Sports Central

Thinking big picture

2008-07-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Fall sports season is rolling around, even though it's still oppressively hot outside.

This time of year, I always begin to wonder: Which team, or teams, has the best shot of bringing a state championship back to Iredell County. [Fall has been particularly good to us here lately.]

KEEP AN EYE ON THEM: Three-time county runner of the year Alexa Van Epern returns for her senior season to lead a talented Lake Norman girls cross country team. Kaitlyn Ferguson and rising sophomores Jenny Gallagher and Rebecca Roman all finished inside the top 40 at last year's state championship meet, paving the way to the Wildcats' fourth-place finish. A note of interest: State champion Asheville Roberson graduated its two best runners, both of whom placed in the top five at the state meet.

QUEST FOR 3: Lake Norman's boys soccer team and Mooresville's boys cross country team will be pursuing a third consecutive state title. Both have immense voids to fill. Lake Norman graduated forward Matt Foxx, midfielder Ryan Mertes and defender Matt Gwilt, all of whom were named all-state last year, when the Wildcats capped back-to-back undefeated seasons with a second straight 3A state championship. Mooresville lost Patrick Campbell and Nathan Craig, who are now going to be running at North Carolina State and Brigham Young, respectively. If I had to pick which team I thought had the better chance to extend the streak, I'd take Mooresville because of the Blue Devils' stockpile of developing distance runners.

DIG THIS: North Iredell's volleyball team could be scary good. The Raiders will have one of the best front lines in the area -- perhaps region or state -- in outside hitter Molly Rhyne and middle blocker Taylor Clendenin. The duo helped the Raiders earn a piece of the 2007 North Piedmont Conference title. They shared it with eventual 3A state runner-up West Iredell. The Warriors graduated three marquee starters from that squad, opening the door for North Iredell to make a run at the state title this season. For the Raiders to become a legitimate championship contender, I believe three things must happen: (1.) There has to be a commitment to great defense, because a potent offense will only take you so far; (2.) They need to cultivate a pin-point accurate setter to replace Anna Wells, who graduated; and (3.) There must be confidence amongst teammates that they're good enough to go all the way, and a determination to see it through.

Football is in the air

2008-07-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

The N.C. High School Athletic Association set an Aug. 1 date for the first official day of high school football practice.

That means we're a week away, folks.

Opening night is just around the corner, too. The season kicks off Aug. 22.

I love it. Nothing gets my blood pumping in this profession quite like Friday night football.

Wednesday night's East-West All-Star football game in Greensboro only increased my anticipation.

Let the countdown begin.

Black and gold suits Rucker

2008-07-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Quan Rucker elected to play football for Wake Forest once his high school career is over at West Iredell High School.

The receiver has given the university a verbal commitment. (More on this story can be found in Wednesday's edition of the R&L).

"Wake Forest was high on his list," West Iredell coach Mark Weycker said.

Higher than Clemson, Illinois, North Carolina State and Virginia, just to name a few. Those schools pursued his services, too.

I think this is a great decision by an athlete I have a lot of respect for. Wake Forest is a fine academic institution with a football program on the rise. The Demon Deacons are 20-7 over the last two seasons, which includes an 11-3 mark in 2006, when they won the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

It always pleases me to see good things happen for good people, and Rucker is definitely one of those. If you've ever had the fortune of speaking to the young man, you know what I'm talking about. He's very grounded, a yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am, type of guy.

In addition to his tremendous athletic skill set -- he is a three-sport athlete at West Iredell -- Rucker will bring a good work ethic and strong leadership qualities to Wake Forest.

Those attributes have to be valued as much as his big-play ability, which keyed West Iredell's come-from-behind win over North Piedmont Conference champion West Rowan last season. After falling behind 12-0 midway through the third quarter, Rucker hauled in a slant pass from Jared Thompson, split two defenders and took it the rest of the way for a 72-yard touchdown. The Warriors' 20-18 win over West Rowan was the Falcons' only regular season loss.

Yes indeed, Wake Forest will be getting an all-around talent.

That's for sure.

Iredell blanked in East-West girls soccer showcase

2008-06-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

For the first time since 2005, Iredell County isn't sending anyone to compete in this summer's N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star girls soccer game.

Rosters for this year's event were released this week to the media.

The West team is as follows: Kelly Adams (Porter Ridge), Kristin Alderin-Fleagle (East Forsyth), Sarah Caldwell (Watauga), Heather Carter (North Stanly), Sarah Christman (Asheville Roberson), Eleanor Davidson (Pfafftown Reagan), Caroline Dickson (Greensboro Page), Meghan Gilmore (Asheville Roberson), Molly Kuchar (Asheville Reynolds), Casey McCormick (Charlotte Catholic), Taylor Norman (Pfafftown Reagan), Rachel Patton (Charlotte Providence), Joy Pittman (Charlotte Ardrey Kell), Corinne Smith (Greensboro Grimsley), Lena Suarez (Huntersville Hopewell) and Mélise Welbourn (West Henderson). West Henderson's Craig Long will coach the West team.

This wasn't a particularly strong year for seniors in Iredell -- underclassmen by and large grabbed the headlines -- but there were a few solid East-West candidates who were passed over in favor of the aforementioned 16 players. Below are my top three seniors, in no particular order:

Caroline Moffett. The Lake Norman forward was an all-conference, all-region selection. Her 13 goals were tied for most on a Wildcats team that advanced to the regional final of the 3A state playoffs. Moffett could score with her feet or head, making her a dual threat.
Tiffany Wilson. The Mooresville midfielder was all-conference and all-region. She tallied 12 goals and 12 assists to help the Blue Devils win 19 games and reach the second round of the 3A state playoffs. Wilson scored in big games. The hat trick against Statesville comes to mind. Her goal in the 63rd minute on April 16 tied the contest with Lake Norman at 2-all, but Lake Norman would eventually prevail 3-2.
Brittney Dailey. The Mooresville midfielder was all-conference and all-region. Her offensive numbers don't scream at you (four goals, six assists), but she was reliable with the ball at her feet. Dailey was an excellent defender, too; you couldn't just drive right past her.

Countdown to All-County

2008-05-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

This week the R&L sports department staff will discuss who we think should be on the All-County teams, which will be announced the week of June 9.

There are six spring sports, and nominations have been streaming in from Iredell County high school coaches who want us to consider their athletes.

The process is a challenging one for the simple fact there always tends to be an outstanding pool of nominees to choose from. (That goes for fall and winter sports seasons, too.)

