What’s Up in Local Sports

By: Calvin Hastings

What a day it will be…September 18th is the day set for the dedication of the new John Henry Moss Stadium at Gardner Webb University.   The ribbon cutting will be held for the Hamrick Gate at Moss Stadium at 12:45pm, followed by a dedication ceremony at 1:00pm.   Then, the current Gardner Webb baseball team will take on former Gardner Webb baseball alumni at 1:30pm.   Following the game, at 3:00pm, there will be an alumni reunion, and at 4:00pm a street party will be held outside Spangler Stadium with live music and food.  And finally, at 6:00pm it is football action with Gardner Webb taking on Western Carolina!  This past season the Gardner Webb baseball team had to play all their games away while the stadium was being completed.

The 2004 seventh round Major League Baseball draft pick, B.J. Richmond, formerly of South Point High School, is switching gears and is turning to football.   Richmond was a pick of the L.A. Dodgers and spent three years in professional baseball.  Richmond is now punting at Mars Hill.

Caldwell County American Legion Baseball coach, Gary Hamby, has resigned.  Hamby leaves the program with 403 wins in 14 seasons.   Hamby led Caldwell County Post 29 to state championships in 1990, 1991 and 2000.   Hamby has a streak of 21 consecutive winning seasons as coach since 1990.   The post has announced they are taking applications for the position.  To apply, contact Steve Bumgardner at 828-234-3073 or email your application to ltcsteve1@gmail.com.

Hats off to former Ashbrook star, Jheranie Boyd!  Boyd led the Tarheel comeback in their opening game loss 30-24 to LSU.  The Tarheels trailed 30-10 before mounting a comeback that ended on a late 4th quarter drive.   Boyd caught six passes for 221 yards and a touchdown.   It was a career high for the Tarheel sophomore and was second in North Carolina’s 121 year history.  Boyd’s 97 yard touchdown pass from T.J. Yates was the longest in school history.

Gardner Webb’s Jeffery Williams has been named the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.  Williams also was named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week.   Williams made 18 tackles including nine solo tackles in Gardner Webb’s win last week.  In addition, Gardner Webb freshman running back, Juanne Blount, was named the Big South Conference Freshman of the Week rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown.   The Bulldogs will be on the road to Akron, Ohio this Saturday.

Eighteen year old, Spencer Jones, of Shelby and playing partner Champions Tour professional, Russ Cochran, finished a combined 21 under par to win the Pro/Junior title in the Home Care & Hospice First Tee Open at Pebble Beach last week.

Fourteen year old, Elliott Grayson, of Shelby won the National Junior Golf Tour’s National Championship Tournament last weekend at the Myrtle Beach National West Course.   Grayson shot a 73 in round one and then a five under par 67 in the final round to win the event by one shot.

Hats off to Harry Jackson!  Jackson scored his first ever hole in one last week at Hole # 11 at the Woodbridge Golf Course.   The shot was witnessed by Sonny Jackson, Larry Jackson and Ronnie Ross.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

The South Point Red Raiders soccer team captured the Gaston Gazette Soccer Cup last week with a 3-2 win over Ashbrook.  It was the eighth Gazette Cup title for the Red Raiders tying them with Forestview in the tournament’s 18 year history.   Ben Propst of South Point was named the defensive MVP of the Tournament, and Casey Frey of the Red Raiders was named  the offensive MVP.  Grant Boloyan of Gaston Day was the winner of the John Braxton Award.

The Gaston Gazette has named their High School Football Players of the Week.   The offensive player of  the week was Brandon Wilson of  Lincolnton.   Wilson passed for 160 yards and three touchdowns and added 94 yards and another touchdown by rushing in Lincolnton’s 43-42 overtime win over the South Point Red Raiders.   Forestview’s Cortezz Nixon was named the Defensive Player of  the Week making eight tackles, blocking a punt, blocking a field goal attempt and blocking an extra point in the Jaguar’s 7-6 win over East Rutherford.

The Shelby Star has named their Cleveland County High School Football Player of the Week.   Crest running back, Neil Chambers, took that honor rushing for 103 yards.  He also caught two touchdown passes and scored on rushing.

Hats off the Crest Charger first year coach, Mark Barnes!  Barnes picked up his first win at Crest with an impressive 42-19 win over the Burns Bulldogs.

Former Crest Charger, Brandon Spikes, is off to a good start as a New England Patriot.  Spikes is third in tackles in the pre-season games for the Patriots with 17 combination tackles including 11 solo tackles.

Hats off to West Lincoln running back Devyn Travis!  Travis rushed for 223 yards and four touchdowns last week leading West Lincoln to a 47-8 win over North Wilkes.

Chris Carrigan of Dallas scored his first career hole in one last week at the Briar Creek Golf Course in High Shoals.  Carrigan aced the number 7,  160 yard par three with an 8-iron.   Chad Bost and Eric Pasour witnessed the shot.

