By Richard Walker Eight boys teams and four girls teams remain alive as the N.C. High School Athletic Association basketball playoffs continue with second round play on Thursday. Following the first round, trends are already emerging from postseason play. Unbeaten area conferences include Queen City 3A/4A boys (4-0), Western Foothills 3A boys (5-0), Mountain Foothills […]
By Richard Walker The Charlotte Hornets dug too deep of a hole to get out of on Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers and fell 113-110 in front of 13,889 at Spectrum Center. Charlotte (5-3) trailed by 19 points twice in the first quarter and by 17 points in the middle of the fourth quarter […]
By Richard Walker After losing four straight games, Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule earlier this week said his team needed to follow a conservative game plan that featured running the football, limiting turnovers and relying on your defense. Despite a hiccup on the game’s first play, the Panthers did just that in a 19-13 win […]
By Richard Walker Crest and Shelby came out victorious in conference championship games on Friday and will be among the top seeds when the N.C. High School Athletic Association football playoffs are announced on Saturday. Crest won 42-20 at Kings Mountain as running back Mari Adams rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns to finish […]
By Richard Walker The final day of regular season high school football is Friday and multiple local schools have either clinched playoff berths or can win on Friday to clinch a spot and/or improve the postseason chances. Crest and Kings Mountain have wrapped up Class 3A berths, Burns and Shelby have wrapped up Class 2A […]
By Richard Walker The Charlotte Hornets matched their best five-game start in team history with a come-from-behind 120-111 victory at the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The Hornets (4-1) matched franchise-record best starts in the 2000-01 and 2016-17 seasons. In Wednesday’s win, Charlotte also rallied to win after trailing by double digits as the Hornets […]
By Richard Walker Three Gaston Day teams will be hosting N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 2A state championships on Saturday. In boys soccer, the Spartans are in the title game for the fourth time in eight years after defeating Fayetteville Academy 5-1 on Tuesday. The Spartans (16-2) will host Fayetteville Trinity Academy (17-2-1). Gaston […]
By Richard Walker After setting history with the franchise’s first 3-0 start in history, the Charlotte Hornets were oh so close to 4-0 on Monday night in front of a vocal crowd of 17,238 at Spectrum Center. But the Boston Celtics closed the game on a 38-15 surge to pull out a 140-129 overtime victory […]
By Richard Walker It may not be rock bottom but its close for the Carolina Panthers. After Sunday’s disappointing 25-3 loss at the New York Giants, the Panthers are in a complete free fall that on a day in which one report indicated they could pursue trading for another quarterback. Head coach Matt Rhule’s decision […]
By Richard Walker Thirty-one former North Carolina high school basketball players are on NBA rosters as the 2021-22 season moves into its second week. That inclues three players on two-way contracts for their respective teams’ G-League affiliates. Here’s the full list by NBA team with school and/or graduation year listed in parentheses: Boston Celtics – […]
By Richard Walker Cleveland County will be the site of two conference championship games next week after all four of the county’s teams enjoyed blowout wins on Friday. Kings Mountain (8-1, 6-0) will host Crest (6-2, 6-0) for the Big South 3A Conference title and Shelby (8-1, 5-0) will host Burns (7-2, 5-0) for the […]
By Richard Walker A big day in the national spotlight ended with a thud for the Charlotte 49ers Thursday night in a disappointing 38-9 home loss to Florida Atlantic. Earlier Thursday, the school officially accepted an invitation to join the American Athletic Conference. The change of conference of leaving Conference USA had been reported on […]
By Richard Walker A third quarter offensive explosion propelled a Charlotte Hornets’ comeback that ended in a dramatic 123-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers in front of 15,521 at Spectrum Center. The Hornets trailed 82-59 early in the third quarter and were still behind 84-63 with 8:48 left in that quarter before scoring 24 straight […]
By Richard Walker Charlotte 49ers football coach Will Healy declined to say much about media reports about the school soon applying to leave Conference to apply for membership in the American Athletic Conference. “There’s a lot of excitement around this program,” Helay said at his weekly news conference. “It’s really exciting to see what’s been […]
By Richard Walker The Charlotte 49ers are expected to apply for membership to the American Athletic Conference this week, Yahoo sports reported on Monday. The 49ers, who are in their second stint in Conference USA, will have to pay a $3 million exit fee to the league to join the AAC along with league rivals […]