This year is shaping up no differently.

The R&L also selects a county player of the year (or athlete of the year, in the case of track and field) in all sports. Those will be announced the week of June 9, as well.

'Bittersweet' ending for Wildcats

2008-05-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not convinced the voters got it right when they voted Asheville Roberson No. 1 in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, which was released Tuesday.

Having said that, the Rams are still REALLY good.

They had enough offensive punch to fend off a valiant effort by Lake Norman (24-2-1) in Wednesday night's 3A West Regional final. Roberson (28-0) won 2-1 and advances to play for the state championship Saturday.

Rams keeper Rachel Jennings made eight saves, and Roberson had nine for the game.

Lake Norman keeper Mollie Zimmer stopped three shots. The first goal she allowed wasn't really her fault. Marrisa McCord's shot off a Roberson throw-in was unchallenged. She had a clean look and buried it for a 1-0 lead with 10 minutes, 30 seconds left before halftime.

"There were a couple of defensive errors," Lake Norman coach Jon Mertes said, "and you can't do that when you're trying to get to the title game."

Mertes was hard-pressed to find many flaws in his team's execution and effort, though, and rightfully so.

The Wildcats played probably the best 30 minutes of the season in the second half. Of course, that was after they fell behind 2-0 to the Rams, who have now outscored their opponents 137-3 in 2008.

And so, Lake Norman will have to settle for making the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

"It's very sad that we didn't make it to the final," senior Caroline Moffett said. "But we had a great season. It's the farthest we've ever gotten (in the playoffs). Bittersweet, I guess."

Wildcats shine in pressure situation

2008-05-17T20:24:00.001-07:00

Lake Norman's girls soccer team is one victory away from playing for the first state championship in the program's six-year history.

The Wildcats defeated Marvin Ridge in Saturday's 3A state quarterfinals thanks to a 3-1 advantage in penalty kicks. The teams battled to a scoreless draw in regulation. No one scratched in the two 10-minute overtimes or two five-minute sudden death periods either.

Shootouts are usually intense (this one was no different). There is pressure on the goalies to make saves, but the shooters face a lot of pressure, too. No one wants to be remembered for missing the entire net, trust me.

Lake Norman goalkeeper Mollie Zimmer set the tone with a magnificent diving save on Marvin Ridge's first PK.

Lauren Vawter buried Lake Norman's first attempt.

The Wildcats made two of their next three kicks, while the Mavericks missed two of their next three -- one shot went too high and another clanked off the crossbar.

It had to be demoralizing for previously unbeaten Marvin Ridge (20-1-1), which outplayed Lake Norman (24-1-1) most of the game and had a goal disallowed in the 77th minute on an offside call.

I admire the Wildcats' ability to hang in there and find a way to get the job done.

Don't write off Lake Norman baseball in the next round either

2008-05-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Lake Norman's baseball team had never won a playoff game before this season.

Now the Wildcats have won a pair and are in the 3A state playoffs' Round of 16.

They earned their place, too, beating last year's 3A state runner-up Southeast Guilford 6-5 in the first round followed by Tuesday night's 5-3 come-from-behind win over Southwest Guilford, the No. 2 seed from the Piedmont Triad Conference.

Lake Norman faces a familiar opponent in the next round. They travel to Granite Quarry to battle North Piedmont Conference champion East Rowan (24-2).

The Wildcats (13-13) finished tied for sixth in the NPC, but owned the head-to-head tiebreaker with Carson and North Iredell for the league's last playoff berth.

They HAD to win their last two games of the regular season just to get in, so the Wildcats have essentially been in playoff mode for about two weeks.

"That sense of urgency at the end of the season has carried us these past two games," Lake Norman's Joe Faist said following the Southwest Guilford victory.

Lake Norman is getting contributions from everyone.

Garrett Braun, Tyler Lewis and Eric Manser each homered and Nick Lomascolo struck out 13 in the Wildcats' first-round victory.

Jordan Farrell almost hit for the cycle in the second round. His sixth-inning leadoff triple set the stage for the go-ahead runs. Right fielder Donnie Burt's diving grab on a line-drive to right-center prevented Southwest Guilford from taking an early 2-1 lead, possibly more.

And sophomore Scottie Williams, making his first playoff start Tuesday, pitched solidly - not mention picked off three baserunners -- before giving way to Ross Whitley with the game knotted at 3-all in the bottom of the fifth. Whitley slammed the door on the Cowboys. He didn't allow a single hit over the final three innings. Whitley also struck out six of the 11 batters he faced.

I may be naive enough to believe this, but I think Lake Norman may just pull off the stunner of all stunners Friday. They're playing well. They're confident. And East Rowan, winner of 20 straight, is due for a loss.

My prediction: Lake Norman 5, East Rowan 4; Wildcats move on to the state quarterfinals

Gridiron Cup farewell tour

2008-05-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Statesville and Mooresville will discontinue their series in football beginning in 2009.

The Blue Devils, who will be joining a new 4A league consisting of five Mecklenburg County schools and Lake Norman, opted not to keep Statesville on the schedule as a nonconference game.

Statesville wanted to prolong the series.

Mooresville football coach Barclay Marsh says it's not that they didn't want to, but that when they were working on their schedule "we felt like it was in our best interest to go with the schools we did."

That would be Alexander Central, Bandys, Northwest Cabarrus, South Rowan and West Rowan.

Farewell, Gridiron Cup.

It's sad, because in 2001 Mooresville and Statesville renewed a rivalry that had been dormant since 1985. The annual winner receives the Gridiron Cup, a trophy sponsored by the R&L and Mooresville Tribune.

Statesville captured the cup for the first time since 2001 this past season. Mooresville won the other five meetings.

The 2008 winner will be the last.

Personally, I would prefer to see Mooresville continue playing Statesville. There's always a lot of buildup, and the games are typically exciting.

However, I have no problem with Mooresville deciding not to play Statesville. The program should be free to choose whoever they want to play. Their hands shouldn't be tied.

Anyway, I think Statesville and North Iredell or Statesville and West Iredell make a better rivalry game. That's just my opinion.

Diamond notes

2008-04-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

The N.C. High School Athletic Association state baseball playoffs begin May 9.

Unless they implode during the final five North Piedmont 3A games of the season, the Mooresville Blue Devils are a lock to qualify. At 9-4, they are currently tied for second in the NPC standings.