On September 18th at Moss Lake, more than 200 swimmers will take to the water at 8:00 am for the Western North Carolina Open Water Swim Challenge.   The event is one of the few held in North Carolina.  The Sharks Aquatic Club and the City of Kings Mountain are the official hosts of the event.

Hats off to Gardner Webb’s Chelsea Hearne! Hearne was named the Big South Conference Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.   Hearne had six saves in 110 minutes of play in a double overtime win over East Tennessee State last week.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By: Calvin Hastings

Last Friday brought us season openers for most football teams in the area, and the final Jamboree was held at Shelby High School.  All action this week will count!   We have a new Number One in the What’s Up Shopper Top 10 High School Football Poll!  The What’s Up Shopper/Sundrop tailgate party will be held this Friday night at Crest when Burns invades “the Corral.”  On 1390 AM WOHS, we willl bring you the Watauga at Shelby game.   At www.whatsupshopper.com you will be able to hear the Burns/Crest game, the Bessemer City/Hunter Huss game and the Newton-Conover/East Lincoln game.

The South Mountain 2A/3A coaches have picked Shelby to place first in the conference this season.   Burns was picked to finish second followed by RS Central, Freedom, Patton, East Rutherford and Chase.

South Point was picked to win the Big South 3A conference.   Crest was picked 2nd followed by Forestview, Kings Mountain, Ashbrook, Hunter Huss and North Gaston.

Good news for Cherryville Ironmen fans!   Highly touted quarterback, Thomas Bess, has been cleared for practice this week after suffering a navel hernia early in Friday’s loss to Bunker Hill.     The Ironmen will be home to face Draughn.

Hats off to new West Lincoln head coach, Tom Sain!  Sain won his coaching debut last Friday as the Rebels defeated West Wilkes 21-7.

Clay Champion was the winner of the 48th annual Cleveland County Amateur Golf Championship.  Champion fired a three day total of six under 208, finishing two strokes ahead of Eric Spicer.   By the way, I understand Clay learned a lot from his early playing days with his dad, Jeff.   He learned soon to do the opposite of what dad did, and he would turn out an excellent golfer!   Fore!

Last Saturday night, the Mt. Holly Sports Hall of Fame added a new member.   He’s John Farrar.   Farrar was the first African-American to play for Mt. Holly High in the 1960s.   Farrar went on to play in the NFL for the Houston Oilers.    He led Mt. Holly to the Little Six Conference title in 1967 with a record of 12-0-1.  They also won the North Carolina Class 2A Western State Championship.

Hats off to Porter Yelton of Shelby! Yelton won the boys age 14 singles championship in the Tennis and Education Endowment Summer Slam last week at Park Road Park in Charlotte.   The tournament was sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association.

Former East Gaston basketball star, Brooke Wilkinson, is returning to Gardner Webb.   Wilkinson played for the Bulldogs from 2002-2006.   Wilkinson will join the Lady Bulldogs’ coaching staff.  For the past two seasons she has served as an assistant coach at Wingate.

Gaston County’s “winningest” soccer coach has called it quits.   Forestview’s Dave Shearer is now an assistant coach after taking on an outside job that interferes with soccer practice.   Shearer has led the Jaguars to five conference championships in seven seasons.   Former Gaston United Soccer Club coach, Ty McKeown, has taken over the head coaching responsibilities.   In seven seasons the Jaguars posted a record of 125-34-11.

And finally, Gardner Webb’s Megan Reimer has been named the Big South Conference Choice Hotels Women’s Soccer Attacking Player of the week.   Reimer scored both goals in the Bulldogs 2-0 win at Jacksonville State.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

High school football is back in full swing this week and we, at the What’s Up Shopper and WOHS-1390 AM, plan to bring the best coverage in the Piedmont!   We have something new this year.  Live coverage on the Internet of Burns Bulldogs Football, the Gaston County Game of the Week and the Lincoln County Game of the Week.   Just go to whatsupshopper.com and click on the game you want to hear.  Plus you can hear Shelby Golden Lion football live on WOHS-1390 AM  and also at realcountry1390am.com.

Tim Peeler and myself will start each Friday night off with our Sundrop Tailgate Show live from a local game of the week.  This week we’ll be at Shelby for the Cleveland County Football Jamboree.   It can be heard on whatsupshopper.com with Dan Greer and Buddy Ramey and also on WOHS-1390 AM with David Allen and Brent Pasko.   The Gaston County Game of the Week at whatsupshopper.com will feature Hunter Huss at East Gaston with Derek Smith and Daniel Howell.   The Lincoln County Game of the Week will feature West Wilkes at West Lincoln with Kevin Hastings and Andrey Bush.   In addition to hearing the game at whatsupshopper.com you can also see the video of the announcers or the continuous scoreboard.  The North Carolina Athletic Association will not allow  “live”  video broadcasts of the actual football game.   All games will be followed with the post game show with Tim Peeler and Billy Peeler.  Fans will be able to call in and discuss that weeks game.  Scores will also be “tweeted” all night long.  So get near your computer or radio for exciting high school football action from the What’s Up Shopper and WOHS-1390 AM!

