February 2004 archives

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Sunday, February 29, 2004

Gator boys collect first ever playoff win

SEVEN SPRINGS -- The jinx is over. Denied playoff success in each of its past two seasons, the Spring Creek varsity boys basketball team finally sampled that sweet nectar of victory Saturday afternoon against Union. Senior guard Grey Wilson...

MOC men top Anderson; Lady Trojans fall

MOC Sports Information ANDERSON, S.C. -- Sean Barnett and Elton Coffield combined for 37 points and 17 rebounds to lead Mount Olive to a 92-72 win over host Anderson in NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball action Saturday...

MOC baseball, softball set to play Sunday

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Thanks to a welcome dose of sunshine Saturday to melt away the remainder of Thursday's snowstorm, today's Mount Olive College baseball and softball games will go on as scheduled. The baseball team plays host...

Wayne Co. Middle School Standings

DUDLEY -- The Brogden Middle School girls basketball team emerged the lone unbeaten squad during play this season in Wayne County Middle School Athletic Conference action. The Rams compiled a perfect 14-0 record and seized the WCMSAC Division I title...

Friday, February 27, 2004

Surprising snow postpones playoffs

Thursday morning's surprising snowstorm threw area teams a curveball and left athletics directors scrambling to reschedule boys' contests in the N.C. High School Athletic Association basketball playoffs. Wayne, Johnston and Wilson County school systems remained closed today, which has...

MOC-Coker will play Sunday

MOUNT OLIVE -- Thursday's snowstorm postponed the final regular-season basketball women's and men's basketball contests between Coker (S.C.) College and Mount Olive College. The games have been rescheduled for Sunday. The women tip off at 2 p.m. at College...

NCCU men get controversial win

RALEIGH -- North Carolina Central pulled off yet another improbable win Thursday, but this time there was controversy surrounding the Eagles' 72-69 victory over top-seeded Bowie State at the 2004 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament at the RBC Center....

Thursday, February 26, 2004

Goldsboro-White Oak

Goldsboro senior guard Clintoria Bryant didn't see Jessica Faison under the basket initially as she brought the ball up past midcourt late in the third period. As she continued to dribble, the senior caught Faison out of the corner...

N. Lenoir-Bunn

LAGRANGE -- A crucial phase of impatience late in the fourth period proved costly for North Lenoir in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 2-A girls basketball playoffs Wednesday. The Hawks committed four turnovers in a one-minute span...

Rosewood-Midway

SPIVEY'S CORNER -- The turnaround season of the Rosewood High girls basketball team came to an end Wednesday night in the shadows of the region's next dominant post player. Six-foot-four sophomore Lauren Cochran scored 30 points and pulled down...

N. Johnston-Lakewood

KENLY -- Although North Johnston's girls beat Lakewood 66-55 to advance to the Sectional No. 4 finals in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs, there was little joy in Kenly after the game last night for...

J. Kenan-Farm. Central

FARMVILLE -- James Kenan struggled in a cold start and was eliminated from the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A girls basketball playoffs by Farmville Central 61-25 Wednesday night. The Lady Tigers (17-9) got 10 points, 11 rebounds...

MOC Basketball

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- A school-record 11-game winning streak helped Mount Olive get as high as No. 2 in the NCAA Division II East Region Men's Basketball Poll. A recent three-game losing streak dropped Mount Olive to No....

CIAA Roundup, day 3

RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Central men's basketball team just might have finally turned the corner on their season. After playing just .500 basketball for the year -- at times looking like world-beaters one minute and a last place...

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Warriors survive Redskins' ambush

By OWEN A. HASSELL Courtesy of Outer Banks Sentinel MANTEO -- A lower seed and half-day trip didn't upset Eastern Wayne. Getting out of school a few hours early and winning in the first round of the N.C. High School...

Rosewood boys claim first playoff win in two-plus decades

WARSAW -- Rosewood's boys basketball team came to Harmon gymnasium Monday with just seven wins on the season. They came out with one more win -- and a big piece of school history. The Eagles won their first postseason...

Saints exorcise Demons

DUDLEY -- Since his freshman year, Southern Wayne sophomore Akeem Royal has always had the ability to be an outside shooting threat. The issue was knowing a good shot from a bad one. Royal certainly cashed in big on...

Rams try new plan, but NV advances in 2-A playoffs

HENDERSON -- First-year Greene Central boys basketball coach Kevin Hart admits his team played conservatively throughout the season. It was his initial strategy when took over the program. But once the Rams clinched a playoff berth, Hart decided to...

WCDS boys move on in NCISAA 1-A playoffs

Wayne Country Day boys basketball coach Steve Weir couldn't have said it any better after his club's 61-55 victory against visiting Halifax Academy -- "A lesser team would have folded." The opening-round win in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic...

Trojans rip Shaw on baseball diamond

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Zach Nichols' three-run homer capped an eight-run first inning as host Mount Olive defeated Shaw 11-1 Tuesday in an NCAA Division II non-conference baseball game at Scarborough Field. Mount Olive scored all of its...