Iredell County has two other legitimate playoff hopefuls in the NPC, but Lake Norman (6-7) and North Iredell (6-7) are jumbled together with Carson (6-7) and West Rowan (5-8). Of those four, only two are probably going to make it.

The league gets six automatic bids. In addition to Mooresville, South Rowan and Northwest Cabarrus are not in too much danger of missing out, and league-leading East Rowan has already clinched a spot.

Important dates for Lake Norman: April 29 at West Rowan; May 2 vs. North Iredell

Important dates for North Iredell: Friday vs. Carson; May 2 at Lake Norman

Coach shouldn't be fired

2008-04-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

OK, so let me get this straight: The Carolina Hurricanes are considering letting go of Peter Laviolette, the coach who led them to the 2006 Stanley Cup title?

I guess missing the playoffs twice in as many years since that time lends itself to serious scrutiny.Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford told The Associated Press this week there isn’t a rush to decide on Laviolette’s future.

“Everything is under review, as it should be at the end of any season,’’ Rutherford told the AP.

“Even under the best of times, there (are) changes that are made,’’ he added. "And then when you miss the playoffs two years in a row, you have to consider ... the things you can do to try to change, and bring about change, in your team and give you a better chance to make the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup.’’

I could see how missing the playoffs in back-to-back years after winning the Cup could get a coach fired in a place like Detroit or New Jersey. But the Hurricanes don’t have the tradition of the Red Wings or Devils, so this bantering about handing Laviolette the pink slip is disturbing.

Besides, it’s not like Carolina completely tanked after winning the Cup like it did in 2003-04 — under then-coach Paul Maurice — following its 2002 Stanley Cup Finals loss to Detroit.

The Canes barely missed the playoffs this season and last. In fact, this year Carolina finished two points shy of winning the Southeast Division with a record of 43-33-6. It did so despite mounting injuries to key players throughout the season.

Laviolette shouldn’t be skating on thin ice just yet. Cut the guy some slack.

Phones ringing off the hook for Gillespie

2008-04-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

Statesville history teacher Todd Jones got a phone call during his planning period Monday morning. A University of Miami women’s basketball coach was on the other line and wanted to speak to the Greyhounds girls basketball coach.

We would like to have Keyrra Gillespie come to Miami, Jones said the coach told him.

Small piece of advice, Hurricanes: Take a number and get in line.

Clemson, Florida and Charlotte have already offered Gillespie scholarships. Duke, Wake Forest and Kansas are a few other big names in the recruiting mix.

But interest in the junior point guard swelled in a short period of time, and it’s no coincidence the spike comes on the heels of Gillespie’s first team All-State selection March 27. College coaches around the country have been so advised.

Jones said he received 90 phone calls over the weekend from programs like California, Creighton and UCLA.

Even LSU — you know, the team that’s in the Final Four for the fifth straight year.

"I had to keep recharging my phone. It rang all weekend," Jones said. "It was crazy."

Pretty soon, those coaches can contact the three-time R&L county player of the year, and Jones brought that to Gillespie's attention.

"I said, 'You have your phone on ... I want you to answer every phone call,' "Jones said. " 'And you better be able to come back and tell me who called and everything else. I don’t care if it’s 100 of them, write down names. You need to come up with some questions you’re going to ask them, and I’ll help you with the questions if you want.’ She knows it’s coming."

Absolutely. The buzz comes with the territory.

Hopping on the Davidson bandwagon

2008-03-23T18:06:00.001-07:00

How about those Davidson Wildcats?

I admit I wasn't bold enough to pick Davidson to beat Georgetown in my NCAA tournament bracket -- although I did have it beating Gonzaga in the first round -- but that's exactly what the Wildcats did Sunday. They knocked off the second-seeded Hoyas 74-70 to advance to the Sweet 16.

As a proud Appalachian State graduate, it has never been my style to root for the Mountaineers' Southern Conference rival.

Well, those days are gone.

What's not to like about a well-coached, fundamentally-sound basketball team?

That's the Wildcats in a nutshell. Oh, and they just happen to have probably the best shooter in the nation in guard Stephen Curry, who followed up his 40-point performance in their first-round win over Gonzaga with 30 against the Hoyas.

People are talking about a possible North Carolina-Kansas showdown in the Final Four.

Don't count out those talented 10th-seeded Wildcats from winning the Midwest Regional this week.

I won't be.

Some headscratching selections

2008-03-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

The North Piedmont 3A released its winter sports all-conference award winners to the R&L on Monday. There are some more questionable selections this year. (SHOCK!)

Sometimes you wonder if the people voting on these things actually have a clue as to what's going on.

You can tell some let their jealousy or disdain for another school influence their voting.

Last year, Lake Norman swimmer Austin Johnson won a state championship in the 100-yard butterfly. He also was a regional champion, a county champion and a conference champion.

Somehow, a majority of NPC powers that be managed not to vote for him as NPC swimmer of the year. I know there were some other talented swimmers in the league, but not the caliber of Johnson.

It was absurd.

Mooresville's Ellen Velte got hosed in the girls swimmer of the voting in 2008. I think Statesville's Shannon Hayes is an outstanding swimmer, but Velte is better and the results back that up.

The NPC swim coaches have more of a swimming background than do the writers here at the R&L. Nevertheless, we will get it right when we unveil our county swimmers of the year in the coming days.

NPC shows its stuff

2008-02-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

Coaches always love to defend the strength of their conference. Often times it blows up in their faces when the state playoffs arrive, because teams from other conferences eliminate them quickly.

So far it looks as though North Piedmont 3A boys basketball coaches who were bragging about the depth of the NPC this season look justified in doing so.

The top four seeds won their first-round playoff games Tuesday night, and three of them triumphed on the road.

Northwest Cabarrus (NPC champion) defeated visiting Eastern Randolph (Mid-Piedmont Conference No. 4) 64-51

East Rowan (NPC No. 2) upended St. Stephens (Catawba Valley Conference No. 2) 83-65

West Rowan (NPC No. 3) knocked off Asheville Roberson (Mountain Athletic Conference champion) 60-56 in overtime

Mooresville (NPC No. 4) toppled Kings Mountain (Southwestern Conference No. 1) 76-66

And don't forget Lake Norman (NPC No. 5) took defending 3A state champion Concord to the wire before losing 74-70.

Statesville (NPC No. 6) had a rough go, losing at Trinity, ranked second in the state, 78-55, but all in all I'd say that was an impressive statement by the NPC.

If the same four can win Thursday in the second round that would mean 1/4 of 16 remaining teams in the 3A playoffs would hail from the NPC. Now that would be something to brag about.