Construction to the football facilities at East Lincoln could possibly delay  home football games at the school.   Improvements are being done to the athletic facilities to make them comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.   Soon there will be a new athletic track along with new restroom facilities and new visitor bleachers.  There is an August 25th deadline with the Mustang’s home opener set for September 3rd.

Hats off to Will Franks and Tori Braunns.  The two won the annual Mixed Member-Member Golf Tournament last week at the Kings Mountain Country Club.   Kenny and Jean Walker were second.

Congratulations to former Ashbrook running back Patrick Hall.  Hall  earned second team All-Big South Conference honors as a first team running back at Gardner Webb.   Hall is a 2007 Ashbrook graduate and rushed for 599 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.  Hall has 1,218 career rushing yards at Gardner Webb ranking him 17th in school history.  His 22 touchdowns rank him fourth.

The Cleveland County Tennis Championships are set for August 28th and 29th at the Cleveland Country Club.  There will be five adult singles divisions and five adult doubles divisions.  Also three mixed doubles and ten junior divisions.   Participants do not have to be a resident of Cleveland County.  To register call 704-484-3332.

Hats off to the Gastonia referee clinic.   The Gastonia Clinic was awarded  one of the best in the state according to the Reid Staton Outstanding Clinic.  The award is based on test scores and on field evaluation.   The North State Football Officials Association is made up of 15 clinics across the state.  Gaston clinic leaders include Steve Culbertson,  Kent Huggins, Jerry Lindsay and Stan Walker.

Congratulations to Noah Eaker of Cherryville.  10 year old Noah won the Golden Arm Accuracy contest at Martha Rivers Park in Gastonia.   Eaker won his age division and the overall championship for ages 8-14.   In addition to a trophy Eaker won a new Rawlings Gold Glove for being the overall champion.

Not one, but two holes in one were scored last week at the Pinegrove Golf Course.  Calvin Morrison aced the par three Number 6 hole using a 7-iron on the 145 yard hole.   His shot was witnessed by Larry Allen, Sissy Allen, Daniel Allen and Bryson Allen.   And K.C. Terry aced the same hole also using a seven iron for his first career hole in one.   Buster Panther witnessed the shot.

Hats off to the North Lincoln baseball team.  The Knights had the highest Grade Point Average of 3.597 in the state.   The team won the 2009 Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Baseball Conference and finished 16-8 on the season.

The Cleveland County Amateur Golf Tournament will be held this week.   Play gets underway Friday at the Kings Mountain Country Club.  Round two will be held at Pinegrove Golf Course with round three at Riverbend.   Jerry Austin is the defending champion.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

Former Maiden Blue Devil football coach, Tom Brown, will be inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.   The event will take place on Saturday, November 13th during the halftime of a Tarheel football game and then officially inducted at a ceremony during the Hall of Fame Banquet next spring in Chapel Hill.   After 35 seasons at Maiden, Brown totals 330 wins which is a state record for most wins by a coach at a single school.   Brown also coached at Bunker Hill giving him a total of 352 wins, just 132 losses and seven ties.   Brown also served as head coach in the 2000 Shrine Bowl.  He is currently a member of the Lenoir Rhyne Sports Hall of Fame and the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame.

Former Hunter Huss girls basketball coach, Jan Wiggins, will be the assistant girls basketball coach at Highland Tech.   Wiggins left Huss after 21 seasons winning seven conference championships and will serve under head coach, Jerry Jordan.

Hunter Huss has announced the hiring of their new  girls head basketball coach.  Ashlei Lowman will replace Jan Wiggins who retired after 21 years and seven conference championships.  Lowman is an Appalachian State graduate and will also teach physical education.  She was an all-conference guard at East Burke High School and played two years at Lenoir Rhyne before transferring to Appalachian State.

Hunter Huss  hired Tracy Player as head volleyball coach.   Player replaces Kristi Cochran who resigned this past summer.   Player played volleyball one season at Western Carolina and was a North Henderson graduate where she was named MVP of the team as a senior.   Player was junior varsity head coach at Mt. Pleasant High School.

South Point has lost an assistant coach.  Jeff Williams will not return because of a work conflict.  Williams coached the defensive backs and receivers and has served as a Red Raider assistant coach since 2001.

The 54 hole Cleveland County Amateur Golf Tournament is set for August 20-22.  The opening round will be played at Kings Mountain Country Club.  Round two will be played at the Pine Grove Golf Course, with round three set for the River Bend Golf Course.   Jerry Austin is the defending champion and Trip Boinest the Senior division defending champion.   The tournament is open to amateur golfers in Cleveland County.  Entry fee is $55.00 per player, and entry forms are available at all area Cleveland County golf courses.

