What’s Up In Local Sports

By: Calvin Hastings

It’s time for American Legion Baseball.   Last year this area witnessed one of the most amazing seasons of American Legion Baseball ever with the State Tournament in Gastonia and the Southeastern Regionals and World Series in Shelby.   Even though these tournaments are not in our area this year, you can always be guaranteed a night of fun and excitement at any one of our local American Legion baseball games.  Each week the What’s Up Shopper will print this upcoming week’s Legion schedule.   This year’s North Carolina state tournament will be held in Greenville.   The Southeastern Regionals are at Sumter, South Carolina and the Little World Series will be in Fargo, North Dakota.   Don’t start packing yet,  it’s a long season.

Hunter Huss baseball coach Terry Radford has resigned as head baseball coach.   For 22 years Radford has worn the Carolina Blue Huskies jersey.   Radford plans to remain at Hunter Huss as the school’s athletic director and as a physical education teacher and assistant football coach.   No replacement has yet been named, however two of his assistant coaches have expressed interest in the job.   In 22 years Radford has compiled a record of 198 wins and 379 losses. 

The Big South 3A/4A Conference has announced its All Conference  Baseball  Team.   Pitchers included Jay Puckett of East Gaston.  Clint Medlin of Forestview.  Weston Lawing of South Point and Jeffrey Springs of South Point.   Catchers were Justin Parker of North Gaston and Jonathan Cooper of Crest.   Infielders included Griffin Wise of Forestview, Zade Denton of North Gaston, Michael Dodd of North Gaston, Ryan Huneycutt of South Point, Kyle Tate of Ashbrook, Jacob Tisdale of Crest and Logan Armstrong of East Gaston.   Outfielders included Dylan White of North Gaston, Derek Treffinger of South Point, Julian Ridings of Crest, Zach Daly of Forestview and Caleb Clark of Crest.   Utility men included Tyler Radford of Hunter Huss and Henry Rundio of North Gaston.   Trey Deason of East Gaston was named the Player of the Year after hitting .423 with six home runs and 28 RBIS.   Jason Lineberger of South Point was named the Coach of the Year.

Congratulations to Lincolnton’s Taylor Shelton.   Shelton signed a letter of intent to play softball at Louisburg Junior College in Louisburg, North Carolina.  Shelton hit.244 for the Wolves and posted an 8-10 pitching record.   

The Big South has named their all conference baseball selections.   Gardner Webb players named to the squad included  third baseman Justin Lloyd and outfielder Brock Miller.   Daniel Cooke was named to the second team and Jonathan Ahearn was named to the All Academic Team.   David Anderson of Coastal Carolina was named the Player of the Year.   Cody Wheeler of Coastal Carolina was named the pitcher of the year.  Jeff Kemp of Radford was named the Freshman of the Year.   And Gary Gilmore of Coastal Carolina was named the Coach of the Year.

The East Lincoln Mustangs took second place at the State 2A track meet last weekend at North Carolina A & T.   It’s the highest the Mustangs have ever finished in the state.  Salisbury took home the state title.   East Lincoln’s Spenseer Sydney won the state tile in the high jump with Keith Rendleman  finishing second.    The Shelby Golden Lions placed third in the event.   Lincolnton finished 15th in the event and Lincolnton’s Morgan Childers won the 3200 meter gold medal for the second year in a row.

The Ashbrook Greenwave finished 6th in the State 4A Track and Field Championships last Saturday.

The season ended for Shelby’s soccer team as they fell by a 2-1 score to Forbush in the State 2A playoffs.  The Lady Golden Lions finished 18-4 on the season.  

The Big South 3A/4A All Conference Soccer Team has been announced.   Jessica Holder of Forestview was named the Player of the Year.   Shannon Rogers of Ashbrook was named the Keeper of the Year and Melissa Kiwala on the Coach of the Year honors.   The All Conference team included Amy Burch, Brayden Pruitt and Brooke Fortner of Crest.  Kelsey Harris, Evan Martin, Mary Leslie Miller, Allison Rodriquez, and Sarah Bridger of Forestview.  Diamond Davis, Molly Fisher, Shannyn Holder and Bailey Bumgardner of South Point.  Olivia Belk, Jennifer DelCastillo, Hayley Conner, and Celeste Pantuso of Ashbrook.     Kylie Payne, Hannah Hayes and Madison Collier of East Gaston.   Morgan Rhyne and Marcella Montana of Hunter Huss.   And Shannon Johnson of North Gaston.

Hats off to East Lincoln’s Keith Rendleman.   Rendleman has been selected to play in the North Carolina Coaches Association All Star basketball game set for July 18th at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.   Rendleman is East Lincoln’s all time leading scorer.   Rendleman will be playing college basketball at UNC-Wilmington this fall.

5/28-6/6 American Legion Baseball Schedule

5/28: Henderson County at Cherryville.  Newell at Kings Mountain.  Shelby at Rutherford County

5/29 - Charlotte at Lincoln County, Cherryville at Sylva, Gastonia at Huntersville, Hickory at Shelby, Kings Mountain at Union County, Newell at the Gaston Braves.

5/30: Burke County at Shelby, Gastonia at Kings Mountain, Huntersville at the Gaston Braves, Union County at Lincoln County

5/31:  Gaston Braves at Union County, Hickory at Cherryville, Huntersville at Lincoln County, Kings Mountain at Pineville, Monroe at Gastonia,  Shelby at Asheville 3:00 PM DH

6/01 - Gaston Braves at Shelby

6/02 - Gaston Braves at Monroe, Lincoln County at Kings Mountain, Newell at Gastonia,  Shelby at Cherryville.

6/03: Cherryville at Lincoln County, Shelby at Henderson County

6/04: Hickory at Gastonia, Kings Mountain at Cherryville, Rutherford County at Shelby

6/05:  Caldwell County at Cherryville, Gastonia at Pineville, Kings Mountain at the Gaston Braves, Lincoln County at Monroe,  Sylva at Shelby

6/06:  Burke County at Cherryville, Gaston Braves at Pineville, Henderson County at Shelby, Monroe at Kings Mountain, Newell at Lincoln County, Union County at Gastonia.