Sasser helps Pirates stop NCA&T

MOC Sports Information GREENVILLE -- Carter Harrell, Scott Andrews and former Charles B. Aycock's Dustin Sasser combined for East Carolina's third shutout of the season and Mark Minicozzi's sacrifice fly broke a scoreless tie as ECU squeezed by North...

Shaw women dominate Livingstone

RALEIGH -- The Livingstone College women's team was well aware of its role of David in facing Shaw University, the Goliath of the NCAA Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Lady Blue Bears attempted to do what no...

Barnett's collegiate career coming to close

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Sean Barnett's senior season as a member of the Mount Olive College men's basketball team has been a season of firsts, such as the Trojans' first-ever national ranking, their first double-digit winning streak...

Former Cougar shining at MOC

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College women's basketball player Brandy Smith intends to pursue a career in athletics after graduation, first as a coach and perhaps eventually as an athletics director. But don't be too surprised...

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Rosewood girls blast Pamlico County

Only one element was lacking in Rosewood's girls 45-19 win over visiting Pamlico County to kick off Class 1-A play in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association basketball tournament -- fans. The Eagles Nest was virtually bare, as...

S. Nash sends Lady Warriors home

STANHOPE -- The hottest team heading into the postseason continued its aggressive, confident play in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A Sectional No. 1 playoffs Monday evening. Southern Nash bolted to an early double-digit lead and maintained...

Gators ousted by Union

CLINTON -- The first-ever playoff appearance of Spring Creek's girls basketball team turned into a short visit Monday night as the Lady Gators lost to Union 49-37 at the Lady Spartans' gym in the first-round of the Class 1-A...

E. Wayne cheerleaders claim NCCCA title

Karen Camp expected the public address announcer to declare Davie County the 2004 N.C. state cheerleading champion in the Super Large division early Saturday afternoon in Concord. In fact Camp, the Eastern Wayne coach, was tickled to death to...

CBA girls fall at Manteo

Courtesy Outer Banks Sentinel MANTEO -- Charles B. Aycock's inside presence is a big key to the success of their girls' basketball team. Conversely, when the Lady Falcons aren't given the opportunity to be physical under the basket, they struggle....

JK girls move on

Courtesy Warsaw-Faison News WARSAW -- James Kenan weathered a third-period blitz by Jones Senior and pulled out a turnover-plagued 41-37 victory in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association sectional playoffs Monday night in John P....

Prep basketball roundup

NORLINA -- Wayne Christian's Michelle Krug poured in 10 points as the Eagles claimed the Carolina Christian 1-A Conference Championship with a 40-29 win over Trinity Christian of Raleigh at Norlina on Saturday. The Eagles, who also claimed the regular...

MOC hoops teams split at St. Andrews

LAURINBURG -- Johnny Galarza scored 22 of his season-high 25 points in the second half and Marcus West recorded a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds as Mount Olive College came from behind to defeat host St. Andrews...

CIAA Tournament roundup

RALEIGH -- The opening day of the 2004 CIAA Tournament at the RBC Center in Raleigh got off to rousing start Monday with some great women's team and individual performances. In the opening game, Livingstone edged Virginia State 43-41...

Monday, February 23, 2004

OPINION - Duke gets back to "D"

DURHAM -- Duke 86, Visitor 63. The result beamed from the rustic scoreboard in the corner of Cameron Indoor Stadium after the Blue Devils men's basketball team trounced Maryland on Sunday. The Terrapins happened to be the visitor last night....

Trio returns with fourth-place honors

WINSTON-SALEM -- "Don't give up. Don't ever give up." You could hear Jim Valvano's reminder echoing through the rafters in one of the nation's elite college basketball arenas, but it applied to a different sport Friday and Saturday. News-Argus/Rudy...

NCHSAA wrestling tournament scores

WINSTON-SALEM -- Here are the top-10 team scores from each classification, including Wayne County schools; and most valuable wrestlers (listed with weight class) from the 18th annual N.C. High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships contested Saturday at the Lawrence Joel...

MOC hoops looks to gain momentum

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive men's basketball team is already assured of receiving a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament. Now, the Trojans are working towards gaining homecourt advantage in the quarterfinal round, as well as keeping their...

Trojan baseball falls to ranked Falcons

MISENHEIMER -- Jess Maloney's leadoff homer in the bottom of the seventh inning broke a 9-9 tie and host Pfeiffer went on to defeat Mount Olive 15-11 in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference baseball Sunday at Misenheimer. Mount Olive and Pfeiffer...

Sunday, February 22, 2004

"We're ready" - GHS girls take ECC tournament championship

It wasn't just a win. It was a statement, made by Goldsboro High School's girls basketball team Friday night as the lady Cougars took on Kinston for the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference tournament championship. The message -- "we're...

WCDS girls win CPIC tourney

HENDERSON -- Wayne Country Day's Louise Northington came up big in the final 15 seconds of the game as the Chargers defeated top-seeded Greenfield School 31-29 in the opening round of the Coastal Plain Independent Conference tournament at Kerr-Vance Academy....

