Aubrey Meadows' eighth strikeout ended last Friday's baseball game against North Iredell, sealing an 8-3 North Piedmont 3A victory for the Blue Devils.
Oh, but it did so much more than produce Mooresville's 13th win.
"It's been a long time," coach Jeff Burchett said.
Burchett's team clinched no worse than a share of the NPC title -- their first conference championship in many moons. How long exactly?
Try 1985.
Timely hitting and a Meadows gem (he allowed three hits in a complete-game performance) ended the drought. That, and strategy at a critical point in the game.
North Iredell was about to get out of a huge jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. Relief pitcher Aaron Johnson struck out a pair with the bases loaded and the game knotted at 3-all.
Johnson came within a strike of a third consecutive K, but a parade of time calls while Aaron Meadows was at the plate altered the pace.
"The umpire should have figured it out. Three consecutive time calls. You've got to figure that out and just ignore it. He's in control," North Iredell coach Matthew Poole said. "It's breaking the pitcher's rhythm. That's how you teach and preach: 'work fast; get in a rhythm.' They were breaking it."
It worked like a charm, too.
Aaron Meadows ran the count full before drawing a walk to score the go-ahead run. The Blue Devils never looked back.
Now they'll look back at this season and remember how it felt to end 22 years of frustration. The memory could be even better.
Mooresville needs one win or a West Rowan loss in the final two games to lock up the NPC championship outright. The Blue Devils get their first crack at that Tuesday night against rival Lake Norman.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Ties that bind
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a Major Leauge Baseball player? Garrett Braun, a junior at Lake Norman High, has a fairly good idea -- better than most people, anyway.
Garrett is the younger brother of Ryan Braun, a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. Ryan got promoted from the minor leauges this year.
Garrett spent some time with me on Thursday discussing his relationship with his brother. The siblings share a bond: baseball. Garrett is also a pitcher. He's the Wildcats' ace.
Check out Sunday's edition of the R&L for more on this story.
Garrett is the younger brother of Ryan Braun, a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. Ryan got promoted from the minor leauges this year.
Garrett spent some time with me on Thursday discussing his relationship with his brother. The siblings share a bond: baseball. Garrett is also a pitcher. He's the Wildcats' ace.
Check out Sunday's edition of the R&L for more on this story.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
NPC baseball too close to call
Hang onto your hats, folks.
There are three conference games remaining for all eight North Piedmont 3A baseball teams. The championship is really a two-horse race at this point, but determining who gets the NPC's five playoffs berths and what order they are situated is still up in the air.
This we do know: NPC-leading Mooresville has already assured that Iredell County will have a baseball team in the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The Blue Devils, who are close to locking up at least a share of the NPC title, clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday with their 6-2 win over second-place West Rowan.
Mooresville last made the playoffs in 2000. West Iredell hasn't been since it advanced to the 2A regional final in 1999. Other "last appearances": Statesville 1997, South Iredell 1995 and North Iredell 1987. Lake Norman has never been to the playoffs since the program began in 2003.
Predicting how the NPC will shake out would be tough, considering most everybody in the conference is fairly even talent-wise. Here are my playoff-bound teams: Mooresville, West Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, Lake Norman and West Iredell.
There are three conference games remaining for all eight North Piedmont 3A baseball teams. The championship is really a two-horse race at this point, but determining who gets the NPC's five playoffs berths and what order they are situated is still up in the air.
This we do know: NPC-leading Mooresville has already assured that Iredell County will have a baseball team in the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The Blue Devils, who are close to locking up at least a share of the NPC title, clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday with their 6-2 win over second-place West Rowan.
Mooresville last made the playoffs in 2000. West Iredell hasn't been since it advanced to the 2A regional final in 1999. Other "last appearances": Statesville 1997, South Iredell 1995 and North Iredell 1987. Lake Norman has never been to the playoffs since the program began in 2003.
Predicting how the NPC will shake out would be tough, considering most everybody in the conference is fairly even talent-wise. Here are my playoff-bound teams: Mooresville, West Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, Lake Norman and West Iredell.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Hounds keep battling
It's been a long season for Statesville's baseball team. But even after a barrage of deflating one-run losses, the Greyhounds haven't thrown in the towel.
