By Richard Walker North Carolina Area IV American Legion recently met to discuss the upcoming season and its membership for the 2023 season. Area IV will be divided again into two divisions – the East and West. The Eastern Division will include teams from Gaston, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties – Gastonia Post 23 and the […]
By Richard Walker Since most who know Belmont’s Art Shoemaker have either witnessed one of his pranks, been a victim of them or both says a lot that about 200 of his closest friends were able to surprise him last Friday. Shoemaker, who turned 80 last weekend, was honored as a Gaston County Hometown Hero […]
By Richard Walker Anyone in Gaston County who first meets Belmont’s Art Shoemaker walks away feeling good about a new relationship and can feel his passion for local athletics and community affairs that date to his childhood in the 1950s. A lifelong sports fan, Shoemaker played for Cramerton’s basketball team and was a manager for […]
By Richard Walker A date and site has been chosen for the North Carolina American Legion Hall of Fame class of 2022 inductions that include two Gaston County inductees and one from Lincoln County. Cherryville Baptist Church will host the event on May 6 at 6 p.m. and tickets are $20 each for a ceremony […]
By Richard Walker The North Carolina American Legion Hall of Fame class of 2022 has been announced and it includes two Gaston County inductees, one from Lincoln County and the banquet will be held in Belmont. Danny Eaker of Cherryville Post 100, Phil Tate of Belmont Post 144 and Bruce Bolick of Denver Post 455 […]
By Richard Walker North Carolina American Legion baseball officials recently named sites for the 2023 state tournaments in both Senior and Junior Legion baseball. The 2023 Senior Legion tournament will return to Campbell University’s Barker-Lane Stadium at Campbell University from July 25-29. It’s the second straight year Campbell has been the host of the tournament […]
By Richard Walker East Lincoln High School will remember its winningest boys basketball coach in school history on Friday when the school honors the late Neil Hodges before its Western Foothills 3A Conference home game against Hickory. Neil Hodges, who died earlier this week after suffering various illnesses in recent years, guided East Lincoln to […]
By Richard Walker To some, Gaylord Perry will always be remembered for throwing a spitball. For folks in this area, he’ll also be remembered for one of the state’s best three-sport high school athletes, starting up the baseball program at an area college and coaching American Legion baseball at one of the state’s top programs. […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville American Legion Post 100 has had a tough last couple of weeks. Just this past week, a former star baseball player and a former player and longtime baseball official have died. It comes a month after longtime Fraley Field scoreboard operator Darise Hartman died at 89 on Sept. 15 Former star […]
By Richard Walker The 2022 Gaston County Conference middle school football championship game has been set after an upset in Division I. Unbeaten Belmont (7-0) will host Holbrook (5-1) next Wednesday at 6 p.m. with gates opening at South Point’s Lineberger Stadium at 5:15 p.m. Belmont recorded its fifth straight shutout to finish 5-0 in […]
By Richard Walker The Cherryville American Legion Post 100 baseball family has had a rough couple of weeks following the death of longtime scoreboard operator Darise Hartman. Hartman died on Sept. 15 at 89 with one of the greatest attendance streaks in Legion baseball history; Hartman attended the American Legion World Series for 34 straight […]
By Richard Walker As the world remembers Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom following her death on Thursday, much of the local sports world recalls her historic trip to an ACC football game in 1957 in which two Gaston County men were involved. With Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip among 43,000 in attendance at […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville’s Dalton Pence received a top honor last week in the Coastal Plain League. A 2021 Cherryville High graduate and former Cherryville Post 100 Legion standout, Pence was named Pitcher of the Year for the CPL, a summer collegiate wood bat league, for his efforts playing for the Forest City Owls this […]
American Legion 2022 (FINAL) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses for Lincoln County, […]
By Richard Walker Troy, Ala., made its third straight rally from a large deficit to win its first American Legion World Series title – and take the first title for Alabama in 55 years – on Tuesday with a 6-5 win over two-time defending champion Idaho Falls, Id. Idaho Falls was pursuing an unprecedented third […]
By Richard Walker Troy, Ala., and Idaho Falls, Id. won Monday semifinal games at the American Legion World Series to advance to Tuesday’s 7 p.m. championship game. Troy, playing in its first-ever ALWS, rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to beat Midland, Mich., 5-3. Troy seeks to become the second Alabama champion; Tuscaloosa, Ala., won […]
By Richard Walker When Chandler Redmond played baseball for Gardner-Webb University, he set single-season and career records for home runs. Last Wednesday night, he matched one of the rarest home run records in professional baseball history with a home run cycle. A 32nd-round pick in 2019 by the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Redmond hit a […]
By Richard Walker The Carolina Panthers played four quarterbacks – starting recent trade acquisition Baker Mayfield – and survived a Washington Commanders’ rally directed by former University of North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell before winning 23-21 Saturday afternoon in their 2022 preseason opener. Mayfield, acquired from the Cleveland Browns in July, started for coach Matt […]
