Alex Podlogar

2009 N.C. Football Playoffs — Second Round Scores

designatedhitter — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:56:59 +0000

Friday’s Scores

By The Associated Press

PREP FOOTBALL

CLASS 4-AA

EAST

(1) Wake Forest-Rolesville 42, (8) Garner 8

(3) Fayetteville Britt 36, (11) Raleigh Leesville Road 8

(5) Fuquay-Varina 41, (4) Southern Pines Pinecrest 7

(7) Lumberton 31, (2) Wilmington Hoggard 10

WEST

(1) Matthews Butler 70, (8) West Forsyth 16

(12) East Mecklenburg 47, (4) Charlotte Olympic 13

(2) Richmond County 40, (10) Charlotte Providence 32

(6) Charlotte Independence 49, (3) Charlotte Mallard Creek 20

CLASS 4-A

EAST

(1) Southern Durham 24, (8) Raleigh Athens Drive 21

(2) Harnett Central 27, (7) Southeast Raleigh 21, OT

(3) Apex Middle Creek 24, (6) Durham Hillside 19

(5) New Hanover County 26, (4) Fayetteville Sanford 23, 2 OT

WEST

(4) Asheville Reynolds 25, (5) Alexander Central 16

(6) Monroe Sun Valley 33, (3) Jamestown Ragsdale 24

(8) Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor 26, (1) Winston-Salem Reynolds 22

CLASS 3-AA

EAST

(1) South Johnston 35, (8) Rocky Mount 18

(11) Southern Nash 20, (3) Wilson Hunt 10

(12) Fayetteville Byrd 28, (4) West Brunswick 7

(2) Hope Mills Gray’s Creek 23, (10) Pikeville Aycock 13

WEST

(1) Northern Guilford 49, (9) Harrisburg Hickory Ridge 9

(12) Anson County 10, (13) Shelby Crest 3

(3) Kannapolis Brown 45, (11) Asheville Erwin 27

(7) Belmont South Point 24, (2) Gastonia Forestview 21

CLASS 3-A

EAST

(1) Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 21, (9) China Grove Carson 15

(3) Havelock 27, (6) East Rowan 7

WEST

(1) Lenoir Hibriten 40, (8) Concord 6

(2) West Rowan 38, (10) R-S Central 0

(3) Asheville 49, (6) Franklin 14

(4) Waynesville Tuscola 31, (5) Lawndale Burns 22

CLASS 2-AA

EAST

(9) Kinston 17, (1) East Duplin 14

WEST

(5) Canton Pisgah 24, (4) Marshville Forest Hills 21

(8) Salisbury 34, (1) Shelby 26

CLASS 2-A

EAST

(1) East Bladen 50, (8) Louisburg 21

(5) Siler City Jordan-Matthews 44, (4) Fairmont 26

(6) Tarboro 45, (3) Roanoke Rapids 7

(7) Whiteville 46, (2) Kill Devil Hills First Flight 20

WEST

(2) Burnsville Mountain Heritage 51, (10) Eastern Randolph 14

(4) Thomasville 13, (5) Polk County 10, OT

(6) Lincolnton 16, (3) Winston-Salem Carver 14

(9) Lexington 22, (1) Boonville Starmount 21

CLASS 1-AA

EAST

(1) Southwest Onslow 17, (8) Warsaw Kenan 6

(14) Rocky Point Trask 42, (11) Gates County 14

(4) Pender County 56, (5) Ayden-Grifton 13

WEST

(1) Albemarle 35, (8) Murphy 28

(3) Hendersonville 22, (11) East Wilkes 12

(4) Swain County 27, (5) Bessemer City 14

CLASS 1-A

EAST

(4) Wallace-Rose Hill 49, (5) Williamston 6

(6) Jones County 13, (3) Weldon 12

(9) Plymouth 18, (1) Manteo 12

WEST

(1) Mt. Airy 39, (9) West Columbus 14

(3) Robbinsville 46, (6) South Stanly 7

(4) Princeton 21, (5) Hobbton 13

The PODcast, Nov. 18

designatedhitter — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:28:13 +0000

Sanford’s only sports talk radio show ponders whether it’s football season again in Chapel Hill, talks Duke and N.C. State football, looks at the starts by UNC and Duke in basketball, wonders whether it’s OK to believe in the Panthers — and closes, of course, with the Kitty Corner.

N.C. First Round Football Playoff Scores

designatedhitter — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:08:54 +0000

North Carolina Prep Playoff Scores
Saturday’s Scores
The Associated Press

CLASS 4-AA

(1) — Southern Durham 34, (16) East Wake 20

(2) Harnett Central 36, (15) Fayetteville Seventy-First 6

(3) Apex Middle Creek 40, (14) New Bern 14

(4) Fayetteville Sanford 49, (13) Fayetteville Pine Forest 28

CLASS 3-AA
EAST

(1) South Johnston 10, (16) Eastern Guilford 7

(10) Pikeville Aycock 28, (7) Orange County 7

(11) Southern Nash at (6) Erwin Triton, ppd.