They're beginning to see the fruits of not giving in.
Statesville capped a 2-for-3 effort in North Piedmont 3A games this week with a 7-2 win over West Iredell Friday night. The victory avenged a 4-3 loss to the Warriors in the teams' first meeting.
Tuesday's 7-4 victory over North Iredell was also a payback win. The Raiders won the first get-together 5-3.
"We kept preaching to keep working and keep pushing," first-year Statesville head coach Chad Parker said. "We're starting to breakthrough a little bit. That's two good wins for us, especially after two tough losses to North and West."
The Greyhounds (6-11, 2-8 NPC) turned the tables on West Iredell. In the team's previous encounter it was the Warriors who rallied for the game-changing runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
On Friday, Statesville scored five times with two outs to pull away in the sixth. Left fielder Dillon Romito ignited the surge with a two-run Texas leaguer that dropped just beyond the infield dirt.
"Now that we're getting in a rhythm of winning, we're probably going to start getting more wins," Romito said.
Call the freshman naive, but ya gotta love the positive outlook.
They're beginning to see the fruits of not giving in.
Statesville capped a 2-for-3 effort in North Piedmont 3A games this week with a 7-2 win over West Iredell Friday night. The victory avenged a 4-3 loss to the Warriors in the teams' first meeting.
Tuesday's 7-4 victory over North Iredell was also a payback win. The Raiders won the first get-together 5-3.
"We kept preaching to keep working and keep pushing," first-year Statesville head coach Chad Parker said. "We're starting to breakthrough a little bit. That's two good wins for us, especially after two tough losses to North and West."
The Greyhounds (6-11, 2-8 NPC) turned the tables on West Iredell. In the team's previous encounter it was the Warriors who rallied for the game-changing runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
On Friday, Statesville scored five times with two outs to pull away in the sixth. Left fielder Dillon Romito ignited the surge with a two-run Texas leaguer that dropped just beyond the infield dirt.
"Now that we're getting in a rhythm of winning, we're probably going to start getting more wins," Romito said.
Call the freshman naive, but ya gotta love the positive outlook.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Gillespie's the real deal
The writing has been on the wall, but it's very clear to me now that Statesville's Keyrra Gillespie is bound for a major Division I college.
Which one?
Well, Florida is the early frontrunner. Late last week, the Gators became the first to extend an offer to Gillespie, according to Greyhounds girls basketball coach Todd Jones.
The kid's just a sophomore but, whoa, she's talented. And yes, that would explain the umpteen recruiting letters from schools all across the country. Heck, even Connecticut has scouted the dynamic point guard.
Gillespie may be the best high school girls basketball player I've ever seen in North Carolina since I moved to this state in 1989 -- I'm not exaggerating. And I've seen some pretty darn good ones, namely Wendy Palmer (Person County), a two-time ACC Player of the Year at Virginia in the mid-1990s, and Shea Ralph (Fayetteville Terry Sanford), who starred at UConn.
Some women's basketball program is going to strike it rich in the near future when it's Gillespie's turn to sign on the dotted line. That's for sure. Who knows, it might be that school in Gainsville, Fla. You know, the one that recently celebrated its second consecutive national championship in men's basketball.
Which one?
Well, Florida is the early frontrunner. Late last week, the Gators became the first to extend an offer to Gillespie, according to Greyhounds girls basketball coach Todd Jones.
The kid's just a sophomore but, whoa, she's talented. And yes, that would explain the umpteen recruiting letters from schools all across the country. Heck, even Connecticut has scouted the dynamic point guard.
Gillespie may be the best high school girls basketball player I've ever seen in North Carolina since I moved to this state in 1989 -- I'm not exaggerating. And I've seen some pretty darn good ones, namely Wendy Palmer (Person County), a two-time ACC Player of the Year at Virginia in the mid-1990s, and Shea Ralph (Fayetteville Terry Sanford), who starred at UConn.
Some women's basketball program is going to strike it rich in the near future when it's Gillespie's turn to sign on the dotted line. That's for sure. Who knows, it might be that school in Gainsville, Fla. You know, the one that recently celebrated its second consecutive national championship in men's basketball.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Daywalt one to watch
Mooresville's girls won their third Iredell County track and field championship in four years on Tuesday at Lake Norman High School.