By Richard Walker The Burns High School community is in mourning after the death of the coach credited with building the school into a championship football program. Ron Greene died at 71 on Thursday. The winningest coach in school history and the man for whom the school’s stadium is named guided the Bulldogs to a […]
By Richard Walker The 2022 American Legion World Series got underway at Shelby’s Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium on Thursday. Here’s the schedule and results: Stars Division – Mid-South (Troy AL), Northeast (Shrewsbury MA), Southeast (Camden SC), Western (League City TX) Stripes Division – Great Lakes (Midland MI), Mid-Atlantic (Chesapeake VA), Central Plains (Omaha Prep […]
By Richard Walker Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams was the featured speaker on Wednesday at LeGrand Center in Shelby, N.C., during the “Host City Welcome” festivities that kicked off the 2022 American Legion World Series. Williams applauded each of the eight regional champions that begin play in the ALWS on Thursday. “I […]
By Richard Walker The 2022 Gaston County Conference and Tri-County Conference middle school football seasons begin in the next month. Here’s the composite schedules of both conferences: (Gaston County Conference) Aug. 24 – Belmont at Southwest, Bessemer City at Holbrook, W.C. Friday at Cramerton, Stanley at Grier, York Chester at Mount Holly Aug. 31 – […]
By Richard Walker As the Carolina Panthers prepare for Friday’s first preseason game during training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., coach Matt Rhule still hasn’t named a starting quarterback. However, Rhule admitted that day was coming closer as 2021 starter Sam Darnold and offseason trade acquisition Baker Mayfield continue sharing practice repetitions with projected starters and […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of Aug. 7) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker The field has been set for this week’s American Legion World at Shelby’s Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium – and it includes two-time defending champion Idaho Falls, Id. Here’s the schedule of games that begin on Thursday: Stars Division – Mid-South (Troy AL), Northeast (Shrewsbury MA), Southeast (Camden SC), Western (League City […]
By Richard Walker Gastonia’s Chandler Meeks, the Gaston Braves’ Caleb Burr and Chase Stewart and Cherryville’s Joseph Webb led American Legion baseball statistical leaders from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties: Note: Statistics provided by area coaches and/or statisticians. Batting average (minimum: 30 at-bats) Chandler Meeks, Gastonia (25-53) .472 Austin Parker, Gastonia (22-51) .431 Logan Agosta, […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of Aug. 6) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of Aug. 4) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Here’s a look at pro baseball players from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties: Former Gardner-Webb and Belmont Abbey baseball standout Emilio Pagan is 3-5 with nine saves and a 4.97 ERA in 40 appearances for the Minnesota Twins. Jeffrey Springs (South Point 2011 graduate) is 4-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 22 […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of Aug. 4) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker A former Crest High standout Lannden Zanders announced on twitter that his Clemson University college football career was over while Burns High senior Cahari Haynes announced his college commitment on twitter to play at Appalachian State University. A 2019 Crest High graduate, Zanders is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound safety who had made 57 […]
By Richard Walker Six players from Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties were honored earlier this week by HighSchoolOT.com with selection to their all-state high school baseball team. East Lincoln’s Garrett Michel was named first team infielder, North Lincoln’s Matt Heavner was named second team infielder, Cherryville’s Landon Hahn was named third team infielder and East […]
By Richard Walker Three perennial state powers and three first-time state champions highlight the eight-team American Legion Southeast Regional field at Asheboro’s McCrary Park that will begin a five-day event to determine a qualifier for the World Series in Shelby. N.C.’s all-time leader in state championships, Wilmington with 13, is joined by a pair of […]
By Richard Walker Cleveland Community College didn’t have to look far to find coaches to startup their new men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball programs as well as a new head baseball coach. It simply found three local successful high school coaches and promoted a local product from assistant coach to head coach, as […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 30) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Shelby Post 82 becomes the first four-time N.C. American Legion softball state tournament participant when it hosts the 2022 event at Marion’s Big League Camp starting on Monday. Guided by head coach Thomas Pruett and assistant coaches Todd Beheler and Gary Spangler, Post 82 will take a 15-6 overall record and Area […]