Gardner Webb men’s basketball added former Runnin’ Bulldog Takayo Siddle to its staff.  Siddle replaces Michael Lee who is now coaching at the University of San Francisco.   Siddle was an assistant coach last year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia.

Hats off to Belmont’s Aubree Davis!  Davis has been selected to the 2009-10 Wrangler High School All-Star Rodeo Team.   Davis earned a spot based on leadership qualities, academic eligibility and athletic achievements.  Davis finished 9th out of 240 participants in breakaway roping in the International Finals Youth Rodeo.

Congratulations to Pat Phifer who scored a hole in one last week at the Kings Mountain Country Club! Phifer aced the 209 yard hole #8 using a three iron.   Bryant Wells, Justin Etters, Greg Robinson and Ken Deardorf witnessed the shot.

Shelby’s Chad Holbrook, a South Carolina assistant baseball coach, has received a multiyear contract at the school after helping lead the Gamecocks to the NCAA Baseball Championship.   Holbrook’s deal is worth $160,000 a year.

Speaking of a Holbrook, Chad’s dad, Eddie Holbrook , Jim Horn and a group of local American Legion organizers will be in Spokane, Washington this week to attend the pre-tournament banquet for this year’s world series.  Guest speaker is former Kansas City Royal, George Brett.

Hats off to former Crest Charger, Laquanda Dawkins!  Dawkins has been named to direct the women’s sports program at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia.   Dawkins has served the past four seasons as an assistant coach at the Winthrop University.

North Carolina’s American Legion representative in the Southeastern Regionals, Kernersville, downed Columbia, Tennessee 10-2 on Monday night to advance to the Little World Series starting this weekend in Spokane, Washington.   Kernersville becomes the 18th team from North Carolina to advance to the World Series and the second straight Area III Team.  Kernersville will open play on Friday morning at 11:00 am against Las Vegas.   Other teams include Chesapeake, Virginia;  Midwest City, Oklahoma;  Branford, Connecticutt;  Moline, Illinois;  Eden Prarie, Minnesota; and Roseburg, Oregan.  The Little World Series will be heading to Shelby for four straight years starting next year.

Congratulations to  Clay Champion and Mike Boatwright!  The two teamed up to win the Championship Flight of the Pine Grove Member/Guest.   First Flight winners were Joe Shytle and David Clary.  Second Flight winners were David Self and Kenny Cloninger.  Third flight winners were David Elliott and Jeff Earl.

The Kings Mountain Country Club has reopened its back nine.  The course has made some changes and improvements to the back nine to make it more “player friendly to the average golfer.”  You might want to check it out soon and make your tee time at 704-739-5871.

Hats off to the Gastonia Grizzlies on an outstanding season!  The Grizzlies were eliminated from playoff action on Monday night. It was the first time the team had reached the playoffs since 2005.  Seth Grant broke the team’s saves record this season with 13.  David Chester set a new Grizzlies career home run record with 13 including seven last season.  Robert Jeroszko became the team’s single season strikeout leader with 92 and now holds the team’s career strikeout record with 155.

Listen Live!

By Calvin Hastings

I got my first week under my belt as Cleveland County Fair Manager, and what a week it was!  I was faced with four months of managerial decisions to be made in the first three days. Hopefully all decisions were the right ones, and this year’s Cleveland County Fair will be bigger and better.   There is a lot of excitement at the fairgrounds as we get ready for the September 30th opening date.  Our crew is working hard replacing boards, slapping on paint,  mowing grass and sweating a lot.   Especially with these 100 degree temperatures we’ve been having.  Paula   and Wanda have been keeping things in order the past four months.  I couldn’t have made it this week without them.   Our Board of Directors Chairman, Andy Elmore has been a tremendous help.   He’s helping to bring an exciting new exhibit to the fairgrounds.  It’s a milking station where you will be able to see what really goes on inside the milk room of a real farm.   And if you’d like to try your hand at milking a cow by hand, you’ll also have that opportunity.   Two sections of the barn have been re-opened and will be filled with farm animals.  Be sure to visit the new Farm Adventure Building with a variety of animals including a new duck pond and pens full of goats, sheep, rabbits, poultry and more.   Plus a barn with beautiful horses and cattle.

I am really excited that pig racing will be making its return.   You may see myself or my maintenance director, Wanda Webber, in the middle of the track calling pig races.   After broadcasting hundreds of baseball, basketball and football games, this will be my first pig race call!   Mama pig with all her piglets will be back this year and there will be a petting zoo, pony rides and camel rides.

Get ready for real excitement and big big crowds with the SEBRA bull riding on the grandstands Friday and Saturday, October 1st and 2nd.   40 big bulls and daring young riders will excite the crowds both nights.   Make plans to be there.  To keep from waiting in line, you may want to come to the fair office on East Marion Street in Shelby and purchase both your fair ticket and bull riding tickets in advance.   Additional advance admission ticket locations will be announced soon.