Clearly, there's no shame in East Lincoln's game

2008-02-13T17:56:00.000-08:00

Before I get started, take a couple of moments to look over this box score from Tuesday night's high school girls basketball game between South Iredell and East Lincoln, which was played in Denver ...

South Iredell 6 12 2 16 -- 36
East Lincoln 23 23 43 12 -- 101
SOUTH IREDELL (36): Tish McCombs 13, Saddler 9, Kay. Kerley 5, Hoover 5, Kas. Kerley 3, Morris 1.
EAST LINCOLN (101): Kiandra Long 22, Lindsy Wright 22, Sonny Marthers 15, Kristen Wakefield 13, Megan Savidge 11, King 9, Denton 4, Davis 2, Mordas 1, Ashley 1.

NOW, I ask, was that necessary against a 1-21 team?

Answer: Absolutely not.

Outscoring your opponent 43-2 in the third quarter when you led 46-18 at the half was classless, East Lincoln.

At 16-7 -- and 12-1 in a really weak conference -- the Mustangs are nothing to write home about. But they found time to run up the score on a struggling team. C'mon.

Some people have no shame.

Hurricanes have some work to do

2008-02-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

The Carolina Hurricanes play at the Washington Capitals tonight. They trail Washington by a point in the Southeast Division standings.

The Hurricanes need to pick up the pace or they're going to find themselves sitting out of the playoffs for the second straight year -- and they won the Stanley Cup in 2006 for crying out loud.

Currently, the Hurricanes have 56 points. Good grief, the fourth-place teams in the Atlantic and Northeast Divisions have more points than that.

If the NHL playoffs began today, the Eastern Conference seeds would look like this:

1. Ottawa (leads Northeast Division) 70 points
2. Philadelphia (leads Atlantic Division) 65
3. Washington (leads Southeast Division) 57
4. Montreal 67
5. Pittsburgh 65
6. New Jersey 64
7. N.Y. Rangers 60
8. Boston 59

On the outside looking in: Buffalo 57, Carolina 56, Atlanta 56, Florida 55, N.Y. Islanders 54, Toronto 53, Tampa Bay 51.

A match truly worth watching

2008-01-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

Fans came in droves to Lake Norman High School on Wednesday to see Lake Norman and Mooresville wrestle for the North Piedmont 3A championship.

It was worth the price of admission. It’s doubtful you could have found better entertainment, and judging by the turnout, those in attendance sensed a special battle.

Mooresville prevailed 38-27 to clinch its third consecutive NPC title and deny Lake Norman from obtaining the program’s first.

The Blue Devils did it in front of a near-capacity crowd. Wrestling may get overlooked at times in the sports world, but not Wednesday, that's for sure. The atmosphere was raucous.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Mooresville coach Ben Watson, who could be seen urging the Blue Devils contingent to get loud during crucial moments in the match.

Wrestlers from both teams worked hard to earn the right to tussle for the NPC crown in the regular-season finale. They deserved that kind of support.

If the basketball playoffs started today ...

2008-01-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

The N.C. High School Athletic Association state basketball playoffs are still a little more than a month away, but it's not too early to take a look at what potentially lies ahead for some of Iredell's teams.

Six of the North Piedmont Conference's 10 teams (boys and girls) automatically qualify for the playoffs. The crazy thing is that only the conference champions will play home games in the first round.

That's right.

The No. 2 seeds have to travel to the Catawba Valley Conference's No. 2 seeds due to seeding priority. Barring any upsets, seeds 2 through 6 from the NPC won't get to enjoy a homecourt advantage at all in the playoffs. That doesn't seem fair to Nos. 2 and 3, but that's the reality.

Anyway, the following is a look at first-round matchups for Iredell teams IF the playoffs started today. (And I think there's a good chance most of them will shake out this way in the end):

BOYS

Mooresville (9-5, 7-3 NPC) would be the No. 4 seed from the NPC. This is exactly where the Blue Devils want to be in mid-February. They would play the top 3A team from the split 2A/3A Southwestern Conference. Right now that's R-S Central. The Hilltoppers are 6-8.

Lake Norman (10-4, 6-4 NPC) would be the No. 5 seed from the NPC. This is not where the Wildcats want to be come playoff time. In order to advance to the second round of the playoffs, Lake Norman would have to beat the South Piedmont Conference champion. Folks, that's going to be Concord, the top-ranked 3A team in the state. The Spiders are undefeated right now.

Statesville (6-9, 3-7 NPC) would be the No. 6 seed from the NPC. Good luck. You get the Mid-Piedmont Conference champion in the first round. Right now that's ninth-ranked Ragsdale. The Tigers just took over the top spot in the MPC by beating fifth-ranked Trinity.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: North Iredell (2-8 NPC) and West Iredell (2-8 NPC) have a shot to overtake Statesville for the last playoff spot, but fifth place seems highly unlikely at this point.

GIRLS

Statesville (14-1, 10-0 NPC) would be the No. 1 seed from the NPC. The Greyhounds, ranked sixth in the state in 3A, would host the Mid-Piedmont Conference No. 4 seed in the first round. That most likely will be Trinity of Southwestern Randolph. Neither team is tearing it up. But the MPC does have two solid teams at the top in Ragsdale and Southeast Guilford, so Trinity and SWR would be battle tested. If it wins, Statesville would host a second-round game as well.

Lake Norman (11-4, 7-3 NPC) would be the No. 3 seed from the NPC. The Wildcats would travel to Asheville in the first round to take on the Mountain Athletic Conference champion T.C. Roberson. The Rams are 13-1 and ranked No. 5 in 3A.

North Iredell (8-5, 6-4 NPC) would be the No. 4 seed from the NPC. The Raiders would travel to Kings Mountain to take on the Mountaineers. Of all the possibilities for the Raiders -- minus missing the playoffs -- this would be the ideal scenario. As the No. 3 or No. 5 seed, North would be guaranteed a tougher first-round games.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Mooresville (3-7 NPC) and West Iredell (1-9 NPC). Playoffs are a long shot for these two.

Vikings knocking on the door

2008-01-09T17:50:00.000-08:00

South Iredell's girls basketball team got a sniff of the win column Tuesday night, but not even Tish McCombs' 20 points were enough for the Vikings to taste victory.

Lincolnton outscored South 11-4 in the fourth quarter to win 38-36.

So close.

