Recent Articles

Bunn's Stephanie Williams (right) is safe at home plate as SN's Ayessha Hall awaits the throw.

CHAPEL HILL -- Almost 21,000 individual awards have been given by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to student-athletes for their achievements in the classroom as well as on the playing court or athletic field.
The NCHSAA made the awards in its Scholar-Athlete program presented by the North Carolina National Guard, which includes recognition of varsity teams which attain certain grades as well as individual athletes.

BETHEL -- Northern Nash and Rocky Mount were both effective at the annual Pitt County Track and Field Classic, which was held April 20 at North Pitt High School.
NNHS was third in the boys standings with 90 points and fourth in the girls rankings with 68 markers.
Rocky Mount claimed second in both the boys (132) and girls (126).
Team winners were Southeast Raleigh in girls (195) and host North Pitt in boys (156).

North Carolina Wesleyan College Athletic Director John Thompson (left) presents NCWC's Athlete of the Year Awards to (l to r) Robert Kjellberg (men's tennis), Jacques Alston (football) and Natalia Lopez (women's tennis).

ZEBULON -- The Salem Red Sox held the Carolina Mudcats to just one run in both games of Sunday's Class A Carolina League baseball doubleheader at Five County Stadium in Zebuon.
The Mudcats managed just two total runs on five hits between both games while losing games one and two 2-1 and 4-1 respectively.
The Mudcats (7-9) were held to four hits in game one and to just one in game two.

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are updated results from the Nash County Parks and Recreation Department's Spring Soccer and Baseball/Softball Leagues:

Zion King (right) enjoyed an outstanding performance for the Northern Nash Lady Knights during last Wednesday's tight home decision against backyard rival Nash Central.

Northern Nash's Zion King (left) can't maintain her balance during last Wednesday evening's Big East Conference girls soccer contest on the NNHS campus in Red Oak.

RALEIGH -- Saint Augustine's University swept all four CIAA softball weekly awards last Tuesday.
Korey Hill (So./Virginia Beach, VA) was named Offensive Player of the Week, Danyelle Noland (Fr./Nashville, NC) was selected Defensive Player of the Week, Meranda Zanni (So./Phoenix, OR) was chosen Pitcher of the Week and Nikki Bynum Bumpass was voted Coach of the Week.
All three players and Coach Bumpass helped the Lady Falcons post a 5-1 record last week including a 4-0 CIAA mark.

WILSON -- Southern Nash's Josh Harden delivered a strong 73 to claim medalist honors during last Thursday's non-conference boys golf matchup at Willow Springs Country Club.
Harden birded the fourth and 13th holes en route to earning the top spot. He edged Wilson Hunt's Collin Blalock by two strokes.
Wilson Hunt was the overall team winner at 317, followed by Wilson Fike (355), Southern Nash (363) and Wilson Beddingfield (379).

Everyone had a great time at the 19th Annual Mother/Daughter Overnight Camp at Camp Mundo Vista on April 24-25! Over 163 campers including girls in grades 1-12, moms, and staff traveled to Camp Mundo Vista in the beautiful Uwharrie Mountains near Asheboro for a time to be together and experience missions. The "Happy Feet" theme was emphasized during the camp through Bible Study, missionaries, crafts, recreation, and large group times. Campers were challenged to remember Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful are the feet on the mountains of those who bring good news", as they happily go out sharing the good news of Jesus.

The O.D. Moore Scholarship Foundation will host its Sixth Annual Golf Tournament at the Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount on Friday, May 22.
Check in is at 8:30 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m. The entry fee is $70 per golfer and includes the green fee, golf cart, lunch, range balls, 50/50 Long Drive, 50/50 Closet to the pin and other prizes.
Proceeds from the event will suppor scholarships for graduating high school students. All entry fees are tax deductible.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central's pecking order in the Big East Conference baseball standings was destined to be determined by a two-game stretch against Rocky Mount and Wilson Fike last weekend.
The quick stretch began Friday night with a 5-1 setback against long-time rival Rocky Mount at the NCHS Baseball Field.
About 16 hours later, the Bulldogs were back at it with a home meeting against Fike, which was the league leader heading into the afternoon showdown.