Other attractions will feature Ryan Pelton as Elvis Presley on Saturday night, October 9th.   If you’ve never seen Ryan perform, you’re missing out!  Be sure to get a ticket and enjoy a performance you’ll never forget.   Tickets are just $10.00, and the performance will be held in the Weatherly Arena.

The exhibit halls will be filled with exhibitors and blue ribbon winners.   Just a few spaces are left in the air conditioned Goforth Hall.  If your business would like a booth, call the fair office at 704-487-0651.

Reithoffer makes their return with rides, games and entertainment.   See the Circus, the Chainsaw Artist, the Mechanical Bull, the Ball of Steel Motorcycle Show and a new Forging Exhibition near the cabin.   And of course, food!   Vender spaces have all been filled so plan to come hungry to this year’s Cleveland County Fair.

I guess I better get back to work.   We’ll keep you informed here in the What’s Up Shopper with What’s Up at the Cleveland County Fair.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

Can you believe it?  It’s almost football season.   And what a season it’s going to be!   Practice is underway with the Gaston County Football  Jamboree set for next weekend.  On Friday night, round one of the jamboree will be held in Cherryville with round two Saturday night at Ashbrook High School.  The Cleveland County Football Jamboree is set for August 20th at Shelby.

This year you’ll be able to click on whatsupshopper.com and hear some outstanding high school football games.   We’ll be broadcasting a Gaston County game of the week with Derek Smith and Daniel Howell.  Also,  a Lincoln County Game of the Week with Kevin Hastings and Andrey Bush, and  Burns Bulldogs football with Dan Greer and Buddy Ramey.  On WOHS-1390 AM  and realcountry1390.com you can hear Shelby High School football with David Allen and Brent Pasko.

Cherryville Ironmen football  will be broadcast on 1590 am WCSL.   Lincolnton High School Football on 1050 AM WLON.  Forestview Jaguar football on 1450 AM WGNC.   Crest Charger football on 88.3 WGWG.  If you live in Cleveland County you can listen to Kings Mountain High School football on Time Warner Cable Channel 19.  In  the  Cleveland County area you can watch Friday Night Football highlights on Saturdays on Cable TV 33 with David Allen.   Wow…what a lineup!   If you can’t make it out to the stadium on Friday night stay close to your computer or radio or even cable channels for the best area coverage of high school football.

What a season it was for Cherryville Post 100!   I think that  most would believe  this year’s team were overachievers.   However, Coach Reynolds had his team peaking at the end.  Cherryville lost to Kernersville last Wednesday by a 10-2 score to place third in the American Legion State Baseball Tournament.    Post 100 finished 28-16 on the year.  Fourteen Post 100 players will return next season.

Sign ups will be held on Saturday, August 7th for those wishing to participate in Shelby Post 82’s fall ball campaign.   Sign ups will be held at S&M Sport Shop on South Lafayette Street in Shelby.

Sign-ups are underway now thru August 27th for Shelby City Park youth football.   Programs are available for ages 5-6,  7-9 and 10-12.   Sign up fees are $22.00 for Shelby resident and $37.00 for non residents.   A parent or guardian must accompany the youngster at sign up.

Gardner Webb is picked to finish 5th in the Big South Conference.   Liberty is picked to win the conference followed by Stony Brook, Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, Gardner Webb, VMI and Presbyterian.   Running back, Patrick Hall, Offensive lineman, Jamie Dunaway, and wide receiver, James Perry III, were pre-season all conference on offense.   Linebacker Jeffrey Williams, Linebackeer Marty Patterson, and defensive back Cedrick McGowen were pre-season all conference on defense.   KR Tyson Petty was named to the pre-season special team.

Former Forestview Jaguar, Harold Varner, has qualified for the United States Amateur Championships to be played August 23-29 at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.  Varner shot a two round total of 137 to win the sectional qualifier at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Advance.   Varner is currently on the East Carolina golf team.

Highland Tech’s Greg Bunner shot a one under par 70 for  a one stroke win in the Trusted Choice Big I National Championship Tournament.  More than 150 players competed from ages 12-18.   Bunner is a two time State 1A champ and will attend Western Carolina this fall.

Eric Spicer won the Crown Royal Trophy last weekend at Kings Mountain Country Club in the 2010 Summitt Summer Classic Golf Tournament.   Greg Robinson took the Henley Division.  Jim McNeilly took the Walsh Division, and Drew Neisler took the Schmidt Division.

Congratulations to East Lincoln’s Racquel Cooke!  Cooke has signed a letter of intent to play Division I softball for Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina.

Hats off to Cody Mocilan of Iron Station!  Mocilan won the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition at Lincolnton High School Mocilan took first place in the 14/15 year old division and will now compete in the Sectional competition.   Mocilan won the 12/13 division in 2009 and is a rising freshman at East Lincoln.

The Gastonia Grizzlies set a single game record on Saturday night with 3,604 fans showing up at the ballpark before losing 7-4 to Petersburg.  The Grizzlies are in the playoffs which start this week.