It might be discouraging that the Vikings -- losers of 15 straight dating back to last year -- had breakthrough in their crosshairs and let it get away. However, it's got to be encouraging that they're drawing closer to the target.

This is a team that lost 77-2 to Lake Norman in its fourth game of the season.

I'm going to roll the dice here and say South's girls (0-13, 0-4 Southern Piedmont 1A-2A) will not finish winless like they did during the 2004-05 season.

At the very least, I like the Vikings to beat Lincolnton when it comes to Barium Springs on Jan. 29.

R&L Holiday Classic approaches

2007-12-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

The R&L Holiday Classic tips off at West Iredell High School on Wednesday, the day after Christmas.

The Classic is one of the few times folks around Iredell County can observe other intriguing county matchups, in addition to watching the team they swear their allegiance to. That is part of the reason why the tournament is one of my favorite things to cover for the newspaper.

In addition, it's often some of the best basketball played here during the course of the season.

Predictions for this year's Classic:

1.) There will be two overtime games, with one outcome being decided at the final buzzer.

2. ) Lake Norman's boys will win the championship for the first time since the program began in 2002.

3. ) Statesville's girls will three-peat as Classic champs for the second time in school history. The Greyhounds, tournament champs in 2005 and '06, won three consecutive titles from 1999-2001.

ASU a team of destiny?

2007-12-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

Appalachian State will play for its third consecutive national championship Friday.

The Mountaineers' final opponent of the 2007 season will be Delaware (11-3).

What a weird coincidence that the Blue Hens sport the same colors and helmet design as the Michigan Wolverines, the team ASU (12-2) upset in Ann Arbor, Mich., to kick off its march to Chattanooga, Tenn.

Maybe that's a sign. I hope so.

Reflecting on showdown

2007-12-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

Our high school basketball game of the week didn't exactly live up to its billing.

Statesville's girls basketball team prevailed 49-38 over Lake Norman on Tuesday, despite numerous poor decisions with the basketball. The Greyhounds turned the ball over 32 times.

The saving grace for Statesville was its ability to dominate the glass. The Greyhounds' 34 rebounds doubled that of the Wildcats.

Having Keyrra Gillespie didn't hurt either.

Gillespie came off the bench -- she was sick and missed practice the day before -- and provided an instant spark with her presence. Statesville began the second quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 20-15 lead.

Lake Norman had bright spots, too, but I think the Wildcats missed an opportunity in the first quarter. With Gillespie sitting on the bench that period, Statesville turned the ball over nine times. Yet the Wildcats only led 13-6 at the end of the quarter.

Had the Wildcats pressed the Greyhounds' other ballhandlers, Lake Norman may have built an insurmountable lead, even with Gillespie checking back into the game after the first eight minutes were in the books.

On the whole, I think Statesville and Lake Norman will be better the next time they meet. (It was unfortunate that the two top teams in the North Piedmont 3A last year had to play in the league opener).

But Tuesday's game should be encouraging for other conference championship hopefuls, like North Iredell.

I think the door is open for a third team -- maybe even a fourth -- to challenge Lake Norman or Statesville this season in the NPC. I don't believe it will be a two-horse race for the conference title like it was last year, when the Greyhounds went undefeated in conference play, and Lake Norman lost twice (both times to Statesville).

Hail to the victors

2007-11-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, I predicted which five Iredell teams had legitimate shots of winning state championships this fall.

I had Mooresville's boys cross country team the most likely to do so, followed closely by Lake Norman's boys soccer team.

I'd like to say thank you for making me look good. They both claimed state titles. West Iredell's volleyball team (my third choice) didn't do too bad either, finishing as the 3A state runner-up.

What a great fall sports season. Having said that, Lake Norman is, without doubt, the most dominant team I've seen in my seven years covering high school sports for the R&L.

With their 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Wilson Fike in Friday night's 3A state soccer championship, the Wildcats completed an unblemished 29-0 season. They outscored their opponents 120-12 along the way.

Sound familiar? That's because Lake Norman punctuated last year's 27-0 season with the first of their back-to-back titles. Their last loss came on Nov. 12, 2005, when crosstown rival Mooresville edged them 2-1 in the state quarterfinals.

The Wildcats have won 56 straight. There were no ties -- I repeat, no ties -- during that run.

That's impressive.

Good job, guys.

College basketball tips off, gets crazy already

2007-11-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

Grand Valley State, a Division II school from Allendale, Mich., knocked off Michigan State 85-82 in double overtime on Nov. 2.

Findlay, a Division II school in Ohio, shocked Ohio State 70-68 on Tuesday.

Wednesday night, Gardner-Webb upset Kentucky at Rupp Arena in a game that, unlike the aforementioned exhibitions, counted toward their overall records.

Check your calendars. It’s not March, but the madness has already begun in college basketball.

It should be another thrilling season on the hardwood. Hopefully the unpredictability will rival college football this fall.

Maybe there’s another Cinderella out there like George Mason.

Warriors heading to Raleigh for state championship

2007-10-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations are in order for West Iredell's volleyball team.

The Warriors defeated a very talented Enka squad in the 3A Western Regional final on Tuesday night to advance to the state championship.

Showing poise and determination, West ousted Enka 3-0 (25-21, 30-28, 26-24). The Warriors saved two game points in the second game and three in the third to prevail in both. It was incredible.

I won't be surprised at all if West (28-5) brings back the school's first state championship on Saturday.

Iredell's state title contenders are ...

2007-10-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

We’re getting very close to the postseason for all minor sports. Iredell has several teams capable of making the deepest of playoff runs.

The following are my top-five picks from the county to win an NCHSAA state championship this fall (No. 1 being the most likely):

No. 5: North Iredell’s volleyball team
The Raiders boast plenty of talent. Stephanie Bennett, Taylor Clendenin and Molly Rhyne are solid at the net. Anna Wells is a quality setter. North Iredell’s serve receive and defense has to improve, though, in order to reach the final.

No. 4: Lake Norman's girls cross country team
The Wildcats returned three of their top four runners from last year’s squad. Alexa Van Epern, Kaitlyn Ferguson and Jessica Fedorka helped garner a ninth-place finish at the 2006 3A state championship meet. Lake Norman added two strong freshmen, who are running productively this season. Asheville T.C. Roberson will be favored to capture the title.