(3) Wilson Hunt 42, (14) Burlington Williams 27

CLASS 3-A
EAST

(1) Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons 47, 16) Currituck County 0

(14) Southern Guilford at (3) Havelock, ppd.

(2) Hertford County 35, (15) Jacksonville White Oak 9

(4) West Craven 42, (13) Southern Vance 27

CLASS 2-AA
EAST

(2) SouthWest Edgecombe 16, (15) West Stanly 6

(7) Jacksonville Northside 34, (10) Hillsborough Cedar Ridge 7

CLASS 2-A
EAST

(15) Burlington Cummings at (2) Kill Devil Hills First Flight, ppd.

(5) Siler City Jordan-Matthews 58, 12) Northwest Halifax 14

(6) Tarboro 49, (11) Newport Croatan 6

WEST

(5) Polk County 31, (12) Brevard 10

(9) Lexington 40, (8) Trinity 22

CLASS 1-A
EAST

(10) Columbia at (7) North Edgecombe, ppd.

(16) Swan Quarter Mattamuskeet at (1) Manteo, ppd.

(9) Plymouth 37, (8) Jamesville 6

North Carolina Prep Playoff Scores,3rd Ld-Writethru/940
Friday’s Scores
The Associated Press

CLASS 4-AA

(1) — Wake Forest-Rolesville 55, (16) Clayton 0

(11) Raleigh Leesville Road 20, (6) Raleigh Broughton 13

(3) Fayetteville Britt 63, (14) Cary Panther Creek 34

(4) Southern Pines Pinecrest 28, (13) Durham Jordan 0

(5) Fuquay-Varina 27, (12) Raleigh Millbrook 13

(7) Lumberton 14, (10) Hope Mills South View 0

(8) Garner 21, (9) Raleigh Wakefield 17

2) Wilmington Hoggard 7, (15) Cary 0

WEST

(1) Matthews Butler 47, (16) West Charlotte 20

(10) Charlotte Providence 26, (7) Charlotte Vance 9

(12) East Mecklenburg at (5) Greensboro Page, ppd.

(2) Richmond County 42, (15) Northwest Guilford 7

(3) Charlotte Mallard Creek 28, (14) Huntersville Hopewell 7

(4) Charlotte Olympic 54, (13) North Mecklenburg 14

(6) Charlotte Independence 56, (11) East Forsyth 14

(8) West Forsyth 14, (9) Lake Norman 12

CLASS 4-A
EAST

(13) Fayetteville Pine Forest at (4) Fayetteville Sanford, ppd.

(5) New Hanover County 24, (12) Holly Springs 0

(7) Southeast Raleigh 36, (10) Greenville Rose 3

(8) Raleigh Athens Drive 35, (9) Person County 17

WEST

(10) High Point Central 14, (7) Kernersville Glenn 13

(14) Watauga County at (3) Jamestown Ragsdale, ppd.

(15) Greensboro Smith at (2) Greensboro Dudley, ppd.

(4) Asheville Reynolds 42, (13) East Gaston 9

(5) Alexander Central 38, (12) Indian Trail Porter Ridge 21

(6) Monroe Sun Valley 10, (11) North Davidson 6

(9) Western Guilford at (8) Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor, ppd.

CLASS 3-AA
EAST

(12) Fayetteville Byrd 28, (5) Fayetteville Westover 21

(14) Burlington Williams at (3) Wilson Hunt, ppd.

(16) Eastern Guilford at (1) South Johnston, ppd.

(2) Hope Mills Gray’s Creek 27, (15) Western Harnett 10

(4) West Brunswick 34, (13) Chapel Hill 0

(8) Rocky Mount 24, (9) South Central Pitt 20

WEST

(1) Northern Guilford 63, (16) Asheboro 14

(11) Asheville Erwin 49, (6) Charlotte Catholic 28

(12) Anson County 21, (5) Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 7

(13) Shelby Crest at (4) Northeast Guilford, ppd.

(2) Gastonia Forestview 28, (15) Weddington 7

(3) Kannapolis Brown 30, (14) Concord Robinson 14

(7) Belmont South Point 21, (10) Gastonia Ashbrook 14

(9) Harrisburg Hickory Ridge 25, (8) North Forsyth 6

CLASS 3-A
EAST

(14) Southern Guilford at (3) Havelock, ppd.