Kenan loses in Super Six finals

Courtesy Warsaw-Faison News HOBBTON -- A pair of old rivals dashed James Kenan's attempt at a pair of upsets over top seeds in the Super Six 1-A Conference tournament championship games Saturday night. In the boys final, top-seeded Wallace-Rose Hill...

NJ can't stay with Farmville in Carolina girls title

MOUNT OLIVE -- North Johnston girls basketball coach David Bagwell knew coming into the game that stopping Farmville Central's do-it-all point guard Megan Zullo would obviously be a huge key in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference Tournament championship. There...

NL girls win EPC tourney crown

Courtesy Kinston Free Press BETHEL -- North Lenoir's Shannon Plymouth and Lonnie Jones helped their team shake off a slow start and pull away from SouthWest Edgecombe 50-41 to win the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference Tournament and the league's top...

NL boys fall to bad slump in EPC title game

Courtesy Kinston Free Press BETHEL -- North Lenoir had the Eastern Plains Conference tournament title in their hands as the fourth quarter opened in Friday night's EPC title game at the North Pitt gym. The Hawks had built a 14-point...

Gator boys fall in Carolina boys championship

MOUNT OLIVE -- It's an adage that Spring Creek boys basketball coach Sonny Kilpatrick has subscribed to since he began his coaching career -- "Put yourself in position to win in the end, and you've got a chance." His...

Friday, February 20, 2004

Saints advance, end Cougars' run

DUDLEY -- One dream died Thursday night, while another dream continued. That's how tournament basketball goes -- and Southern Wayne's boys are the ones that are still going. The Saints moved into position to defend the Eastern Carolina 3-A...

Lady Cougars move to ECC championship

The true danger in trying to beat the Goldsboro High School girls' basketball team is in their varied range of weapons. Stop one player, and another will hurt you. Goldsboro showed another scoring weapon in Shamika Hardy during Thursday's...

Eastern Carolina Conference tourney roundup

With their Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference semifinal clash at New Hope tied at 35-35 heading into the fourth period, West Carteret exploded for 27 fourth period points to claim a 65-48 win over the second-seeded Warriors. The Patriots win...

Gators score 38 in final period

MOUNT OLIVE -- Thirty-eight points in a period. It sounds baffling and next to impossible. Thanks to some streaky outside shooting by junior guard Josh Bishop, the Spring Creek boys basketball team accomplished that feat in impressive fashion in...

NJ girls clinch second seed

MOUNT OLIVE -- A simple postseason draw of a number out of a hat was all that separated Rosewood and North Johnston's girls during the Class 1-A Carolina Conference regular season. North Johnston's girls (21-4) drew the two-seed and...

EPC -- Hawks' teams to play for EPC titles

LA GRANGE -- Turning up the intensity at the last minute is an important quality for a good basketball team. North Lenoir has just that kind of ability, and it showed in the closing moments of the Hawks' 51-46...

State wrestlers going for gold

WINSTON-SALEM -- Any athlete fantasizes throughout their prep career about completing their dream by having a gold medal draped around their neck, proclaiming them a state champion. Some get more than one opportunity to experience that thrill. Others get...

MOC teams in action this weekend

MOUNT OLIVE -- When we last left College Hall, Mount Olive College students were mobbing the Trojan men's basketball team in celebration of Marcus West's 80-foot buzzer-beater that defeated then-undefeated and third-ranked Pfeiffer 108-105 on February 9. Since then, the...

WCDS JV wins tourney opener

HENDERSON -- Wayne Country Day opened play at the Coastal Plains Independent Conference basketball tournament with a 785-44 win over Faith Christian of Rocky Mount Thursday. Brian Brock had 21 points to lead Wayne Country Day, while Chad Roberson...

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Cougar boys knock off No. 1 Kinston

KINSTON -- Goldsboro's improbable journey to the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference tournament boys' championship just got a lot more probable. The Cougars sent shock waves across the state Wednesday night after beating No. 1-ranked Kinston 68-66 at the Vikings...

Kendrick rallies EW boys

A point guard with the ability to score has to know when to call his own number. Eastern Wayne's Adrian Kendrick knew it was one of those moments midway through the fourth period in his team's Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference...

Gators advance with win over Princeton

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Princeton hasn't fared well against good offensive teams when it's played man-to-man or a straight 2-3 zone this season. A team has either shot well from the perimeter or dominated the boards, converting numerous offensive rebounds into...

Warrior girls top West Craven

Unsure of whether or not her team was practicing on Monday due to the inclement weather, Eastern Wayne's Sierra King missed her team's only day of preparation before Wednesday's first-round Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference Tournament clash with fifth-seed West...

ND boys drop Rosewood

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Rosewood High entered the Class 1-A Carolina Conference boys basketball tournament on the proverbial playoff bubble. Now, that bubble is in danger of bursting and ruining the Eagles' postseason hopes. Seeded fourth, the Eagles could have...

SW boys, Aycock girls advance

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne's Artimus Quick scored a team-high 14 points as the Saints kept their poise to claim a 48-42 win over West Craven at home on Wednesday in the first round of the Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference...