No. 3: West Iredell's volleyball team
The Warriors have been a consistent contender for almost an eternity now. They’ve advanced to the regional final four times in the last 10 years and made one state championship appearance. West Iredell might not be quite as good as last year, when it probably should’ve won the title. (West blew a healthy lead late in the fifth game of its third-round playoff match and lost to eventual champion Southwest Guilford). Seniors Marrissa Church, Megan Courson and Bria James lead another gifted lineup. No doubt, the Warriors have a shot to claim that elusive championship.

No. 2: Lake Norman’s boys soccer team
The Wildcats have given us no reason yet to believe they won’t win their second straight 3A state championship. They’ve won all of their games this season, most of them handily. Last week, top-ranked Lake Norman triumphed 2-1 on the road at perennial power Charlotte Catholic, currently ranked second. The Wildcats rallied to do it. Pretty impressive stuff. Lake Norman is skilled at every position. Highlighting a savvy cast of players is forward Matt Foxx, midfielder Ryan Mertes and defender Matt Gwilt. Lake Norman will be a tough out in the playoffs. That’s for sure.

No. 1: Mooresville’s boys cross country team
If the Blue Devils’ top seven runners stay injury-free, Mooresville will repeat, and it won’t even be close. Without question, they’re built for another 3A state championship run. Last weekend, they competed in the McDonald’s Invitational in Richmond, Va. Mooresville placed ninth in a field featuring 21 of the Southeast’s top teams. Patrick Campbell led the way, clocking in at 15 minutes, 44 seconds -- good enough for fourth place. Josh Cox, Nathan Craig, Chase Martin, Joseph Newman, and Graham and Jordan Sledge are strong as well and probably make Mooresville too talented to overcome this November.

Blue Devils will go back-to-back.

Repeat in store for Wildcats?

2007-09-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

I figured losing all but one of its starting defenders -- not to mention the county player of the year -- would be too much for Lake Norman's boys soccer team to overcome in its quest to win another state championship.

I think I'm going to be wrong. Big time.

The Wildcats are playing as crisp as they did last season, when they captured the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A state title and completed a perfect 27-0 season.

The win streak is 39 games following Monday's 3-1 victory over Northwest Cabarrus which decided who took over first place outright in the North Piedmont Conference.

Top-ranked Lake Norman is at second-ranked Charlotte Catholic on Thursday. If the Wildcats triumph in that affair, I say Iredell County is destined to have its first back-to-back NCHSAA state champion since the Statesville girls tennis team won in 1999 and repeated in 2000.

It's great to be a Mountaineer

2007-09-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

Big Blue who?

I'm not going to say I knew Appalachian State would go into the Big House on Saturday, shock the world and beat Michigan. That would be a lie. But I'm not going to sit idle either and miss relishing the Mountaineers' 34-32 victory over the most prestigious college football program in country.

Incredible.

Where are the naysayers now? You know, the ones who downplayed the significance of Appalachian's back-to-back national championships because they came at the Division I-AA and Football Championship Subdivision level.

My co-worker Brad Norman -- like me, an Appalachian State graduate -- put it best: No more Division II cracks. No more comments about our junior varsity title.

Maybe now others around the country will learn how to pronounce Appalachian State correctly.

Lake Norman soccer continues its winning ways

2007-08-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Matt Foxx is a force to be reckoned with. He proved it again on Monday night, leading the Lake Norman boys soccer team to a convincing 5-0 win over West Iredell.

Foxx netted four goals, tying the school record for scores in a game. His performance overshadowed a crisp offensive display by the entire Lake Norman team, which is off to a fast start in its 3A state title defense.

"We're just trying to keep a level head and keep winning," said midfielder Corey Evans, who assisted two goals against West Iredell.

So far, so good.

Lake Norman, which won all 27 of its games last season, improved to 3-0. The Wildcats have outscored their first three opponents 14-1, and they don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

Blowout football win (89-0) a defenseless act

2007-08-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

We're two weeks into the high school football season and already we have a You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself award winner.

Defending 2A state champion Burlington Cummings must have thought it was a good idea to run up the score on Friday night, because the Cavaliers hung nearly 100 points on the scoreboard. They roughed up Carrboro, a first-year school located on the outskirts of Chapel Hill, 89-0.

Is that really necessary?

You would expect a perennial power such as Cummings to show some class.

I suppose beating county foe Southern Alamance 57-6 the first week wasn't enough for the Cavaliers. And I'm sure they had to one-up rival Graham, which shut out Carrboro 47-0 the opening week.

Actually, more like double-up -- the score. Almost had it, guys. You were a field goal and a safety shy.

Shame on Cummings. That's ridiculous.

Warriors running back has night to remember

2007-08-18T11:57:00.001-07:00

Had popular TV sports broadcaster Keith Jackson been calling the action Friday night at West Iredell, he would have worn out the phrase "Whoa, Nellie!" like Warriors running back Bobby Morrison wore out the Forbush Falcons defense.

Morrison was unbelievable, carrying the ball 16 times for a whopping 274 yards. His dashes included touchdown runs of 67, 43 and 71 yards. The single-game rushing total broke the school record previously held by Chris McCormick. In 2004, McCormick posted 264 yards against South Iredell.

Built like a rock and lightning quick like the Road Runner, Morrison could have piled on more yards in the Warriors' 51-0 romp over Forbush. The 5-foot-9, 189-pound senior had a 71-yard touchdown run in the second quarter called back because of a penalty.

Mercifully, he was taken out early in the fourth quarter after his 19-yard jaunt put him into the West Iredell record book -- again. Morrison established records for points in a season (190) and rushing touchdowns in a season (25) as a junior.

Afterward, Morrison thanked his offensive line and receivers for how well they cleared paths. The words may have sounded rehearsed, but they were unquestionably sincere.

Congratulations, Bobby. Your performance was exceptional. Your attitude? Even better.

Ready for some football, high school style

2007-08-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sixteen days and counting until the bands play and the teams take the field.

The 2007 high school football season got under way on Monday with the first official day of practice.

Excitement reigned at Iredell County's six schools. Everybody is unbeaten. The possibilities are endless.

Some thoughts:

1.) I don't think South Iredell will have the kind of dropoff a lot of people think the Vikings will have this season after losing their coach and starting quarterback following a remarkable run in 2006. Last year, the Vikings went 8-6 and reached the third round of the 2AA state playoffs -- the farthest South Iredell had ever advanced in the postseason. South Iredell returns a lot of talent at the skill positions and its linemen are bigger. New coach Ed Masterton seems to have installed a fun-looking offense, so don't sleep on the Vikings.