Hats off to Tripp Reynolds of Shelby  and Katie Thackerson of Earl!   Reynolds fired a 69 to place first for the gross score in the Men’s A division of the Carolinas Golf Association One-Day Tournament at Lake Hickory.   Thackerson shot a 75 to take first place in the Women’s division.

It was a huge day of golf last Saturday at the Pine Grove Golf Course for the On Deck for Dustin Tournament.   The event was so large that a morning and afternoon round had to be played.   Morning round winners were Tommy Gales, Randy Ward, Bill Stallings and Don Howard teaming up for an unbelieveable round of 47.    The afternoon winning team included Patrick Smith, Jason McCurry, Nick Putnam and Cale Conley and they fired a 52.   Dustin Garver  is a cystic fibrosis surviver and received a double lung transplant.   Garver is a 23 year old  former  Shelby Post 82 baseball player and  also coaches youth league baseball.   Hats off to a job well done by everyone involved!

Elliott Grayson finished 27th in the U.S. Kids Teen World tournament last week at Pinehurst Number 8.  The tournament is for boys 14 and under.   Grayson competed against 135 other golfers from across the country and world.

As you are reading this column, the Gastonia Grizzlies are in the playoffs of the Coastal Plains League.  The Grizzlies will face Florence and will host their first ever playoff game at Sims Legion Park Thursday night, August 5th.   Good luck to the Grizzlies!

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

Forestview’s Shannon Smith was named the MVP of the annual East/West Girls All Star basketball game last week at the Greensboro Coliseum.  Smith led the West to a 62-55 win over the East scoring 15 points and dishing out five assists in the game.   Smith led the Lady Jaguars to the State 3A girls basketball championship last season.   Teammate, Kelsey Harris of the Lady Jaguars, added 10 points in the game.  East Lincoln’s Lindsy Wright added seven points.

Forestview’s Kevin Jeter scored a touchdown in the annual East/West All Star Football Game last week.  Jeter helped lead the West to a 22-7 win in the 62nd annual game.   Jeter will be playing football and running track at Brevard.

Former Forestview and Clemson University sprinter, Stomy Kendrick, took home a gold medal in the 200 meters last week at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.   Kendrick ran a personal best of 22.99 seconds in the event.

The North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association has named their All-State baseball team.   Julian Ridings of Crest was the only 3A team representative.   Ridings hit .432 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs for the Chargers.   2A All State team members included Drew Reynolds of East Rutherford, Parker Hills of East Lincoln and Dakotah Thomas of East Rutherford.   Blake Mosteller of Cherryville and Seth Weekly of Bessemer City were named to the All State 1A team.   Mosteller hit .368 and added six saves on the mound for the Ironmen.   Weekly hit .468 with 10 RBIs for the Yellow Jackets

Hats off to the Shelby City Park Junior Tar Heel All-Stars as they won the 13/14 year old state championship on Sunday with an 8-6 win over Siler City.   Shelby went undefeated in the tournament winning all four games.

At press time, Cherryville Post 100 had advanced to the state finals of the American Legion State Baseball Tournament.   We wish Post 100 the best of luck.  We’ll be recapping the tournament in next week’s article.

Former Crest Charger, Brandon Spikes has signed a four year contract to play for the New England Patriots in a deal worth $3.21 million dollars per year.   The deal also includes a $960,000 signing bonus and a one time incentive of $450,000.   Spikes was a 2nd round selection and the 62nd overall pick.

Former Crest Charger, Nelson Bullard, has been named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference football team.   Bullard made 32 tackles and three quarterback sacks in 10 games last year at Lenior Rhyne College.

Gastonia native. Donna Barnette-Noblitt. was on the winning team as the Carolinas team won the annual Carolinas/Virginia Golf Tournament.   48 golfers competed in the event at the River Run Country Club in Davidson.   The Carolinas team won 66-42 in the 54 hole event.

West Lincoln’s Dustin Richardson has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Stanly Community College.  Richardson is the winner of the Trey Whitesides Memorial and the Jonathan Brookins Memorial Scholarship.   He was a Southern Piedmont All-Conference selection this  past season for the Rebels posting a .338 batting average in his career.

Cherryville Post 100 won their fourth straight Area IV Championship with an 18-8 win over Rutherford County last week.   Cherryville won the three games series two games to one and earned them the top seed from Area IV.  Cherryville Post 100 now owns 14 Area IV titles.

The East downed the West in the annual East/West All Star basketball game last week in Greensboro by a 99-98 score.   East Lincoln’s Kenny Bethea played for the West and netted three points in the contest.   North Carolina signee Reggie Bullock scored 20points for the east and was named the games Most Valuable Player.

Big Game James Worthy was in Gastonia last week, and he threw out the first pitch for the Gastonia Grizzlies.  Worthy was voted recently one of the best 50 players to ever play in the NBA and helped lead North Carolina to a National Title in 1982.  Fans poured into Sims Legion Park to get autographs and talk with the legend who used to chase foul balls for 35 cents at Sims when a kid.   Worthy played at Ashbrook High School.