Spring Creek girls move to semifinals

KENLY -- Spring Creek's Shondalyn Rogers scored 19 points to guide the Lady Gators into the Class 1-A Carolina Conference tournament semifinals for the first time in school history with a 48-37 win against North Duplin on Wednesday at North...

GC boys fall to Cougars

SNOW HILL -- Jarrett Eason's layup with three seconds to play provided the difference as SouthWest Edgecombe up set fourth-seeded Greene Central 67-66 Wednesday night in the opening round of the Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference basketball tournament at Greene...

Mount Olive Ranked No. 6 in region

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College is ranked No. 6 in this week's NCAA Division II Men's Basketball East Region Poll, it was announced Wednesday. Mount Olive slipped three places from last week's No. 3 ranking after posting a 1-2...

Mount Olive Sweeps Wingate In NCAA II

WINGATE -- Craig Hurba's RBI-double with one out in the top of the eighth proved to be the game-winner as Mount Olive College defeated host Wingate 3-2 in eight innings in game one of a non-conference NCAA II baseball...

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Trojan men fall to Queens

MOC Sports Information CHARLOTTE -- Spencer Ross scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the second half as Queens rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Mount Olive 84-77 in NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's...

MOC's West, Corbett get CVAC honors

MOC players win CVAC awards MOUNT OLIVE -- Marcus West, whose 75-foot buzzer-beater against Pfeiffer made national news, was named CVAC men's basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday. West, a three-time Player of the Week winner last year, has...

Charles sparks comeback

MOC Sports Information CHARLOTTE -- Ladora Charles scored 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second half as Mount Olive rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat Queens 62-59 on Tuesday. Mount Olive opened the second half hitting...

Trojans baseball faces Wingate

MOUNT OLIVE -- While most of us were eating lunch today, the Mount Olive College baseball team was taking the field for a noon doubleheader in some mid-week matinee action. The Trojans headed to Wingate this morning for a...

WCDS girls advance in CPIC tournament

Carolyn Ziemer tallied a game-high 10 points, leading Wayne Country Day past Rocky Mount Academy 36-27 in the "play-in" game of the Class 1-A Coastal Plains Independent Conference tournament. The Chargers (8-12) oppose top-seeded Greenfield School at 3 p.m....

Rosewood runs table in conference

PRINCETON -- Rosewood beat Princeton 38-22 on Friday to go undefeated in Carolina 1-A Conference play. Rosewood ended the eason 12-3 and 6-0 in conference play and won the Carolina 1-A Conference championship. Courtney Hill led the scoring with...

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

No letdown for GHS Girls

Focused and intense. Defending Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference girls tournament champion Goldsboro showed those two characteristics in a 67-34 triumph against county rival Southern Wayne on Monday evening. The Cougars, ranked No. 4 in the latest ihigh.com/coaches and...

OPINION - A little respect for the Pack

RALEIGH - "Nice pass." I said that to myself a lot Sunday as N.C. State methodically broke down then number-one ranked Duke. Watching Wolfpack basketaball this year is like getting a lesson in the seemingly lost art of half-court...

Hoops cancellations

Carolina 1-A games moved As of Tuesday morning's deadline, the only conference tournament cancellations reported to the News-Argus were in Class 1-A Carolina play. All three boys games; Rosewood vs. North Duplin and Spring Creek vs. Princeton, all at Spring...

Trojans look to rebound at Queens

MOUNT OLIVE -- For a team to compete for a championship, it needs talent, it needs to stay free from injury and it needs a little bit of luck along the way. There's certainly no lack of talent on the...

Monday, February 16, 2004

MOC baseball

MOUNT OLIVE -- Shippensburg College's baseball team drove seven hours for a weekend series with Mount Olive College. On the way home, the Raiders may have contemplated what they accomplished -- a loss, 10 innings of baseball, and a...

CBA wins eastern wrestling title

JACKSONVILLE -- Ask a Charles B. Aycock wrestler if veteran coach Kevin Smith is ever satisfied and none will answer in a positive manner. They quietly admit that Smith always expects perfection and a 100-percent effort each time a...

Weather forces tourney changes

The winter weather was enough to knock out nearly all of the prep basketball schedule for Monday night and force a lot of rapid rescheduling of conference tournament opening games. The only game still to be played tonight is...

Sunday, February 15, 2004

Prep boys roundup

Wayne Country Day put the finishing touches on a solid regular season with a convincing 63-28 win at home over Faith Christian of Rocky Mount. The Chargers, who were led by an 18-point effort by Spenser Briggs, will take on...

Area teams gear up for conference tourneys

High School basketball's regular-season is over. The state playoffs start next week. The meat in that basketball sandwich is called conference tournament week -- and in some cases, it has already begun. The area's teams are all still playing...

Prep girls roundup

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne's girls got balanced scoring from the entire lineup as the Lady Saints beat Washington 49-44 Friday night in the play-in game of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference Tournament. The Lady Saints advance to a quarterfinal matchup...

Things to look for in conference tourneys

Things to look for in the tournaments * Goldsboro's boys must win the Eastern Carolina 1-A Conferencre tournament to have any chance of going to the state playoffs. * Rosewood and North Johnston's girls will be battling for the better...