2.) Can't wait to see what West Iredell running back Bobby Morrison has in store for an encore. Morrison set school records for points in a season (190) and rushing touchdowns (25) in 2006. It's no coincidence that the Warriors posted the second-best regular-season record (9-2) in school history.

3.) Don't be surprised if you see Statesville make a dramatic improvement. Coming off a winless 2005 campaign, the Greyhounds went 2-9 in 2006, Randall Gusler's first season. They were competitive in many of their losses. I look for Statesville to win at least five games this year. Maybe six or seven to creep over .500 for the first time since 2003.

MLB, NBA, NFL clean yourselves up

2007-07-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

NBA commissioner David Stern is in damage control mode with the revelation that one of the league's officials bet on games.

The NFL has a multitude of players that can't seem to keep their noses' clean, like Tennessee Titans defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones. Of course, Michael Vick headlines that crowd right now. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback appears to be in a heap of trouble stemming from dogfighting allegations.

Major League Baseball has issues with rampant steroid use. A cloud of suspicion hangs over Barry Bonds' head as he closes in on the sport's most hallowed record. He is three home runs shy of breaking Hank Aaron's mark of 755.

What a mess those three "major sports leagues" find themselves in.

It is a great day to be a hockey fan!

Dog days of summer

2007-07-05T19:03:00.000-07:00

OK, I didn't understand ESPN'S choosing to air Scripps National Spelling Bee.

I finally accepted it.

But honestly, do we really need Breaking News for hot dogs?

Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest was Wednesday in Coney Island, N.Y. Joey Chesnut ate 66 in 12 minutes to dethrone longtime reigning champion Takeru Kobayashi.

Call it entertaining (although I question those who get their kicks watching others scarf down wieners and buns), but it's NOT a sport.

An ESPN TV commentator covering the event had the gall to refer to it as the greatest moment in the history of American sports.

I would've said the Miracle on Ice, but what do I know? I'm not an athlete -- I can only eat about two hot dogs in one sitting.

Iredell baseball has seen better days

2007-07-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

At best, Mooresville Post 66 will finish its Area III Southern Division schedule at 8-12.

Wow. That is hard to believe.

The Moors' American Legion baseball roster is dominated by guys who played in high school this spring at Lake Norman and Mooresville. Lake Norman finished tied for third in the eight-team North Piedmont 3A Conference and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in program history. Mooresville brought home the NPC title, its first league championship since 1985. The Blue Devils lost only two games in conference play.

But those success stories haven't translated into wins when they've combined forces on the diamond this summer.

Despite its shortcomings, at least Post 66 will be in the American Legion playoffs.

The Statesville Owlz were eliminated from playoff contention on Monday night. That's bad in a league where almost everyone qualifies. The Southern Division is made up of 11 teams -- 10 if you take into consideration that winless Montgomery County dissolved at the end of the season. The top eight go to the playoffs.

Statesville will finish ninth.

Mooresville will squeak in at seventh or eighth.

Iredell baseball has seen better days.

S. Iredell goes big-time with next coach

2007-06-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

South Iredell officially announced the hiring of Brian Reese as its next varsity boys basketball coach on Tuesday.

A former national champion with the North Carolina Tar Heels? This is a major splash in the Iredell coaching ranks.

Just think, Reese has the luxury of being able to pick the brain of one of the greatest college coaches of all-time, that being Dean Smith.

Couple that with the fact Reese, who is very humble, seems driven to succeed at a program falling on hard times, and you've got lots of potential.

Two thumbs up for this selection, South Iredell. Way up.

Gimme Mr. Popularity; hit the road, Kyle

2007-06-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s announcement Wednesday that he's joining Hendrick Motorsports next season coincided with the revelation Kyle Busch wouldn't be back?

When asked at the press conference by moderator Winston Kelley how there was room for Earnhardt Jr., Rick Hendrick said he had pursued a contract extension with Busch but discovered the 22-year-old was being approached by other teams.

"It became pretty obvious ... that maybe a fresh start might be good for both of us," Hendrick said.

How convenient.

What it boils down to: Earnhardt Jr. -- who fans and sponsors adore -- was available, meaning Busch, a Las Vegas native with four wins in two full Nextel Cup seasons, was expendable.

SPC has Wildcats' number

2007-05-19T20:05:00.001-07:00

For the second consecutive year, Lake Norman's girls soccer team saw another stellar season end in the quarterfinals of the 3A state playoffs.

Porter Ridge parlayed a late first-half goal into a 1-0 victory on Saturday night. It eliminated Lake Norman (20-2-3) and propelled the Pirates (22-3-2) on to the Western Regional final, where they will play Charlotte Catholic for a berth in the state final.

"I think we are a team that had the potential to play with anybody in the state," said Wildcats coach Dane Perry, who is leaving Lake Norman at the end of the year to coach and teach at newly-built Mallard Creek High School in Huntersville.

"Would liked to have gotten a shot at Catholic or (Jacksonville) White Oak or (Burlington) Williams, or somebody like that, but you've got to get through the quarterfinals before you can look at those."

Getting through the South Piedmont Conference has been the real bugaboo. Conference champion Porter Ridge became the third SPC team in five years to oust North Piedmont Conference champion Lake Norman from the playoffs.

The Wildcats are 0-3 in postseason games pitting them against SPC opponents.

Talk about a thorn in the side. Yikes.

If Lake Norman never sees another SPC team in the playoffs it will be too soon.

Too much hype surrounding young NASCAR driver

2007-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

Somebody please hurry up and sign Dale Earnhardt Jr.

On May 10th, Junior announced he would be leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of the 2007 Nextel Cup season, making him a free agent.

A week has passed since he declared his intentions, and already I'm sick of hearing about Dale Jr. this and Dale Jr. that.

This guy is treated like a god. How many championships has he won?

Answer: zero, zilch, nada.

The hype is about Junior's marketability and, when it boils down to it, the root of that is pedigree. His popularity stems from his father, the late Dale Earnhardt.

Junior has said he wants to take a few weeks before opening the negotiating process.

NASCAR's most popular driver should have his pick of teams. Three owners — Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress — are front-runners to acquire his services.

Whatever. Someone sign him fast so we can stop this uncalled for hysteria.

Wildcats to hit the road

2007-05-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Porter Ridge defeated Reagan 2-0 in the third round of the 3A state girls soccer playoffs on Wednesday night.

This means Lake Norman (20-1-3) will be traveling to Indian Trail for a quarterfinals showdown with the Pirates (21-3-2). The date and time have yet to be announced.

The Lake Norman-Porter Ridge winner advances to play for the right to represent the West in the state title game.