By Richard Walker The Queen City Mustangs became the first Mecklenburg County N.C. American Legion baseball finalist in 19 years on Saturday. But all-time N.C. winner Wilmington was too much for the Mustangs in a 3-0 victory on Saturday at Campbell University. UNC Pembroke commitment and tournament most valuable player Ben Whitehurst threw a five-hit […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 30) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-2 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Queen City will try to become the first Mecklenburg County American Legion baseball team to win a N.C. state championship in 45 years on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Campbell University when it meets Wilmington in the 2022 state tournament title game. Queen City is the first Mecklenburg County team to advance […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 29) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/3-1 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 28) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/2-1 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville concluded an impressive N.C. state American Legion tournament run on Thursday with a 7-3 victory over previously unbeaten Randolph County at Campbell University. But Post 100’s 2-1 record in pool play left it in a tie with Randolph County and host Fuquay-Varina – and Cherryville lost a tiebreaker that ends its […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 27) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/1-1 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville lost 10-3 to Fuquay-Varina in the second day of the N.C. American Legion baseball state tournament at Campbell University. Post 100 (26-13) meets Randolph County at 1 p.m. on Thursday and can advance with a win or loss but may need help in either circumstance to advance into Friday’s state semifinals. […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 26) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5/0-1 State Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville held off pesky Hope Mills 6-4 in Tuesday’s opening day of the 2022 N.C. American Legion baseball state tournament at Campbell University. It was Post 100’s first of three games in the eight-team, pool-play tournament pitting two teams apiece from areas I, II, III and IV. Cherryville overcome a 2-0 deficit […]
By Richard Walker Caleb Burr of the Gaston Braves and Tyler Smart of Cleveland County lead in two statistical categories and Gastonia’s Chandler Meeks and Cherryville’s Joseph Webb lead in one apiece in the final 2022 N.C. Area IV final regular season statistics. In numbers provided by Area IV coaches, Meeks was the leading batter, […]
By Richard Walker Burns set history on Monday with a 2-0 Junior American Legion baseball state championship victory over Western Forsyth at High Point’s Finch Field. Burns, which is sponsored by Cherryville Post 100, took its first state title and the eighth by a N.C. Area IV team in the 21-year history of the event. […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville Post 100 begins its bid for an eighth N.C. American Legion baseball state title on Tuesday at Campbell University when it meets Hope Mills at 4:30 p.m. Post 100 enters as the Area IV champion for a record 20th time and is playing in its 13th state tournament in the event’s […]
By Richard Walker Burns is one win away from history after winning Sunday’s N.C. Junior Legion state tournament semifinal game 5-4 over South Caldwell in nine innings at High Point’s Finch Field. Burns (21-4), which is sponsored by Cherryville Post 100 and coached by Burns High coach Alex Leonhardt, faces Western Forsyth on Monday at […]
By Richard Walker Burns is two wins away from a N.C. Junior Legion state title after a heartbreaking 11-10 loss to host High Point-Thomasville in its pool play finale on Saturday at High Point’s Finch Field. Both teams had already clinched berths in Sunday’s semifinals before Saturday’s contest between the top teams in the Stars […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 22) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-5 Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses […]
By Richard Walker Cherryville wrapped up its record 20th N.C. Area IV championship on Friday night with come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Queen City Mustangs at Fraley Field. Post 100, which improved 25-12 with the win, next plays next week in the N.C. state tournament at Campbell University. Queen City (21-7) also advances to the […]
By Richard Walker Two former local football standouts got national television exposure on Thursday during the ACC Kickoff media day at The Westin Hotel in Charlotte. North Carolina running back British Brooks, a former Ashbrook High standout, and Virginia Tech linebacker Dax Hollifield, a formsr Shelby High standout, were interviewed on the ACC Network during […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 21) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/7-4 Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses […]
By Richard Walker Landon Hahn scored the winning run and pitched four innings of relief for the pitching victory in Cherryville American Legion Post 100’s 8-7 come-from-behind win over the Gaston Braves in a weather-delayed playoff game. The victory gave Cherryville 4-2 win in the best-of-seven N.C. Area IV semifinal series and Post 100’s 13th […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 20) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/6-3 Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-5 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 19) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/6-3 Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-4 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses […]
By Richard Walker Shelby’s Isaiah Lowe set local sports history on Tuesday when he was selected in the 11th round of the major league draft (330rd pick overall) by the San Diego Padres. Lowe, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound right-handed pitcher, is the first player ever selected from Lincolnton’s Combine Academy. He has committed to play collegiately […]
American Legion 2022 (through Games of July 19) Area IV standings Eastern Division Division Overall/Playoffs Queen City 11-1 14-2/6-3 Gaston Post 144-266 10-2 12-3/8-4 Gastonia Post 23 8-4 8-7/2-3 Matthews Post 235 6-6 7-11/3-4 Mint Hill Post 555 5-7 5-7/0-3 Statesville Post 113 2-10 2-12/DNP Lincoln County Post 455 0-12 1-13/DNP (Includes ALL forfeit losses […]