Friday, February 13, 2004

Rosewood girls fall, Eagle boys upset Jags

Two periods. Literally, that is all that has separated Rosewood's girls basketball team from taking a pair of wins from Class 1-A Carolina Conference-unbeaten Farmville Central. After dropping the first contest earlier this season on the Lady Jags' home...

Wrestling feature -- Aaron Lynch

Aaron Lynch's progression through wrestling has been exactly what Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson envisioned when Lynch competed as a freshman. Lynch saw limited time his first season and earned three wins. "He loved the sport and decided to get...

Rebels boys top Dixon, girls fight but fall

CALYPSO -- The North Duplin Rebels could do not wrong Thursday night. Dixon's boys basketball team can attest to that first-hand. The Rebel boys stormed past the Bulldogs 70-54 at the North Duplin gym in the regular-season finale for...

Kinston-Eastern Wayne

KINSTON -- Perfection. It's something many teams strive for, but very few attain. But it's something the Kinston boys' basketball team achieved in the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference after Thursday's 71-52 Senior Night win at home against Eastern Wayne...

Prep basketball -- Friday

ROCKY MOUNT -- A second-quarter coaching move sparked Wayne Country Day to a come-from-behind 56-53 victory against Rocky Mount Academy in Class 1-A Coastal Plains Independent Conference action Thursday evening. Displeased with his starters' effort, Chargers coach Steve Weir put...

Saints girls can't hang on with Lady Eagles

VANCEBORO -- Southern Wayne's girls fell in their final regular-season game Thursday night as West Craven dropped the Lady Saints 60-56. The loss puts Southern Wayne in the play-in game of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference tournament. The Lady Saints...

MOC Men's Basketball Falls To Belmont Abbey

BELMONT -- No 75-foot miracle for Mount Olive this time. Rafael Moreira led five players in double figures as host Belmont Abbey defeated Mount Olive 100-87 in NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball action Thursday. The loss...

MOC softball preview 2004

MOUNT OLIVE -- Cautiously optimistic. It's become Jamie Kylis' catch phrase when describing her second season as softball coach at Mount Olive College. A mere four players, one of those a part-timer, return off last year's team that suffered...

MOC baseball and tennis

Baseball -- Trojans take on Shippensburg The Mount Olive College baseball team posted a 2-1 record during the first weekend of the 2004 season and a 3-1 record last weekend. Considering the Trojans are playing three games this weekend...

Thursday, February 12, 2004

Realignment helps J.H. Rose

The next phase in the athletic realignment of North Carolina's high schools was taken Wednesday, when the N.C. High School Athletic Association's Realignment Committee released its first draft proposal for conference realignment. The proposal adjusts the conference memberships of...

Realignment -- where they all go

Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference Goldsboro (Drops to 2-A -- plays with North Lenoir, Greene Central, North Pitt, Farmville Central, Wilson Beddingfield and South Johnston) Eastern Wayne (Joins league with Southern Wayne, Charles B. Aycock, Wilson Hunt, Kinston and West Johnston)...

Prep basketball roundup

Courtesy Washington Daily News WASHINGTON -- For the second straight game, the Charles B. Aycock boys basketball team played solid team basketball, but fell short of picking up a win. Washington's Calvin Daniels' layup with seven seconds left in...

Prep swimming

Nine Eastern Wayne swimmers and one swimmer from Charles B. Aycock advanced to the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A swimming championships Friday after strong performances at last week's regional meet in Hillsborough. Three Warrior relay teams --...

MOC campus still buzzing over "The Shot'

MOUNT OLIVE -- Every once in a great while in the world of sports, something happens that is so memorable, so magical, that it takes little description to know exactly what someone is referring to. Just say "The Drive"...

Trojan teams prepare for Crusaders

MOUNT OLIVE -- Just for fun, Mount Olive College basketball player Marcus West attempted the same 80-foot shot in practice yesterday that he hit at the end of the Trojans' win over Pfeiffer Monday. Apart from that one shot,...

Farmer notches hole-in-one

Gene Farmer recorded his second hole-in-one on hole number 12 at the Golsdboro Municipal Golf Course on Saturday. Farmer, who aced the same hole in 1996, aced the par-three, 137-yarder with an eight iron. Bill Creech, Dan Mooring and...

Massey-Lynn feature for Thursday

PIKEVILLE -- The success surrounding Charles B. Aycock's wrestling team this season can be attributed to its ability to collect critical points in consolation-round matches. Sophomore Jackson Massey and freshman Ronald Lynn can definitely take partial credit in several of...

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Lady Cougars complete perfect ECC slate

DUDLEY -- Artimus Quick took the last rebound of the game Tuesday night and looked around. He was under the Goldsboro basket, eyeing the area around him as he expected the Cougar players to try one more foul before...

Kendrick's suggestion helps Warriors

PIKEVILLE -- Along with his heady play at point guard, Eastern Wayne's Adrian Kendrick's biggest contribution in the Warriors' 63-50 win at Charles B. Aycock came in the form of a suggestion. With the Golden Falcons staging a serious...

