.m.
Game 15 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-Region 8: Western (at Fairfield CA)
(Wednesday, August 5)
Game 1 – Fort Collins (CO) vs. Alamogordo (NM) Post 34, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Hyrum (UT) Post 47 vs. Reno (NV), 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Tucson Oro Valley (AZ) Post 132 vs. Clovis (CA) Post 147, 4 p.m.
Game 4 – League City (TX) Post 554 vs. Host-Fairfield (CA), 7 p.m.

(Thursday, August 6)
Game 5 – Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 – Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4 p.m.
Game 8 – Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 7 p.m.

(Friday, August 7)
Game 9 – Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 9:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 4 p.m.
Game 11 – Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 7 p.m.

(Saturday, August 8)
Game 12 – Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 4 p.m.
Game 13 – Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, 7 p.m.

(Sunday, August 9)
Game 14 – Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 1 p.m.
Game 15 (if necessary) 4 p.m.

-American Legion World Series (at Shelby NC)
Stars division: Northeast, Southeast, Great Lakes, Northwest
Stripes division: Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Central Plains, Western

(Thursday, Aug. 13)
Northeast vs. Great Lakes, 10 a.m.
Central Plains vs. Western, 1 p.m.
Southeast vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Mid-Atlantic vs. Mid-South, 7:30 p.m.

(Friday, Aug. 14)
Northeast vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Southeast vs. Great Lakes, 7 p.m.

(Saturday, Aug. 15)
Mid-Atlantic vs. Western, noon
Mid-South vs. Central Plains, 3 p.m.
Southeast vs. Northeast, 7:30 p.m.

(Sunday, Aug. 16)
Mid-Atlantic vs. Central Plains, 1 p.m.
Great Lakes vs. Northwest, 4 p.m.
Mid-South vs. Western, 7 p.m.

(Monday, Aug. 17)
Semifinals: Stripes winner vs. Stars runner-up, 4 p.m.
Semifinals: Stars winner vs. Stripes runner-up, 7 p.m.

(Tuesday, Aug. 18)
Championship: Monday winners, 6 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Pro football

Here is the Panthers’ full 2026 schedule:

(preseason)
Aug. 6 – Arizona (at Canton, Ohio), 8 p.m.
Aug. 15 – at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Aug. 21 – at Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 – Houston, 7 p.m.
(regular season)
Sept. 13 – Chicago, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 – at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 – at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 – Detroit, 8:20 p.m.
Oct. 8-12 – BYE week
Oct. 18 – at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 – Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29 – at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 8 – Denver, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 – at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 – Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Nov. 30 – at Tampa Bay, 8:15 p.m.
Dec. 6 – at Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
Dec. 13 – New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 – Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Dec. 24-28 TBA – at Pittsburgh, TBA
Jan. 3 – Seattle, 1 p.m.
Jan. 9-10 TBA – Atlanta, TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

The 2026 Charlotte FC schedule:

(7-7-4 record)
Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Louis (T 1-1)
Saturday, Feb. 28 at L.A. Galaxy (L 0-3)
Saturday, March 7 Austin (W 3-1)
Saturday, March 14 Miami (T 0-0)
Saturday, March 21 New York Red Bulls (W 6-1)
Saturday, Apr. 4 Philadelphia (W 2-1)
Saturday, Apr. 11 Nashville (L 1-2)
Saturday, Apr. 18 at New York (W 2-1)
Wednesday, Apr. 22 at Orlando (L 1-4)
Saturday, Apr. 25 at Nashville (L 2-4)
Saturday, May 2 at New England (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 9 Cincinnati (T 2-2)
Wednesday, May 13 New York (L 0-1)
Saturday, May 16 Toronto (W 3-1)
Saturday, May 23 New England (W 1-0)
Wednesday, July 22 Atlanta, 8:00 PM (T 2-2)
Saturday, July 25 at New York Red Bulls (W 2-0)
Saturday, Aug. 1 at Chicago (L 1-2)
Saturday, Aug. 15 Columbus, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Aug. 19 at Toronto, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 22 DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Aug. 29 at Atlanta, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 5 Houston, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 12 at Cincinnati, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 19 at DC, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 26 Chicago, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 10 Dallas, 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Columbus, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Philadelphia, 2:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 24 at Portland, 10:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct. 28 Montreal, 7:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 31 Orlando, 1:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 7 at Miami, 4:00 PM

(U.S. Open Cup)
Wednesday, Apr. 15 Charlotte Independence (W 6-0)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex
Tuesday, Apr. 28 Atlanta United FC (L 0-2)
…at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex

 

 

 

 

Pro basketball

The Charlotte Hornets have announced their 2026 preseason schedule that features two home games and two road games. The full 2026-27 regular season game will be released in the next few weeks.