By Richard Walker Burns rallied late in regulation then won a double overtime thriller over visiting East Gaston 45-38 on Friday night in one of the season’s most exciting games of the year. Trailing 35-28 late in regulation, Burns quarterback Ben Mauney threw his fourth touchdown pass to L.J. Allen with 1.3 seconds remaining and […]
By Richard Walker Seven players in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties have surpassed 1,000 yards with three weeks left in the 11-week season. Mountain Island Charter’s Dylan Bisson is the top yardage-gainer with 2,503 yards passing in seven games. Shelby’s Daylin Lee (1,588), Cramer’s Justin Rocquemore (1,351), Burns’ Ben Mauney (1,303) and North Gaston’s Kandan […]
By Richard Walker The Charlotte Hornets now have a week to heal up and get ready for their Oct. 20 regular season opener at home against the Indiana Pacers. That comes after Wednesday’s 127-59 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks that ended the Hornets’ preseason schedule with a 1-3 record. Charlotte, already playing without starting […]
By Richard Walker Southwest’s county-record winning streak reached 31 games with a 16-8 win over Belmont for the 2021 Gaston County Conference middle school football championship game. Southwest (7-0) has won four straight county titles and hasn’t lost since 2016. Southwest has won seven county titles; The Roadrunners also won championships in 1982, 2003, 2007, […]
By Richard Walker For the sixth straight season, Belmont and Southwest will clash in a Gaston County Conference middle school football playoff game, this time for the 2021 championship. Southwest (6-0) will host Belmont (5-2) at Hunter Huss High at 6:30 p.m. Southwest is a three-time defending county champion with titles in 2017, 2018 and […]
By Richard Walker A strong second half allowed Kings Mountain to move into a tie atop the Big South 3A Conference standings with Crest on Friday. The Mountaineers scored 17 fourth-quarter points in a 24-7 win at South Point on Friday as Kings Mountain improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big South. The […]
By Richard Walker Cramer and East Gaston won a pair of high-scoring Gaston County high school matchups on Thursday night in games that were moved up from Friday due to the threat of inclement weather. Cramer improved to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big South 3A Conference with a 31-20 win over visiting Ashbrook. […]
By Richard Walker Cramerton Middle School beat visiting Chavis 10-3 on Wednesday to win the 2021 Gaston County Conference championship. It’s the Eagles’ fourth county title all-time and first since 2013. Cramerton also won in 2001 and 2002. In Wednesday’s victory that completed Cramerton’s season with a 12-0 record, Kayla Johnson threw a complete game […]
By Richard Walker Chavis won its second Gaston County Conference Middle School team golf title in school history on Monday with a one-stroke victory over Belmont for the 2021 Gaston County Conference championship. Coached by Timmy Fleming, the Wolverines won their first title since 2001. Belmont’s Will Monteath was the county individual champion with a […]
By Richard Walker When Wes Helms was named Charlotte Knights manager in January 2020, it was considered one of the best “feel good” homecoming stories in the region. Despite the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 that cancelled the Knights season that year and a challenging 2021 season that included more than 150 player transactions, Helms remains […]
By Richard Walker A strong start and fast finish wasn’t enough for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at AT&T Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. And the Cowboys used a streak of 20 straight points to take a 36-28 victory and knock Carolina from the unbeaten ranks in the NFL. The Panthers (3-1) were seeking their […]
By Richard Walker The Carolina Panthers pursue their first 4-0 start since 2015 – and third in team history – when they visit the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at 1 p.m. Even as the Panthers are 3-0 and Dallas 2-1, Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Cowboys a comfortable favorite for the first meeting between the […]
By Richard Walker The Crest Chargers pulled off an improbable come-from-behind 27-26 win over visiting South Point on Friday night to remain atop the Big South 3A Conference standings. Crest (4-1, 4-0) trailed 26-14 with 6 1-2 minutes left before scoring two touchdowns in the next 2 1-2 minutes to take the lead and later […]
By Richard Walker Frequently on ESPN’s college football and basketball game days, they’ll discuss “Judgement Day” when a slate of games will determine who’s at the top of the league standings. In the Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties area, Friday night is “Judgement Day” for 2021 Big South 3A Conference football. It’s because the league […]