Hawk girls stay in EPC 2-A title hunt

LAGRANGE -- Upset by its performance nearly three weeks ago at SouthWest Edgecombe, the North Lenoir girls basketball team used that as motivation in Tuesday's rematch at Wooten Gymnasium. The Lady Hawks held the Lady Cougars scoreless in the...

Wilson's 3-pointers help bury Cyclones

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek's Grey Wilson buried three three-pointers to open the third period as the Gators avenged a loss earlier in the season to Community Christian of Wilson with a 66-53 win at home. Spring Creek went on...

Longwell paces Wayne Christian girls

GREENVILLE -- Wayne Christian's Ashley Longwell dropped in 15 points as the Eagles finished 11-1 after a 44-36, Class 1-A Carolina Christian Conference win against Trinity Christian. The Eagles (14-10) seized the No. 1 seed for next week's CCC tournament....

Trojan men exit top 25 poll

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Monday night, 20th-ranked Mount Olive defeated No. 3 Pfeiffer. Tuesday morning, the Trojans fell out of the top 25 and Pfeiffer moved up to No. 2. Perhaps Division II Bulletin magazine could have waited...

Saints' Robinson eyes state title

DUDLEY -- One by one his senior teammates walked to center mat as Southern Wayne head wrestling coach David Lee introduced them, and listed their career accomplishments. Then it was Paul Robinson's turn. As Lee spoke Robinson's name, the...

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Shot of the century for MOC

MOUNT OLIVE -- The biggest shot in Mount Olive College men's basketball history fell in the hands of its All-American Monday evening. And Marcus West delivered in thrilling fashion. The senior threw an unbelievable 80-foot, line-drive shot that stripped...

Lady Trojans prevail

MOUNT OLIVE -- Before taking to the road for five of its final seven regular season games, there was extra incentive for the Mount Olive women's basketball team to defend their home floor on Monday. The Trojans gained some...

Prep hoops roundup

MOREHEAD CITY -- West Carteret's Cody Washington scored 21 points, including five three-pointers as the Patriots claimed a 58-53 win over Goldsboro in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference play on Monday. With the loss, Goldsboro dropped to 11-12 overall and...

Wrestling feature -- Aaron Lynch

Aaron Lynch’s progression through wrestling has been exactly what Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson envisioned when Lynch competed as a freshman. Lynch saw limited time his first season and earned three wins. “He loved the sport and decided to get...

Monday, February 9, 2004

Trojans take two from Lenoir-Rhyne

MOUNT OLIVE -- Carl Lancaster surely can't mind bundling up for some February baseball -- as long as his Mount Olive College team plays as it is currently doing. Mount Olive made the weekend a happy -- if chilly...

Trojan women seeking CVAC win

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- Tonight's men's basketball game between Mount Olive and Pfeiffer is not just another conference game. For the first time in school history, Mount Olive will play at home as a nationally-ranked team. In addition,...

No. 3 Pfeiffer calls on No. 20 Mount Olive

MOC Sports Information MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive women's basketball team opened conference play in early December with a victory on the road against the defending regular season conference champions. The Trojans were in the top half of the...

Sasser determined to reach state meet

Despite a season–ending injury his junior year and a midseason medical mishap this winter, Eastern Wayne senior Tyler Sasser has turned those discouraging situations into positive energy on the wrestling mat. Sasser dislocated his right knee in last year’s...

Duhon's next play

The next play. In order to be successful in any sport, a player and team has to be able to answer to a big play on the other end. This is especially true in the competitively balanced world of...

Sunday, February 8, 2004

MOC baseball splits home opener with Catawba

MOUNT OLIVE -- Veteran Mount Olive College baseball coach Carl Lancaster hasn't quite figured out if Ricky Duke will crack the starting pitching rotation. Duke lobbied his case Saturday afternoon. The right-handed junior scattered six hits in a six-inning...

Warriors take pair from Southern Wayne

Eastern Wayne's senior basketball players made their last regular season game in New Hope home one to remember. The Warriors won both games against Eastern Carolina 3-A Confer-ence foe Southern Wayne Friday night. The girls' 55-37 win and the...

Tired Gators fall to Ayden-Grifton

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek's boys basketball team knew first place in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference was on the line Friday night at home against Ayden-Grifton. The Gators wanted it. They just didn't have the legs. Playing its fifth...

Prep boys for weekend

Free-throws proved a huge difference in the outcome of Rosewood's clash at home with North Johnston Friday. The Panthers made 82 percent of their foul shots, knocking down 14-of-17 on the game. The Eagles made just four-of-18 from the stripe,...

Hawks sweep North Pitt

Courtesy Kinston Free Press LAGRANGE -- North Lenoir junior Justin Dunn added another chapter to his growing legend Friday night, exploding for 16 of his 30 points in the pivotal third quarter of the Hawks' 74-55 win at home against...

Goldsboro's girls, Kinston's boys clinch titles

The humidity was the topic of conversation Friday as Goldsboro and Kinston staged another basketball war. But even the unusual heat -- and the condensation that sopped the floor of Goldsboro High School's gym -- could not stop two...