Hats off to the 11/12 year old East Lincoln Optimist All Star baseball team!  They went undefeated after two weeks of play and won the Pony League Bronco District Tournament and the Pony League Sectional Tournament.  The team now advances to the Regional Tournament.   Team members include Carson Roberts, Nate Kinsch, Cam Davis, Chris Jorgenson, Zach McGinnis, Trey Johnson, Justin Elchak, Matthew Davis, Nathan Johnson, Chase Watson, Daniel Thompson, Blake Strupp and Spencer Gaston.  The team is coached by Mark McGinnis, Tom Gasperson and Alan Thompson.

The annual Gaston County Amateur golf tournament is set for September 17th-19th.  The field will be limited to the first 96 paid entries.   This includes 72 for the amateur division and 24 for the senior division age 55 and up.   The tournament will be played again at the Gastonia Municipal Course with the top 30 players competing the final day at the Gaston Country Club.   Entry forms are available at area golf courses.  Entry fee is $95.00, and applications are due by September 14th.   For more information call Pat Morrow at 704-864-9678.  Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Cancer Services of Gaston County.   Larry Cloninger is the defending champion after defeating 14 year old Archer Price to win his third title last summer.

Former Lincolnton football star, Dennis Byrd, passed away last Saturday.   Byrd was a former defensive tackle at N.C. State and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last December.  Byrd  suffered a heart attack on July 15th while undergoing back surgery and never regained consciousness.   Byrd was a three time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and was All-American in 1966 and 1967.   He was drafted by the Boston Patriots in 1968 and played two seasons in the AFL.  Byrd is survived by his wife and four children.

Hats off to Steve Harper, Jr!   Harper won the Ernest W. Spangler Memorial Shriner’s Golf Tournament last weekend at the River Bend YMCA Golf Course.   Harper shot a 71 and 70 to take the win over Patrick Waters in the Championship Flight.   Ronnie Martin won the Shriner’s Flight and Tom Wright won the Super Senior Flight.

Lincolnton’s Larry and Brent Long, father and son duo, took home the 2010 FLW Fantasy Fishing Grand Prize of $50,000 last weekend.

I learned something this week.  On Tuesday, former Oakland Raider Safety Jack Tatum passed away.  I found out that Tatum was a Cherryville native who grew up later in New Jersey.   Tatum was nicknamed “The Assassin” and died of a heart attack.

What’s Up in Local Sports

By Calvin Hastings

8,000 to 10,000 fans poured into Cherryville last week for the town’s first ever North Carolina Dixie  Belles State Tournament for girls 15 and under.  The home team made a great showing even though they lost the championship to East Columbus by a 4-3 score.  East Columbus now advances to the Dixie World Series to be held in Louisiana.   The Cherryville entry was 4-2 in the tournament and won four straight to advance to the championship game.  34 teams from across the state played at all four fields at Ballard Park.  Next year’s event will be held in Wilmington.

The Shelby Junior Tar Heel All Stars downed Hickory 14-3 to win the District One Baseball Championship.  Bradford Lail led the team with a two run homer to help Shelby score eight runs in the fifth inning.  The team now advances to the state tournament  in Rocky Mount.

It’s official.  West Lincoln has a new head football coach.  The Lincoln County School Board approved the selection of Tom Sain. He is a 1983 graduate of West Lincoln.  Sain replaces Mark Latham who resigned after posting a 5-17 record in two seasons.  Latham is now an assistant coach under Greg Lloyd of Kings Mountain.   Sain becomes the schools sixth head football coach in the past 10 years.   He  also serves as the school’s girls basketball coach.

Speaking of football, the pairings for the Gaston County Citizen’s South Bank/FCA Football Jamboree have been set.   On Friday night, August 13th at Cherryville at 6:00 pm, North Gaston takes on West Lincoln,   at 7:00 pm, East Gaston meets East Meck,   at 8:00 pm, Bessemer City takes on West Meck and at 9:00 pm, Cherryville meets West Caldwell.   On Saturday night, August 14th at Ashbrook High School at 6:00 pm, Hunter Huss meets Mallard Creek,  at 7:00 pm, Kings Mountain takes on Rocky River,  at 8:00 pm, Forestview meets West Charlotte and at 9:00 pm, Ashbrook meets Burns.  Admission will be $5.00 each night.

Former East Lincoln Mustang Greyson Schram has signed a professional baseball contract to play for the Baltimore Orioles organization.   Last season at Concord, West Virginia, Schram won the league’s triple crown with 20 home runs and 81 rbis and hitting .508 in 38 games.  Schram was a four year starter and a two-time All-American and All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selecton.

Gardner Webb women’s basketball coach Rick Reeves has added Ken Huber to his staff as an assistant coach.  Huber comes to Gardner Webb from Middle Tennessee State.   Krystal Reeves-Evans was recently promoted to associate head coach.