The Blue Devils' victory wasn't as one-sided as the clinic the Mooresville boys team put on, but their 154 points bested second-place Statesville by 17 points.
Perhaps overshadowed by Mooresville's day was another stellar performance by Statesville pole vaulter Jordan Daywalt, who catapulted and cleared a bar set at 11 feet. Fittingly, her name is "Jordan" because the hangtime this young lady is manufacturing rivals anything "His Airness" ever accomplished.
I will be writing a story on Daywalt for Thursday's edition of the R&L. The junior is becoming quite the high-riser. Her ability in the pole vault could take her to the top of the charts in the state recordbook. She's already knocking on the door.
The Blue Devils' victory wasn't as one-sided as the clinic the Mooresville boys team put on, but their 154 points bested second-place Statesville by 17 points.
Perhaps overshadowed by Mooresville's day was another stellar performance by Statesville pole vaulter Jordan Daywalt, who catapulted and cleared a bar set at 11 feet. Fittingly, her name is "Jordan" because the hangtime this young lady is manufacturing rivals anything "His Airness" ever accomplished.
I will be writing a story on Daywalt for Thursday's edition of the R&L. The junior is becoming quite the high-riser. Her ability in the pole vault could take her to the top of the charts in the state recordbook. She's already knocking on the door.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Sad to see the Hurricanes go
The Stanley Cup playoffs begin Wednesday without the defending champion.
How sad. The Carolina Hurricanes won’t have a chance to repeat. Actually, they did have the opportunity — just didn’t get the job done to qualify. They were eliminated from playoff contention on April 3. A 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was the nail in the coffin.
The Eastern Conference takes the top eight teams. The Hurricanes finished 11th.
It’s difficult to be too critical of my boys. After all, they have been to their sport’s championship twice in the last six years and won the title once.
In all seriousness, this scenario was foreseeable. The Hurricanes were a shell of last year’s team.
Things began to unravel in the offseason — a severely shortened one, I might add, due to the 2006 playoff run. Losing third-line center Matt Cullen and sturdy defenseman Aaron Ward to the New York Rangers, who are in the playoffs, hurt.
Not as much as the countless injuries, though. One after another they piled up. Cory Stillman sat out until December and defenseman Frantisek Kaberle, who scored the game-winner in the Cup-clinching victory over the Edmonton Oilers, didn’t return to the lineup until February. There were many other bumps and bruises.
All told, the Hurricanes may have had the nucleus of last year’s team healthy for two shifts. OK, that's a stretch. Maybe a handful of games.
But those are all excuses. The talent was still there to, at the very least, make the playoffs. Instead, Carolina faces the humbling realization that it’s only the third Stanley Cup winner in the expansion era that failed to reach the playoffs the following year. The 1970 Montreal Canadiens and the 1995 New Jersey Devils suffered similar fates.
Ouch.
Oh well. I will still be watching the postseason action these next two months, even though my beloved Hurricanes aren’t in the mix. How can you not? Playoff hockey is the best, especially when the games go to overtime and you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for the hero to emerge. I’ll take an overtime playoff goal over an NCAA Tournament buzzer-beater any day of the week. (This coming from a guy who was raised on basketball.)
In the Hurricanes’ absence (tear), here are my predictions for the playoffs:
Eastern Conference champion: Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres lost in Game 7 of the conference finals to Carolina last season, and they’re even better this year. They won the Presidents’ Trophy, which is awarded annually to the team with the best record in the league. Honestly, I would prefer to see the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since it won back-to-back Cups in 1991 and 1992. The Penguins’ young star, Sidney Crosby, is everything the 19-year-old was cracked up to be when he came into the league at the age of 18. He is the NHL’s scoring leader, and having his skill on the biggest stage would do nothing but boost the league’s television ratings. That would help silence the hockey haters of the world.
Western Conference champion: Anaheim Ducks. They’re minus the “Mighty” in nickname only, not in talent. Besides, the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings are a tad overrated. With the exception of Nashville, their division is weak so it’s hard to gauge if they’re really that good. They beat up on the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues repeatedly this season.