Girls weekend roundup

North Johnston's Helen Moore scored a game-high 17 points as the Panthers slipped past Rosewood 52-46 in a crucial Class 1-A Carolina Conference showdown at the Eagles' gymnasium. Moore also had nine rebounds and six steals. With the win, North...

Trojan Men's Basketball Defeats Coker

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Marcus West scored 20 points and Sean Barnett added 17 points as No. 20 Mount Olive College defeated host Coker 70-46 in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball Thursday at Hartsville. The win was Mount Olive's 12th in...

Greene Central athletes mourn loss

SNOW HILL -- Charles Gamble looked upward. Tears welled up in his eyes. The public announcement was made before Tuesday's varsity boys basketball game that his friend and teammate Delaun Wade, known at the school as Delaun Sullivan, passed...

Aycock's girls win on road; boys fall

WINTERVILLE -- This time Lela Reid executed the play with perfection. Tied at 36-36, Reid threw an inbounds pass to Joyce Warrick, who converted the layup and got fouled as the ball rolled through the hoop. Warrick added the...

Friday, February 6, 2004

Patriots deny Golden Falcons ... again

PIKEVILLE -- Denied ... again. Charles B. Aycock's second consecutive trip to the elite eight ended in disappointing fashion Thursday evening in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A dual-team playoffs. The Golden Falcons let victory slip from...

GC students grieve for fallen teammate

SNOW HILL -- Charles Gamble looked upward. Tears welled up in his eyes. The public announcement was made before Tuesday's varsity boys basketball game that his friend and teammate Delaun Wade, known at the school as Delaun Sullivan, passed...

Gator boys retain Carolina 1-A lead

Courtesy Greenville Reflector FARMVILLE -- Spring Creek's boys cemented its hold on the top of the Carolina 1-A Conference Thursday night after beating Farmville Central for the second time in three days, this time a 65-61 win on the Jaguars'...

Trojans split CVAC twinbill at Coker

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Marcus West scored 20 points and Sean Barnett added 17 points as No. 20 Mount Olive College defeated host Coker 70-46 in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball Thursday at Hartsville. The win was Mount Olive's 12th in...

Lewis ready to reap benefits from recruiting

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College men's and women's tennis coach Burt Lewis had a simple formula when he started recruiting for the 2004 season. Lewis searched for talented players who could add depth to a program which has...

Area swimmers compete today

HILLSBOROUGH -- More than 20 swimmers from three Wayne County schools begin competition today in the 2004 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional individual championships at the Triangle SportsPlex. Southern Wayne qualified three individual and two boys'...

Thursday, February 5, 2004

Quintanilla signs with Catawba

CALYPSO -- As a starter on four straight playoff teams and an eastern regional finalist as a senior, North Duplin linebacker Juan Quintanilla knows a lot about winning. That should fit in well at Division II Catawba College as...

North Lenoir and Tarboro High

LAGRANGE -- Melvin Lynch walked into Heather Humphrey's office and phoned home. "Is Chanee up?" Lynch asked. After a few seconds, Lynch passed a message along to his daughter, North Lenoir senior Chanee Lynch. "Tell her the girls won,"...

Rosewood-AG

Rosewood's girls basketball team might have missed their floor leader Wednesday night, but still had enough talent on the bench to keep on rolling along in the Carolina 1-A Conference wars. With Jessica Hill sitting for nearly all the...

Rosewood wrestling ends season vs. S. Davidson

LEXINGTON -- Rosewood's bid for its third consecutive trip to the Class 1-A Eastern Regional championship ended abruptly Tuesday evening on the West Davidson campus. Defending state champion South Davidson rallied from an 17-point deficit and eliminated the Eagles...

Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Goldsboro routs its rival

Maybe it was the traditional rivalry of Goldsboro and Eastern Wayne that brought out the fire and drive in the Cougar boys basketball team Friday night. Maybe it was a lot of intangibles that added up to a solid...

North Lenoir dominates Rams

SNOW HILL -- If anyone wanted to see just how athletic and dangerous the North Lenoir basketball team is, a 10-second span in the third period in their rivalry clash with Greene Central is all the proof needed. Junior...

CBA wrestlers advance

JACKSONVILLE -- The jovial jaunting floating around the White Oak gymnasium Tuesday evening centered around county wrestling rivals Charles B. Aycock and Southern Wayne. "We traveled down here to see these two wrestle again?" one person quipped when the...

WCDS teams fall to Greenfield

If, if, if. That's what everyone at Wayne Country Day School must be feeling or saying after dropping both boys and girls basketball games to visiting Greenfield School on Tuesday night. The Knights held on to beat the Chargers...

Boys hoops roundup

PRINCETON -- Karter Yutzy sank two free throws with 11 seconds left as Princeton handed county archrival North Johnston a 59-58 defeat in Class 1-A Carolina Conference action Tuesday evening. Yutzy finished with 27 points, including an incredible 17-of-18...

Girls hoops roundup

LITTLEFIELD -- Sierra Ward drained two free throws with 10 seconds remaining as North Duplin slipped past Ayden-Grifton 49-47 in a Class 1-A Carolina Conference encounter Tuesday. Ward finished with a team-high 16 points as the Rebels rose to...