Something to keep in mind: If Lake Norman eliminates Porter Ridge and Asheville T.C. Roberson knocks off Charlotte Catholic in another quarterfinal, Lake Norman would host the Western Regional final.

Ouch, that hurts

2007-05-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2001, West Iredell's softball team botched its chance to advance on Tuesday.

The Warriors surrendered three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and lost 5-4 to Eastern Randolph. Needing only one out to get out of the inning unscathed, a throwing error on a routine play cost them dearly.

"People make mistakes," Warriors senior right fielder Tia Edwards said. "It happens."

Committing four errors, there was plenty of blame to go around. That's unfortunate, too, because the miscues overshadowed a strong showing at the plate. Three West Iredell players had at least two hits and an RBI. In fact, the Warriors doubled up Eastern Randolph in the hits department.

And yet somehow it wasn't enough offense to lead West Iredell to its first playoff win since 2000, the year the Warriors reached the quarterfinals.

This one's going to sting for a while.

Wildcats experience learning curve

2007-05-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

Lake Norman's baseball team bid farewell to its seniors on Friday night.

The Wildcats lost 1-0 in the first round of the 3A state playoffs to Southwest Guilford. The Cowboys, winners of the 1997 2A state championship, reached the 2006 quarterfinals before losing 1-0 to eventual 3A state runner-up Ragsdale.

"We hadn't been here, and they've got a tradition," said Wildcats coach Robert Little, whose team managed two hits and struck out 14 times against Cowboys pitcher Warren Slack.

If Lake Norman could have mustered any offense Friday, the Wildcats would've picked up that first playoff win in their debut. Instead, they'll have to settle for simply qualifying for the first time since the program began in 2003.

Starting five sophomores, Lake Norman finished its season at 13-9. The Wildcats tied for third in the North Piedmont Conference.

"Hopefully, we're going to build on that," Little said.

There's reason to believe they will. Outside of three graduating seniors, the Wildcats return the vast majority of their players in 2008.

Lake Norman will add a lot, too. The junior varsity squad didn't lose a game this season, compiling a record of 19-0-2.

"Looks like our future is going to be great," sophomore second baseman Eric Manser said. "We've got a great JV team. Hopefully, we'll get back (to the playoffs) and do better next year."

Tough break for Devils

2007-05-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

Mooresville girls soccer coach Steve Stith had plenty of reason to be upset with the officials after his team's first-round playoff loss to Kernersville Glenn on Wednesday night.

But the veteran coach took the high road. He didn't attempt to comment on two shaky calls that went against his squad. Instead, he talked about what his girls could have done better to win a game they relinquished a 1-0 lead and ended up losing 2-1 in a penalty-kick shootout.

The Blue Devils had a goal disallowed in the 25th minute. Officials said that Brittney Dailey did not wait the appropriate amount of time before taking her free kick. Yet, somehow, they didn't didn't whistle the play dead as Dailey went to serve the ball into the box. No, they waited to halt the action until after Kenley Streetman scored to give Mooresville what it thought was a 2-0 lead.

Stith didn't complain after it was explained to him why the goal was nullified.

Glenn eventually tied the game and forced overtime. Perhaps it should have never reached sudden-death overtime or a shootout.

Mooresville probably should have been awarded a penalty shot in the sixth minute of the first overtime when one of its players was fouled. It was borderline, but it looked as though the hard foul occurred inside of the penalty area.

A penalty shot was not awarded and, with the ball positioned just outside the box, the Blue Devils came away empty-handed on the ensuing free kick.

It was like the foul referees choose not to whistle with two seconds left in a basketball game that's tied. They don't want to be the goat.

Stith sensed that apprehension on Wednesday, but he just folded his arms, turned and muttered, "I know you don't want to make that call ..."

Considering their poor showing in the shootout, there's no guarantee that the Blue Devils would have made a penalty kick after that foul in the first overtime. But it sure looked like they deserved the opportunity.

Those are the breaks.

Hounds poised to acquire championship hardware

2007-05-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

I don't want anybody else to take credit for getting the prediction right, so I'm going to go ahead and say it: Statesville's boys tennis team will win the 2007 3A state championship.

The Greyhounds looked awesome Tuesday, obliterating their first-round playoff opponent, 5-0. And it wasn't just anybody they beat. Defending state champion Hickory, winner of the last four Western regional titles, packed its bags early.

Five of Statesville's top six players -- Preston Spencer, Russ Ferrari, Thomas Fanjoy, Thomas Gaither and Luke Gillis -- helped the Greyhounds reach the state semifinals last season before losing to Hickory.

Yes, look for Statesville to hoist the program's first state championship trophy since 1997 on May 26 in Burlington.

Back in the swing of things

2007-05-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Congratulations are in order and, believe me, this has been a long time coming.

High school baseball and softball labored for noticeable success over the last several years in Iredell County while other spring sports flourished.

Not this season.

The county is sending at least two baseball and softball teams to the playoffs. The N.C. High School Athletic Association expanded the brackets, which helped, of course.
But North Iredell and West Iredell earned their way in softball, as did Lake Norman and Mooresville in baseball.

South Iredell might qualify in both sports.

BASEBALL

Winning all but three of its conference games, Mooresville captured the North Piedmont 3A championship, the Blue Devils’ first league title since 1985. They are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2000, which is also the last time a county baseball team qualified.

Lake Norman won its last three games of the regular season to clinch the first playoff berth for the program, which began in 2003.

SOFTBALL

West Iredell and North Iredell boast quality pitchers, and if the Warriors and Raiders get any hitting — timely or otherwise — they will be a tough out (no pun intended).

This will be the first playoff appearance for West Iredell since 2001. The year before that, the Warriors reached the final eight.

North Iredell is making its fast-pitch playoff debut. The Raiders have been to the playoffs twice (1991, '96), but both of those trips were during the slow-pitch days.

It's nice to see baseball and softball get back into the swing of things.

Devil of a season

2007-04-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Ties that bind

2007-04-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

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.

NPC baseball too close to call

2007-04-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Hounds keep battling

2007-04-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Gillespie's the real deal

2007-04-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Daywalt one to watch

2007-04-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

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.

Sad to see the Hurricanes go

2007-04-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

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.

Conference title run in jeopardy for Wildcats after tie?

2007-04-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

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.

NPC is Wildcats' playground

2007-04-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

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.

Rivals join forces in a show of solidarity following difficult diagnosis

2007-03-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

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.