FAYETTEVILLE -- The USA South Conference Tournaments for baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and men’s golf all begin this week.
All USA South championships will be played exclusively in Rocky Mount and the surrounding area.
The baseball tournament will take place from Thursday, April 11 through Sunday, April 14 and will split time between Fleming Stadium in Wilson and Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats could not think of a better scenario to begin the 2013 season than a three-game sweep of the Winston-Salem Dash.
With a 6-2 win on Sunday afternoon, they got exactly that in Class 1-A Carolina League baseball action.
The Mudcats improved to 3-0 on the year by holding the Dash (0-3) scoreless for six straight innings while building a 4-0 advantage.
GREENVILLE -- Zech Lemond tossed 3.2 scoreless innings of relief and Michael Aquino doubled home a pair of runs in the seventh lifting No. 18 Rice (23-11, 6-3) to an 8-7 series win over East Carolina University (15-17, 1-5) in college baseball action Sunday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Senior Claire Fleming (right) and the Northern Nash Lady Knights look to be in the mix to obtain a berth in the Class 3-A Girls Soccer State Playoffs out of the competitive Big East Conference. The Lady Knights tangled with rival Nash Central on Tuesday.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Graphic Sportswriter
STANHOPE -- Southern Nash head coach Brian Batchelor would love to offer a prediction as to how the Big East Conference boys track and field standings are going to go this spring.
But Batchelor is in the same predicament as just about every other coach in the league as most teams are being forced to reload after the graduation of several key state-level performers.
ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central went one up and one down during its initial week of action as part of the 2013 Big East Conference baseball schedule.
NC’s league quest began with a trip to the new field at Rocky Mount. The contest featured a pitcher’s duel between a pair of aces -- Nash Central’s Tyler King and Rocky Mount’s Jeremy Johnson.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Graphic Sportswriter
STANHOPE -- It’s all about finishing the job in the race to obtain one of the coveted spots in the Class 3-A Girls Soccer State Playoffs out of the competitive Big East Conference.
Once again, the Big East is loaded from top to bottom, and some good teams are going to get left out of the postseason picture.
ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central High School will kick off its 2013 varsity football schedule on Aug. 23 with a home game against perennial powerhouse Tarboro.
The last time the Vikings played at The Dawg Pound in 2011, Nash Central roared to an impressive victory.
Tarboro returned the favor last fall in Edgecombe County.
ROCKY MOUNT -- Even after the graduation of a handful of key players, the Nash Central Lady Bulldogs are once again expected to be a force to be reckoned with in the Big East Conference softball standings.
Last spring, Central tied for the regular season crown before winning the championship at the Big East Conference Tournament.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Graphic Sportswriter
NASH COUNTY -- Nash County was well-represented on the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association All-District 3 Boys and Girls Teams
Rocky Mount High’s husband-wife coaching duo of Pam and Mike Gainey were saluted as District 3 Coaches of the Year after guiding their respective clubs to Class 3-A East Regional appearances.
ZEBULON -- Billed as the “must-see affiliate” in the Cleveland Indians Player Development System by Baseball Prospectus, the Carolina Mudcats feature two of the top five organizational prospects and five of the top 30.
A total of 13 players return from last year’s team.
ROCKY MOUNT -- North Carolina Wesleyan College men’s basketball senior Brandon Givens has become the seventh Battling Bishop in program history to garner All-American honors on the hardwood.
The 2013 USA South Player of the Year, Givens earned accolades from three different associations, including a First Team selection by DIII News, a Second Team selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and a Third Team selection by D3Hoops.com.
CHAPEL HILL -- Wells Fargo, along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, has announced the standings in the Wells Fargo Conference Cup competitions for the 2012-2013 winter sports season.
The Wells Fargo Cup Award, sponsored by Wells Fargo and the NCHSAA, recognizes the high schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performance within each of the state’s four competitive classifications.
(L to R) Nash Central’s Jarod Richardson and Southern Nash’s Zamonia Knight speed toward the finish line in the Boys 100 during last Wednesday’s Big East track and field event.
Southern Nash’s Jamise Harris-Baker sprints toward a loose ball during last Wednesday’s Big East Conference soccer match against Northern Nash. The visiting Lady Knights won the tight contest by a 1-0 score for Coach Joe McCarthy.
Southern Nash’s Boris Burt sends a shot put into the sky during last Wednesday’s track and field meet.
Northern Nash defensive whiz Claire Fleming (middle) clears the ball against Southern Nash.
Nash Central’s Brittany Hilliard takes part in the long jump competition during last Wednesday’s track meet, which was held at Southern Nash High School.
Southern Nash’s Ivey Harris displays the correct form en route to a victory in the sprint hurdles as part of last Wednesday’s track and field event at SN’s Firebird Stadium.
10-12 AGE DIVISION
THE FIREHAWKS
FERRUM, VA. -- Freshman Jason Riley’s two-run pinch hit in the top of the eighth inning gave his North Carolina Wesleyan College baseball team an 8-7 win over Ferrum College last Saturday afternoon, securing the Bishops’ second straight league sweep.
Wesleyan had previously downed the Panthers by 18-14 and 3-1 scores on Friday to take over sole possession of second place in the league standings.
DURHAM -- Ben Fultz drove in a pair of runs in the second inning and Brett Mabry tossed 5.2 scoreless innings as East Carolina University (14-14) picked up a weekend baseball series win over N.C. Central (18-11) at the historic Durham Athletic Park last Saturday afternoon.
ECU picked up 11 hits en route to claiming the 5-1 decision.
INCIDENTS
An all traffic (except DWI) was reported on 3/25/13 at 1210 Eastern Avenue
A criminal damage to property (vandalism) was reported on 3/26/13 at 802 S. First Street
A criminal damage to property (vandalism) was reported on 3/26/13 at at 818 Brake Street
An assault on a female was reported on 3/26/13 at 5979 Weax Parker Lane
A narcotics violation was reported on 3/26/13 at E. NC 97 and S. Halifax Road
A larceny from a residence was reported on 3/26/13 at 2110 W Hilliardston Road
A breaking, entering and larceny from a residence was reported on 3/26/13 at 5808 Red Oak Road
ROCKY MOUNT - Funeral services for Phillip John “Big Red” Lynch, 39, who died Sunday, March 31, 2013, will be Sunday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Pastor Linda Taybron officiating.