Hats off to the Untouchables.   The team won the annual Highland Tech Festival Basketball Title last weekend with a double overtime 66-61 win over Prime Time at the Erwin Center in Gastonia.   Davont Jackson of the Untouchables was named the tournament’s MVP after scoring 14 points in the championship game.  Former Shelby High quarterback Darryl Montgomery added 17 for the Untouchables.

What a way to end a game!  Cherryville’s Travis Blake blasted a walk off grand slam for Cherryville Post 100 for a 12-8 twelve inning win over Caldwell County and a three game to one series win.    The win sends Post 100 into the Area IV championship series with Rutherford County and earned Post 100 an automatic bid into the state tournament for the 7th time in the past 11 years. The state tournament begins Friday, July 23rd at McCrary Park in Asheboro.   The pairings have been set for that event.   The Area IV champion will meet the Area 1 runner up.   The Area IV runner up will take on the Area 1 champion.  The Area 3 champion will meet the Area 4 runner up and the Area 2 champion will face tournament host Randolph County.   The tourney will run thru July 28th with the winner advancing to the Southeast Regionals to be held in Columbia, Tennessee in August.

Cherryville’s Thomas Bess and Patrick Rendleman of East Lincoln have earned the WSOC-TV’s “Big 22” list of the top area football players in our area.   Both will be featured on the high school kickoff show set for August 18th at 8:00 pm.

The Belmont Junior American Legion baseball team was eliminated on Sunday in the State Tournament by a 2-1 score to Mooresville.   Belmont finished their season with a 19-12 overall record.

Three local Gaston County golfers competed  in the 63rd National Junior Amateur Championship at  Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Michigan.   The three included 17 year old Taylor Dickson of Forestview, 15 year old Will Long of Forestview and 15 year old Victor Wiggins of the Alpha Omega Academy.

Hats off to Sam Ruppe of Shelby.  Ruppe recorded his first hole in one last week on the Number 3 par three hole at Deer Brook.   Ruppe used a 9-iron to ace the 120 yard hole.   Lance Norville, David Jones and Badley Willis witnessed the shot.

Former Burns golfer Donna Barnette-Noblitt competed in the Carolinas/Virginia Team Match Event this week at the River Run Country Club in Davidson.   Barnette-Noblitt was one of 48 players in the event and is a former N.C. State Amateur tournament winner.

The Lincoln County Club held their Junior Club Championship last week.  Winners included Henry Saine in the boys 10/11 year old division,  Jack Haynes in the boys 12/13 year old division,  Tyler Champman, in the boys 16/17 year old division,  Tanner Reynolds, in the 14/15 year old division.   Alexis Killian won the 14-17 year old girls division.  Nick Steele was named the 2010 Junior Club Champion.

Ashbrook High School is planning a beach-themed event to promote the school’s sports programs on Thursday, July 29th at 8:00 pm.   All current and potential athletes are invited to “Catch the Wave” at the all-sports kickoff which will be held at the Ashbrook Stadium.  The event will include free hotdogs, hamburgers and drinks along with beach themed games, door prizes, music and an opportunity to meet the Ashbrook coaches.

Eleven softball players from Gaston and Lincoln counties were named All-State.  They included Ariel Bumgardner, Morgan Fitch, Sarah Teague and Taylor Laskey of Cherryville.  Bry’anne Robbins of Highland Tech.  Addy Pound and Lauren Averitt of North Lincoln.  Ashley Rhyne and Sadie Saine of West Lincoln.   Taylor Jordan of Hunter Huss and Jordan Wilson of South Point.

Former Gastonia native Hassan Whitesides became a millionaire last week when he signed his NBA contract with the Sacramento Kings.   Whitesides signed a four year deal worth 3.8 million dollars.  Whitesides was the 33rd overall pick in this year’s draft after averaging 13 points and nine rebounds per game last year at Marshall.

Former Forestview sprinter Stormy Kendrick will compete for Team USA in the women’s 200 meter dash and 400 meter relay at the IAAF World Junior Championships this week in Moncton, New Brunswick in Canada.   Kendrick was named the Atlantic Coast Conference outdoor freshman of the year  at Clemson.

Gardner Webb has announced the naming of two assistant coaches.   The school announced the hiring of Bobby Godinez as defensive line coach and Kris King as offensive line coach.

Congratulations to Gastonia Grizzlies’ first baseman David Chester.  Chester won the 2010 Rawlings Coastal Plains League All Star Home Run Derby on Monday at McNair Field in Forest City.  Chester blasted 11 home runs to down Brian Billigen of Edenton for the championship.

The 44th annual Ernest W. Spangler Memorial Golf Tournament will be held this Saturday and Sunday at the River Bend YMCA Golf Course in Shelby.  Entry fee is $100.00 with proceeds going to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children.   For more information call 704-482-4286.