By Richard Walker It’s always good to be remembered in your hometown by your old school and mixed martial arts fighter and television star Justine Kish will be honored by Cramerton Middle School on Thursday. A 2007 South Point High graduate, Justine Kish attended Cramerton in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 school years back when she […]
By Richard Walker After suffering injuries that cost him 29 games last season, Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward is eager to be healthy this season as the team pursues its goal of making the NBA playoffs. Hayward missed 29 games last year, including the last 24 of the regular season with a right foot injury […]
By Richard Walker Local products came away with top league honors on Monday after having impressive efforts in Saturday college football games. At Charlotte, quarterback Chris Reynolds was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week. At Gardner-Webb, two players were honored by the Big South Conference. And at N.C. State and Wake Forest, local […]
By Richard Walker Former South Point High standout Garrett Davila last week won his second minor league championship as a member of the Kansas City Royals’ organization. A 2015 South Point High graduate, Davila was the winning pitcher for Northwest Arkansas in the second game of the Naturals’ three games to none Class AA Central […]
By Richard Walker The first big Southern Piedmont 1A/2A matchup of the season turned into a rout for Shelby as the Golden Lions rolled to a 55-7 win at previously unbeaten Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy on Friday night. Shelby improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in league play by scoring the game’s last 49 points […]
By Richard Walker As the high school football season hits the midway point of the 11-week, 10-game season on Friday, we look at individuals who have shined brighest so far this season. Already, two quarterbacks in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties have surpassed 1,000 yards passing and many others are having strong seasons. No running […]
By Richard Walker Can the Carolina Panthers’ defense keep it up? And can the offense continue it fast starts? If Carolina can keep doing both, the Panthers will become the first 3-0 team in the NFL this season if they can win Thursday’s 8:20 p.m. game at the Houston Texans. The Panthers also are seeking […]
By Richard Walker Several former local products are nearing the end of their professional baseball seasons. Here’s a look at how they are doing with statistics through Monday’s games: Emilio Pagan (former Gardner-Webb and Belmont Abbey): The right-handed pitcher is 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 66 appearances for the San Diego Padres. Jeffrey Springs […]
By Richard Walker During Big South Conference football media day this summer, Gardner-Webb coach Tre Lamb said former Crest standout Jalin Graham would be a future standout in his program. Graham, a 2020 Crest graduate, proved his coach correct on in the Bulldogs’ 56-0 home win over Lincoln, Pa., with a brief but very effective […]
By Richard Walker A dominating defensive effort in Sunday’s 26-7 home win over the New Orleans Saints could have the Carolina Panthers thinking big already this season. Not only did it give the Panthers a 2-0 for only the eighth time in the franchise’s 27-year history but it also ended a four-game losing streak to […]
By Richard Walker How important is winning your conference football opener? In the Big South Conference, it’s imperative if you want to win the league championship. How so? With Friday featuring six teams opening their league slate – Crest beat North Gaston 42-16 last week – none of the previous league champions or co-champions have […]
By Richard Walker Holbrook and Southwest stayed unbeaten in Gaston County Conference middle school football action after wins on Wednesday. Holbrook defeated Mount Holly 36-6 to improve to 4-0 and Southwest edged Southwest 6-0 to improve to 5-0. Grier (3-0) also is unbeaten in the Gaston County Conference. Here are Wednesday’s Gaston County Conference results: […]
By Richard Walker Charlotte is off to its fourth 2-0 start in the school’s nine-year football history. Coach Will Healy said during his weekly news conference that 2-0 won’t mean anything if the team doesn’t finish strong – and that starts with this week’s 7 p.m. game at Georgia State. “Every week I say this […]
By Richard Walker Former South Point High baseball standout Dawson Gause will be playing on one of the biggest stages in all of college baseball this spring when he pitches for six-time national champion LSU. A 2018 South Point High graduate, Gause will be a 6-foot-4, 215-pound redshirt sophomore for the Tigers after transferring from […]
By Richard Walker They may have started slow – and drew a few boos in the process – but the Carolina Panthers reversed a recent opening-game trend on Sunday with a 19-14 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. Sam Darnold completed 24 ot 34 passes for 279 yards and one touchdown in his […]
