Rivals join forces in a show of solidarity following difficult diagnosis

Friday’s varsity softball game between West Iredell and visiting North Iredell began with a moment of silence and ended with a lot of hugs and tears.

It was a meaningful contest among rivals, but jockeying for position in the North Piedmont Conference took a back seat to the human spirit.

Earlier in the day, Kendayl Waugh, West Iredell’s star leadoff hitter and outstanding fielder, learned that she had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

Advised to sit out, Waugh was a spectator for the Warriors’ emotional 5-4 victory over the Raiders, whom they now share second place with in the conference.

“She wanted to play,” said Waugh’s father Terry, who predicted his daughter would fight her cancer with the same determination and effort she displays on the diamond.

Sporting street clothes, Waugh didn’t take her spot at second base or step into the batter’s box, but it would be hard to argue she wasn’t in the game. Putouts, strikeouts, key at-bats, it didn’t matter, Waugh was cheering on her teammates from the dugout.

Now, there is a wealth of people rooting for her to beat a disease.

Following the game, both teams remained on the field. Joining them was the large crowd — fans from each school — that gathered for the first of two regular-season meetings between the clubs. Linking arms, they formed a giant circle.

Then North Iredell assistant coach Charlie Payne led them all in a heart-felt prayer.

Afterward, Payne said he wasn’t sure he was going to make it through the first couple of minutes of the invocation without getting choked up. Payne’s daughter, Leslie, a catcher for North Iredell, has played softball with Waugh for years, so they’re bonded together.

Payne didn’t surrender to emotions during his prayer. He believes Waugh will show even greater strength in her battle.

“She’s not going to give in to something like that,” Payne said.

Good golly, what a great hire with Jolly

Like watching basketball teams that play an up-tempo style?

Run-and-gun. Defend the entire court.

If history holds true, expect to see a lot of that next year at Lake Norman. The school has promoted junior varsity boys basketball coach Brandon Jolly to varsity coach. He replaces Rich Tinucci, who announced Tuesday that he was stepping down after five seasons.

Jolly -- a graduate of Statesville High, who played for the Greyhounds in 1998 when they reached the 2A state semifinals -- amassed an impressive 77-26 record in five seasons leading the Wildcats JV team.

Under the instruction of Jolly, Lake Norman averaged 70 points a game on their way to a 21-0 season in 2004-05. Jolly made no bones about his strategy during their perfect run. It was rebound the ball and go. Steal it and go.

“I worked their butts off. They ran a lot in preseason, and they ran a lot during the season,” Jolly said following the unblemished campaign. “I told them it’s going to pay off when everybody else is bent over, huffing and puffing, and we’re still able to run.”

A similar approach led to a third consecutive North Piedmont Conference championship this season for the JV squad.

It’s safe to say Lake Norman basketball fans will like the new coach on the sideline, not to mention his mantra.

Jewelry that has a nice ring to it

Twenty-one players combined to do something spectacular at Lake Norman High School last fall. They're about to obtain the bling commemorating it.

On Thursday, during a ceremony at the school, the Wildcats boys soccer team will receive its championship rings for winning the 2006 3A state title.

It's 131 days after the fact. Perhaps some have forgotten. I know I haven’t. It’s the greatest sports moment I’ve ever experienced as a member of the R&L sports staff.

Allen Lomax scored the game-winning goal with 1 minute, 19 seconds left in the second-sudden death overtime, lifting Lake Norman to a 1-0 victory over defending champion Jacksonville and the school’s first team state championship.

The throng of Lake Norman students in attendance rushed the field.

Admittedly, even I jumped out of my seat when Lomax buried his breakaway shot. How often do you get to see someone win the game on the last play — a championship, no less? Honestly.

The title capped a sparkling 27-0 season in which the Wildcats outscored their opponents by a ridiculous 109 margin (119 goals for, 10 against).

Fittingly, they’ll soon have something shiny to remember it by.

Taking issue with All-State voting

The Associated Press released its annual All-State boys and girls high school basketball teams last Wednesday.

Inevitably someone gets left off who should have been picked.

Why?

All-State voting is flawed. It’s not like, for example, the AP’s selections for the national college basketball teams. College beat writers have an opportunity to see everyone they consider for such recognition play, whether it’s live or on television.

The 18 high school beat writers, which included myself, that voted for the AP All-State basketball teams don’t have such a luxury. This is a problem.

The process works like this: We nominate players and list their accomplishments, the AP compiles those and sends us a ballot, then we vote.

Statistics often decide who gets selected, but that’s wrong. Through no fault of their own — they don’t make the schedule — some athletes pad their stats against cupcakes.

How do we, as voters, know when that is and isn’t happening? Remember, we don’t see everyone play.

There are a lot of factors that have to be weighed in judging who the premier players are. Points are just part of the equation, and contrary to some beliefs, it matters who you’re loading up against. Stats alone don’t measure greatness, anyway.

For the most part, the AP All-State teams looked legitimate. But there are question marks and, unfortunately, there probably always will be.