The Charlotte Hornets’ 2026-27 schedule:

(Preseason)

Oct. 6 Brooklyn (at Spectrum Center), 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 Milwaukee (Spectrum Center), 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Memphis, 8 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

After a day off Monday, the Knights begin a six-game home series against the Durham Bulls that starts on Tuesday night at 7:04 p.m.

Here is the full Charlotte Knights’ 2026 schedule:

(58-50 record, 42-33 1st half, 16-17 2nd half)
-1st half
March 27-29 Durham 3-0 (W 19-2, W 2-1 in 11, W 4-3)
March 31-April 5 at Nashville 1-4 (L 3-7, W 9-3, L 0-4, L 6-7, ppd, L 5-7)
April 7-12 Memphis 3-3 (L 4-9, W 7-3, L 1-4, W 9-8 in 10, L 4-6, W 13-4)
April 14-19 at Jacksonville 2-4 (L 0-3, L 2-3, L 3-5, L 1-4, W 2-0, W 9-4)
April 21-26 Nashville 4-3 (L 1-5, W 9-4, W 3-2 in 10, W 11-9, L 5-12, W 16-6, L 1-5)
April 28-May 3 Gwinnett 3-3 (L 7-10, W 10-9, L 5-9, L 3-4, W 21-1, W 10-9)
May 5-10 at Jacksonville 3-3 (W 5-3, L 6-8, W 16-1, W 8-5, L 5-6, L 1-6)
May 12-17 Norfolk 3-3 (L 6-9, L 8-9, W 4-1, W 4-1, L 10-11, W 15-3)
May 19-24 at Gwinnett 4-2 (W 5-4, W 4-3, L 3-7, W 4-3 in 10, L 1-5, W 3-2)
May 26-31 Jacksonville 3-3 (W 4-0, susp, L 3-6, W 12-5, W 12-4, L 6-15, L 5-6)
June 2-7 at Durham 6-0 (W 6-1, W 18-7, W 11-6, W 4-3, W 7-5, W 12-5)
June 9-14 Oklahoma City 3-3 (L 3-6, L 1-10, W 9-8, W 12-7, L 7-11, W 4-3)
June 16-21 at Buffalo 4-2 (L 5-9, W 5-1, W 4-0, W 10-5, L 2-4, W 5-0)
-2nd half
June 23-28 Rochester 2-4 (L 9-10, W 10-2, W 7-6 in 11, L 2-6, L 1-3, L 4-9)
June 30-July 5 at Memphis 2-4 (L 5-10, W 2-0 in 8, L 6-8, L 3-4 in 11, W 8-6, L 1-2 in 11)
July 7-12 Nashville 3-3 (W 8-2, L 3-6, W 9-2, L 9-11, L 2-4, W 12-4)
July 17-19 at Durham 1-2 (L 2-8, W 7-5, L 2-3)
July 21-26 Norfolk 5-1 (W 7-6, W 8-4, ppd, L 1-2, W 6-1, W 7-6 in 10, W 7-4)
July 28-August 2 at Nashville 3-3 (W 6-1, W 12-5, W 6-4, L 2-4, L 3-6, L 3-5)
August 4-9 Durham
August 11-16 at Rochester
August 18-23 at Scranton-WB
August 25-30 Memphis
September 1-6 at Gwinnett
September 8-13 Buffalo
September 15-20 at Norfolk

 

Here is the full Gastonia Ghost Peppers’ 2026 schedule:

(53-37 record, 40-23 1st half, 13-14 2nd half)
-1st half
April 21-23 at High Point 1-2 (W 3-1, L 5-6, L 0-5)
April 24-26 High Point 3-0 (W 4-3, W 18-8, W 9-2)
April 28-May 3 at York 4-2 (W 14-2, ppd, W 2-1, W 5-4, L 4-5, W 10-2, L 3-9)
May 5-10 Southern Maryland 1-5 (L 2-3, L 11-18, L 2-12, L 4-5, W 7-3, L 1-14)
May 12-17 at Long Island 3-3 (L 3-6, L 3-11, W 10-0, L 4-6, W 8-6, W 6-5)
May 19-20 Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 9-4, W 6-2, W 9-6)
May 22-24 at Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 17-4, W 8-4, W 12-4)
May 26-28 at Lexington 3-0 (W 10-6, W 3-2, W 3-1)
May 29-31 Charleston, W.Va. 3-0 (W 6-3, W 10-7, W 9-2)
June 2-7 Lancaster 2-4 (W 11-2, L 1-3, W 14-3, L 3-4, L 8-9, L 5-17)
June 9-14 at Lexington 3-3 (L 13-15, L 6-8, W 7-5, L 9-10, W 7-1, W 12-8)
June 16-21 Staten Island 6-0 (W 10-4, W 9-6, W 26-3, W 11-4, W 12-3, W 13-8)
June 23-28 at Lexington 4-2 (W 4-3, W 6-3, W 7-4, W 8-6, L 5-12, L 4-9)
June 30-July 2 Lexington 1-2 (L 7-9, L 1-11, W 14-6)
-2nd half
July 3-5 Charleston, W.Va. 2-1 (L 13-16, W 10-3, W 13-9)
July 7-12 at Hagerstown 1-5 (L 4-13, L 4-14, L 5-6, L 3-10, W 7-3, L 6-13)
July 14-19 Lexington 2-4 (L 2-9, W 16-5, W 12-11, L 0-9, L 5-7, L 2-6)
July 21-26 at Charleston, W.Va. 4-2 (ppd, L 8-9, W 9-8, W 5-1, L 4-9, W 11-3, W 15-6)
July 28, 30-31-Aug. 2 Hagerstown 4-2 (W 9-8, L 0-5, W 9-6, W 8-2, W 7-4, L 0-1)
Aug. 4-6 Southern Maryland
Aug. 7-9 at Lexington
Aug. 11-16 at High Point
Aug. 18-23 Charleston, W.Va.
Aug. 25-30 at Southern Maryland
Sept. 1-6 High Point
Sept. 8-10 Lexington
Sept. 11-13 at High Point

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

Here is the full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule with race winners in parentheses:

Feb. 4 — Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium (Ryan Preece)
Feb. 15 — Daytona 500 (Tyler Reddick)
Feb. 22 — Atlanta (Reddick-2)
March 1 — Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (Reddick-3)
March 8 — Phoenix (Ryan Blaney)
March 15 — Las Vegas (Denny Hamlin)
March 22 — Darlington, South Carolina (Reddick-4)
March 29 — Martinsville, Virginia (Chase Elliott)
April 5 — off weekend
April 12 — Bristol, Tennessee (Ty Gibbs)
April 19 — Kansas (Reddick-5)
April 26 — Talladega, Alabama (Carson Hocevar)
May 3 — Texas (Elliott-2)
May 10 — Watkins Glen, New York (Shane van Gisbergen)
May 17 — All-Star Race (Dover) (Hamlin-2)
May 24 — Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) (Daniel Suarez)
May 31 — Nashville, Tennessee (Hamlin-3)
June 7 — Michigan (Hamlin-4)
June 14 — Pocono in Long Pond, Pennsylvania (Hamlin-5)
June 21 — San Diego (Corey Heim)
June 28 — Sonoma, California (Shane van Gisbergen)
July 5 — Chicagoland (Chase Briscoe)
July 12 — Atlanta (Blaney-2)
July 19 — North Wilkesboro (Joey Logano)
July 26 — Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis) (Corey Heim)
Aug. 2 — off weekend
Aug. 9 — Iowa
Aug. 15 — Richmond, Virginia
Aug. 23 — New Hampshire
Aug. 29 — Daytona, Florida
Sept. 6 — Darlington
Sept. 13 — Gateway in Madison, Illinois
Sept. 19 — Bristol
Sept. 27 — Kansas
Oct. 4 — Las Vegas
Oct. 11 — Charlotte Roval
Oct. 18 — Phoenix
Oct. 25 — Talladega
Nov. 1 — Martinsville
Nov. 8 — Homestead, Florida

 

 

 

 

Rodeo

Professional Bull Riding Unleash the Beast tour schedule for Greensboro-based Carolina Cowboys:

Feb. 1 – Golden 1 Center Sacramento- Austin Gamblers (L 173.90-256.90)
Feb. 21 – Progressive PBR Jacksonville- Florida Freedom (L 158.70-169.25)
March 22 – Ram Trucks PBR Indianapolis- Nashville Stampede (W 88.70- 0.00)
(DNQ for playoffs)

Team Challenge playoff results
March 29 at Albuquerque: Semifinal- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 4 Florida Freedom 83.65-0.00)
April 17 at Billings: Semifinal- (No. 2 Austin Gamblers def. No. 3 Kansas City Outlaws 87.10-84.50)
April 26 at Tacoma: Championship- (No. 1 Missouri Thunder def. No. 2 Austin Gamblers 254.75-171.35)

Upcoming events:
Sept. 18-20 – Greensboro First Horizon Coliseum Complex