RED OAK - Known more for his prowess as a cross country coach and elite-level distance runner, Jeff Dodrill sprinted at the chance to become Red Oak Middle School's first-ever boys basketball coach when the school started athletics in 2003.
Dodrill and his Tigers have been on a run ever since, showing both talent and endurance from one of the area's most accomplished middle school programs.
"I played basketball in high school but just ran in college,'' Dodrill said. "But I always liked basketball. I came to Red Oak to teach and was interested when I found out the basketball job was available.''

RED OAK -- Given her size and ability, Kiana Thomas has become accustomed to being the center of attention.
So Thomas shouldn't be intimidated by the expectations and surroundings that await her at Howard University.
Howard, a Division I school that competes in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, is located in Washington, D.C. -- one of the country's largest cities.
Thomas, though soft-spoken, has developed a penchant for excelling in the spotlight. So it's no surprise that the Northern Nash High School standout has opted to continue her career at Howard.

WILSON -- The Third Annual Junior Varsity Spring Baseball Classic will be held this Saturday at Fleming Stadium in Wilson.
The Junior Varsity Classic will feature four games involving eight high school teams from across the area, including Nash Central and Rocky Mount.
All-day passes are available for $7 for aduts and $5 for children 12-under. Gates will open at 9:30 a.m.
The complete schedule is as follows:

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are updated results from the Nash County Parks and Recreation Department's Spring Baseball and Soccer seasons:

STANHOPE -- During its brief history, the Sandhills Community College men's basketball program has developed a reputation as being one of the most uptempo units on the Division III level of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Southern Nash coach Robbie Kennedy sees Emmanuel Merriweather as a perfect fit for that style of play.
"Offensively, with the ball, Emmanuel is really good,'' Kennedy said. "He is very difficult to guard one-on-one. He can get to the basket and get a good look.
"Sandhills likes to run the court -- they like to push the ball. Emmanuel is really quick and will be good in that system.''

SALEM, VA. -- Carolina's Steve Janas turned in another quality outing while leading the Mudcats to a 3-1 road win against the Red Sox at LewisGale Field last Saturday night.
Janas struck out five, allowed one run and scattered five hits over seven innings. Connor Lien, Carlos Franco and Joe Odom each drove in runs for the Mudcats in the win.

RED OAK -- Rebekah Beal's season-long goal scoring flurry continued last Friday for the Northern Nash Lady Knights during a non-league home soccer matchup against Louisburg.
Beal delivered seven markers as the Lady Knights roared to a 9-0 decision in a contest that was shortened due to the mercy rule.
Olivia Bunn and Caitlyn McLaughlin also scored for Northern, which outshot its opponent by a 31-0 margin.

Cameron Taylor pitched well for Nash Central during last Saturday's home loss against Wilson Fike.

Despite the presence of a hard-charging Wilson Fike baserunner, Nash Central first sacker Noah Shrock (left) makes a play during the Bulldogs' home meeting last Saturday afternoon against the Demons in Big East baseball action.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The 2015 USA South Conference Women's Tennis Tournament concluded on Sunday with top-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan College claiming the program's first championship and NCAA berth.
The Battling Bishops swept 2nd-seeded Methodist 9-0 to earn the title. NCWC had previously turned in a 5-0 victory over 4th-seeded Meredith in Saturday's rain-shortened semifinal.

ELM CITY -- As the sun began to set on what was a beautiful evening last Saturday afternoon, fans, crews and drivers filed into the gates at County Line Raceway.
A total of 100 laps of feature racing action were on tap for the evening in the event dubbed the Spring Fever 100.
The first feature event of the night was the Super Stock Four Cylinder division.
The starting order was set earlier in the evening by two heat races won by Austin Larrison and Damien Bryant.

The Spring Hope community is mourning the loss of Bill Newkirk, who passed away last Wednesday at the age of 67.
Newkirk was a longtime commissioner for Spring Hope's Board of Commissioners. He was serving his third term when he announced in December that he was resigning due to declining health.
Spring Hope Town Manager John Holpe said he would miss Newkirk, who he remembered as a gentleman who was always concerned about the people in his community.