Stanley Cup winner: Sabres in 7, even though Anaheim may have the better goaltender. Buffalo tied an NHL record with 10 straight victories to begin the season. Look for the Sabres to finish as strong as they started.
How sad. The Carolina Hurricanes won’t have a chance to repeat. Actually, they did have the opportunity — just didn’t get the job done to qualify. They were eliminated from playoff contention on April 3. A 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was the nail in the coffin.
The Eastern Conference takes the top eight teams. The Hurricanes finished 11th.
It’s difficult to be too critical of my boys. After all, they have been to their sport’s championship twice in the last six years and won the title once.
In all seriousness, this scenario was foreseeable. The Hurricanes were a shell of last year’s team.
Things began to unravel in the offseason — a severely shortened one, I might add, due to the 2006 playoff run. Losing third-line center Matt Cullen and sturdy defenseman Aaron Ward to the New York Rangers, who are in the playoffs, hurt.
Not as much as the countless injuries, though. One after another they piled up. Cory Stillman sat out until December and defenseman Frantisek Kaberle, who scored the game-winner in the Cup-clinching victory over the Edmonton Oilers, didn’t return to the lineup until February. There were many other bumps and bruises.
All told, the Hurricanes may have had the nucleus of last year’s team healthy for two shifts. OK, that's a stretch. Maybe a handful of games.
But those are all excuses. The talent was still there to, at the very least, make the playoffs. Instead, Carolina faces the humbling realization that it’s only the third Stanley Cup winner in the expansion era that failed to reach the playoffs the following year. The 1970 Montreal Canadiens and the 1995 New Jersey Devils suffered similar fates.
Ouch.
Oh well. I will still be watching the postseason action these next two months, even though my beloved Hurricanes aren’t in the mix. How can you not? Playoff hockey is the best, especially when the games go to overtime and you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for the hero to emerge. I’ll take an overtime playoff goal over an NCAA Tournament buzzer-beater any day of the week. (This coming from a guy who was raised on basketball.)
In the Hurricanes’ absence (tear), here are my predictions for the playoffs:
Eastern Conference champion: Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres lost in Game 7 of the conference finals to Carolina last season, and they’re even better this year. They won the Presidents’ Trophy, which is awarded annually to the team with the best record in the league. Honestly, I would prefer to see the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since it won back-to-back Cups in 1991 and 1992. The Penguins’ young star, Sidney Crosby, is everything the 19-year-old was cracked up to be when he came into the league at the age of 18. He is the NHL’s scoring leader, and having his skill on the biggest stage would do nothing but boost the league’s television ratings. That would help silence the hockey haters of the world.
Western Conference champion: Anaheim Ducks. They’re minus the “Mighty” in nickname only, not in talent. Besides, the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings are a tad overrated. With the exception of Nashville, their division is weak so it’s hard to gauge if they’re really that good. They beat up on the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues repeatedly this season.
Stanley Cup winner: Sabres in 7, even though Anaheim may have the better goaltender. Buffalo tied an NHL record with 10 straight victories to begin the season. Look for the Sabres to finish as strong as they started.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Conference title run in jeopardy for Wildcats after tie?
Seventeen players have netted at least one goal this season for Lake Norman's girls soccer team.
Even with all their offensive options, nobody tickled the twine in Wednesday's 0-0 stalemate with Mooresville.
"Coach (Dane) Perry said they've been struggling just a little bit with finishing," Blue Devils coach Steve Stith said.
Don't expect anybody around here to feel sorry for the Wildcats, the North Piedmont Conference bully since the program began in 2003.
Wednesday's tie was only the third time in 62 NPC games that Lake Norman hasn't posted a bigger number on the scoreboard than its opponent.
It's not like the Wildcats didn't have opportunities in their first of two meetings with Mooresville. They dominated possession and carried the play for most of the contest.
Mooresville goalkeeper Alicia Danenhower was sensational, though, stopping 24 shots on goal. The Wildcats fired another 30 or so shots, but they weren't on frame, largely because the Blue Devils defensive unit forced them to shoot from distances exceeding 15 yards.
"We've scored 56 goals in 13 games," Perry said. "But if you go back and look in our big games -- West Forsyth, North Mecklenburg, this one, Asheville, Tuscola -- no more than two goals a game. So we have got to learn how to put the ball in the back of the net against top teams."