By Richard Walker There was no letdown for the Charlotte 49ers as they rolled to a 38-10 win over Gardner-Webb on Saturday night at Richardson Stadium. One week after Charlotte’s first-ever home game and victory over a power five major college football conference – the 49ers beat Duke 31-28 – Charlotte never trailed as it […]
By Richard Walker A shootout at Shelby’s Blanton Memorial Stadium between two of the Carolinas winningest programs ended with South Pointe of Rock Hill, S.C., holding off Shelby 51-37 on Friday night. South Pointe scored 34 straight points in the first half to take a 37-7 halftime lead before the host Golden Lions outscored the […]
By Richard Walker On Saturday, a former Crest High quarterback will make his head coaching debut against the ACC when Dawson “Tyrone” Odums leads his Norfolk State team into its first game at Wake Forest at noon. Odums, a 1992 Crest High graduate, played quarterback in high school and defensive line at North Carolina Central […]
By Richard Walker Former South Point High standout Tanner Muse has a new NFL home. Muse, a 2015 South Point High graduate, signed to play on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on Wednesday. It comes two days after the Las Vegas Raiders released Muse from their roster. Muse had made eight tackles with half a […]
By Richard Walker Former Forestview and Gaston Day standout Nate Hinton has a new NBA team. Hinton signed a contract with the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Indiana’s new head coach is Hinton’s former Dallas Mavericks’ coach Rick Carlisle. A 2018 Gaston Day graduate who was an undrafted free agent signee out of the University of […]
By Richard Walker Quarterbacks at Charlotte and Gardner-Webb, a Gardner-Webb receiver and Gaston County’s all-time leading high school football rusher were among those honored with top conference awards for their play in the opening week of the 2021 college football season. Charlotte’s Chris Reynolds was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week after he […]
By Richard Walker Former North Gaston High standout Blake Brown was promoted by the Philadelphia Phillies to its Class AA affiliate on Sunday. A 2016 North Gaston High graduate, Brown went 2-1 with eight saves with a 3.15 ERA in 33 appearances for the Class A Jersey Shore Blue Claws before being promoted to the […]
By Richard Walker Gardner-Webb put a scare into traditional power Georgia Southern in the 2021 college football opener for both teams. The visiting Bulldogs scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and drove to the Georgia Southern 29 in the closing seconds before losing 30-25 at Paulson Stadium. Gardner-Webb quarterback Bailey Fisher completed 27 of 45 passes for […]
By Richard Walker High school football’s third week continued Thursday with non-conference games that include rivalry matchups like Burns-Kings Mountain, Cramer-East Gaston and East Lincoln-Lincolnton. There’s also been four game cancellations – Blacksburg, S.C., at Cherryville, Central Cabarrus at Huss, Foard at West Lincoln and South Point at R-S Central – with South Point picking […]
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 […]
By Richard Walker After the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the Gaston County Conference football schedule and altered the Tri-County Conference football schedule, both leagues will run full slates for the 2021 season. In Gaston County, it’ll mark the first action since the 2019 season. And in Cleveland and Lincoln counties, the teams will play a full […]
By Richard Walker Former West Lincoln High and Cherryville American Legion Post 100 standout Brett Eurey received first team All-Region 10 outfield honors on Wednesday as part of a record number of Catawba Valley Community College honorees. One of six team captains for the Red Hawks this season, Eurey finished his final season at CVCC […]
By Richard Walker When Justin Bowden became Shelby Middle School’s football coach in the fall of 2019, he brought a new offensive system and was determined to lead the Blue Devils to their first Tri-County Conference championship since 2014. The new offensive system is in humming along in its second season and Shelby gets another […]
By Richard Walker Sunday and Monday a trio of local athletes were honored and/or showcased for their talents on the football field. Robert Washington, a 2016 East Gaston High graduate and a former Charlotte 49ers standout, continues to shine at Valparaiso College and on Sunday was named Pioneer Football League offensive player of the week […]
By Richard Walker South Point High’s all-time leading receiver will be moving on to another college. Ray Rose announced via his twitter account at 6:09 p.m. on Thursday that he was entering the transfer portal and leaving the University of North Carolina football program. A 6-foot-1, 215-pound wide receiver, Rose played in one game during […]
By Richard Walker Chase threatened one of the longest streaks in national high school history on Friday before Shelby rallied for a 47-41 home win. Chase (1-2) has still never beaten Shelby in a rivalry that started in 1959. The Golden Lions’ series lead is now 53-0-1 with the tie coming in 1968. The visiting […]