Tuesday, February 3, 2004

Who's in? Who's out?

With the beginning of February, the first symptoms of March Madness usually begin to be noticed. Chief among those ailments is the age-old question -- "will they or won't they?" With two weeks left in the prep basketball season,...

MOC men fall to Barton

The most disappointing thing in Mount Olive College's men's basketball loss to Barton College Monday was not that the 76-68 defeat broke the Trojans' impressive 11-game winning streak. It was not that the Bulldogs handed Mount Olive it's first home...

Battered Lady Trojans lose to Barton

MOUNT OLIVE -- Playing on Monday evening hasn't brought much luck to the Mount Olive College women's team. And when you've got an injured starter on the bench and another playing less than 100 percent, that unwelcomed statistic becomes a...

Panthers sweep rival Princeton

KENLY -- After not being able to practice in more than a week, first-year Princeton boys' basketball coach Jeff Davis understood poor shooting stretches or a scattered defensive breakdown Monday night at rival North Johnston. However, Davis was not pleased...

Prep track roundup

Twin brothers Jeremy and James Ruesch of Rosewood combined to win three individual events and finished in the top three in several others as the Eagles claimed the first-ever boys indoor track meet at Rosewood on Monday. Jeremy won the...

Monday, February 2, 2004

CBA wins ECC mat tourney

Charles B. Aycock's 48-point advantage against West Carteret didn't seem in jeopardy when the consolation finals and championship round began Saturday afternoon in the 2004 Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference wrestling championships. The Golden Falcons placed all 14 wrestlers...

Men's Volleyball Mount Olive Posts 1-2 Record

BANNER ELK -- Mount Olive posted a 1-2 record at the Lees-McRae College Men's Volleyball Tournament over the weekend. The Trojans opened with a 30-20, 30-20, 30-23 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic Friday. Saturday morning, the Trojans fell to Eastern...

RHS girls win Carolina indoor track title

Rosewood cruised to a victory in the frst-ever Carolina 1-A Conference indoor trac meet, held Friday at the Eagles' facility. The Eagles scored 69 points, easily beating second-place North Johnston's 49 points, Princeton was third with 39 points and...

Trojan women playing better

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College head women's basketball coach Wendy Lawrence says her team is improving and playing with more intensity every game. She feels it's just a matter of time before the won-loss record reflects the Trojans' improvement....

MOC-Barton about position Ñ andrivalry

MOUNT OLIVE -- Tonight's men's basketball game between Mount Olive College and hated rival Barton is a battle for positioning in the conference standings and the regional rankings. But mostly, it's another chapter in the rivalry. Mount Olive puts its...

Mount Olive Baseball picked second In CVAC

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College is picked second in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference preseason baseball poll, as selected by the CVAC head baseball coaches. The Trojans earned four of the nine first-place votes and finished with 58 points, two...

Mount Olive baseball team splits doubleheader

NEWBERRY, S.C. -- Mount Olive College opened the baseball season with a pair of weekend wins over Newberry. The Trojans split a Saturday doubleheader with Newberry, winning the opener 7-4 and falling 5-2 in the nightcap. On Sunday, Mount Olive...

Ram duo shines at EPC tournament

TARBORO -- Jimmy Edmonds and heavyweight Justin St. John each prevailed in their respective weight classes during the Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference wrestling tournament contested Saturday afternoon at Tarboro High School. Edmonds, a junior, picked up the 189-pound title...

Rosewood wins wrestling tourney

Senior Aaron Lynch seized most outstanding wrestler accolades and helped Rosewood dominate the season-ending Class 1-A Carolina/Tar-Roanoke Conference wrestling tournament Saturday at Rosewood. Lynch prevailed as the 152-pound champion for the Eagles, who amassed 230 points in the four-team tournament....

Sunday, February 1, 2004

Spring Creek boys hold off Rosewood

"We were real fortunate to win it." Spring Creek boys basketball coach Sonny Kilpatrick spoke those words as if he were feeling them in the pit of his stomach Friday night as he was leaving the Rosewood gym. Kilpatrick's...

Cougars sweep ECC contests

Ankle injuries are not uncommon on the basketball court. They are quite rare on the sideline. Goldsboro's boys coach Randy Jordan suffered a sprained ankle Friday after an accidental collision with a Cougar player late in the fourth quarter...

MOC men win 11th straight

MOUNT OLIVE -- Victor Young's alley-oop reverse slam dunk sparked a 16-2 run and Maurice Horton capped the run with six consecutive free throws late in the second half as host Mount Olive rallied from a 12-point deficit to...

Prep boys roundup

Wayne Country Day School celebrated homecoming on a big way with a 63-18 thrashing of visiting Trinity Christian of Raleigh Friday night. The Chargers (9-5) jumped out to a 31-10 halftime lead and never looked back as 12 different players...

Prep girls roundup

VANCEBORO -- West Craven scored 28 second half points en route to an 46-44 upset win over Charles B. Aycock Friday night. The loss moved Aycock (13-5 overall) down to 8-4 in the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference Emily Stewart posted...