Mooresville (8-1-4, 5-1-2 NPC) isn't ranked third in the 3A state coaches poll like Lake Norman (10-0-3, 7-0-1 NPC), but the surging Blue Devils haven't lost in eight outings.
And now they're in the thick of the conference championship race.
"It's definitely a big step for us," Danenhower said of Wednesday's outcome. "I think it's going to keep us going on a high roll."
She's probably right, but I still like Lake Norman's chances at capturing a fifth consecutive conference championship. The Wildcats put too much talent on the field not to favor them.
Even with all their offensive options, nobody tickled the twine in Wednesday's 0-0 stalemate with Mooresville.
"Coach (Dane) Perry said they've been struggling just a little bit with finishing," Blue Devils coach Steve Stith said.
Don't expect anybody around here to feel sorry for the Wildcats, the North Piedmont Conference bully since the program began in 2003.
Wednesday's tie was only the third time in 62 NPC games that Lake Norman hasn't posted a bigger number on the scoreboard than its opponent.
It's not like the Wildcats didn't have opportunities in their first of two meetings with Mooresville. They dominated possession and carried the play for most of the contest.
Mooresville goalkeeper Alicia Danenhower was sensational, though, stopping 24 shots on goal. The Wildcats fired another 30 or so shots, but they weren't on frame, largely because the Blue Devils defensive unit forced them to shoot from distances exceeding 15 yards.
"We've scored 56 goals in 13 games," Perry said. "But if you go back and look in our big games -- West Forsyth, North Mecklenburg, this one, Asheville, Tuscola -- no more than two goals a game. So we have got to learn how to put the ball in the back of the net against top teams."
Mooresville (8-1-4, 5-1-2 NPC) isn't ranked third in the 3A state coaches poll like Lake Norman (10-0-3, 7-0-1 NPC), but the surging Blue Devils haven't lost in eight outings.
And now they're in the thick of the conference championship race.
"It's definitely a big step for us," Danenhower said of Wednesday's outcome. "I think it's going to keep us going on a high roll."
She's probably right, but I still like Lake Norman's chances at capturing a fifth consecutive conference championship. The Wildcats put too much talent on the field not to favor them.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
NPC is Wildcats' playground
We're at the midway point of the North Piedmont Conference girls soccer season. Surprise, surprise, Lake Norman is leading the league.
The Wildcats, winners of four straight NPC championships, host crosstown rival Mooresville on Wednesday night at 7.
The fifth title isn't far off.
If Lake Norman (10-0-2, 7-0 NPC) beats Mooresville (8-1-3, 5-1-1 NPC), which rides a five-game winning streak into the contest, it's a done deal. Not mathematically, but for all intents and purposes.
Mooresville is one of only two schools in the eight-team conference with a reasonable shot at catching Lake Norman at this point. Northwest Cabarrus (5-1-1 NPC) is the other.
But if the Blue Devils lose, scratch them off. Why? Lake Norman would have to lose twice and tie once in the final six games for Mooresville -- which would have to win out -- just to get a share of the title.
Not happening. The Wildcats haven't lost two games in conference play since the program began in 2003. Lake Norman is 59-1-1 all-time in the NPC.
That's domination.
Go ahead and place the order for the conference championship banner.
The Wildcats, winners of four straight NPC championships, host crosstown rival Mooresville on Wednesday night at 7.
The fifth title isn't far off.
If Lake Norman (10-0-2, 7-0 NPC) beats Mooresville (8-1-3, 5-1-1 NPC), which rides a five-game winning streak into the contest, it's a done deal. Not mathematically, but for all intents and purposes.
Mooresville is one of only two schools in the eight-team conference with a reasonable shot at catching Lake Norman at this point. Northwest Cabarrus (5-1-1 NPC) is the other.
But if the Blue Devils lose, scratch them off. Why? Lake Norman would have to lose twice and tie once in the final six games for Mooresville -- which would have to win out -- just to get a share of the title.
Not happening. The Wildcats haven't lost two games in conference play since the program began in 2003. Lake Norman is 59-1-1 all-time in the NPC.
That's domination.
Go ahead and place the order for the conference championship banner.
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