(15) Jacksonville White Oak at (2) Hertford County, ppd.

(5) Eastern Alamance 45, (12) Mayodan McMichael 7

(6) East Rowan 14, (11) South Brunswick 11

(7) Western Alamance 21, (10) Washington 6

(9) China Grove Carson 14, (8) Thomasville Ledford 13

WEST

(1) Lenoir Hibriten 42, (16) Charlotte Harding 6

(10) R-S Central 28, (7) South Rowan 21

(2) West Rowan 45, (15) Morganton Freedom 18

(3) Asheville 46, (14) West Iredell 8

(4) Waynesville Tuscola 17, (13) Hickory 10

(5) Lawndale Burns 34, (12) West Henderson 31

(6) Franklin 13, (11) Gastonia Huss 7

(8) Concord 29, (9) Northwest Cabarrus 20

CLASS 2-AA
EAST

(1) East Duplin 41, (16) St. Pauls 7

(10) Hillsborough Cedar Ridge at (7) Jacksonville Northside, ppd.

(3) Reidsville 58, (14) Wilson Beddingfield 7

(4) South Granville 35, (13) South Lenoir 7

(5) Pittsboro Northwood 28, (12) Elizabeth City Northeastern 6

(6) Bunn 21, (11) Richlands 19

(9) Kinston 21, (8) High Point Andrews 20

WEST

(1) Shelby 40, (16) Claremont Bunker Hill 9

(2) Catawba Bandys 42, (15) South Iredell 7

(3) East Lincoln 30, (14) Ashe County 16

(4) Marshville Forest Hills 41, (13) Wilkes Central 7

(5) Canton Pisgah 35, (12) Black Mountain Owen 14

(6) West Stokes 41, (11) Charlotte Berry Academy 22

(7) Newton-Conover 38, (10) Monroe Piedmont 27

(8) Salisbury 35, (9) East Burke 6

CLASS 2-A
EAST

(1) East Bladen 42, (16) Carrboro 18

(11) Newport Croatan at (6) Tarboro, ppd.

(15) Burlington Cummings at (2) Kill Devil Hills First Flight, ppd.

(4) Fairmont 22, (13) Franklinton 14

(7) Whiteville 19, (10) Farmville Central 15

(8) Louisburg 27, (9) Pasquotank County 13

WEST

(1) Boonville Starmount 20, (16) Surry Central 17

(10) Eastern Randolph 16, (7) Climax Providence Grove 0

(13) East Rutherford at (4) Thomasville, ppd.

(2) Burnsville Mountain Heritage 54, (15) Madison County 21

(3) Winston-Salem Carver 31, (14) West Davidson 0

(6) Lincolnton 55, (11) Maiden 6

(9) Lexington at (8) Trinity, ppd.

CLASS 1-AA
EAST

(1) Southwest Onslow 64, (16) Clinton Union 21

(11) Gates County 34, (6) East Carteret 8

(14) Rocky Point Trask 13, (3) East Columbus 9

(4) Pender County 49, (13) Perquimans County 7

(5) Ayden-Grifton 27, (12) Dixon 7

(7) Southeast Halifax 6, (10) Dunn Midway 0

(8) Warsaw Kenan 34, (9) East Montgomery 6

WEST

(16) North Wilkes at (1) Albemarle, ppd.

(2) Monroe 48, (15) Cherryville 17

(4) Swain County 34, (13) West Wilkes 7

(5) Bessemer City 33, (12) Avery County 9

(7) West Montgomery 34, (10) Kernersville McGuinness 21

(8) Murphy 34, (9) North Rowan 6

CLASS 1-A
EAST

(10) Columbia at (7) North Edgecombe, ppd.

(15) Pinetown Northside at (2) Creswell, ppd.

(4) Wallace-Rose Hill 46, (13) Northampton-East 0

(6) Jones County 34, (11) Northampton-West 6

WEST

(1) Mt. Airy 52, (16) Goldsboro Rosewood 0

(10) North Duplin 14, (7) Cherokee 7

(2) Elkin 52, (15) Union Academy 0

(3) Robbinsville 63, (14) South Davidson 16

(4) Princeton 28, (13) Hayesville 25

(6) South Stanly 19, (11) Roseboro Lakewood 12

The wait is over for Eric and Akeem Richmond

designatedhitter — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:44:23 +0000

Akeem Richmond had a big night in his first game at Rhode Island.

Eric Richmond could’ve flown into the Providence.

It would’ve been a nothing drive from the airport to the Rhode Island campus, where he could’ve greeted his son in between classes if he wanted to.

He chose to fly into Boston instead. A rental car and an hour’s drive awaited him.

“I chose to make that drive,” Richmond says, a week after the Rams’ first exhibition game of the season, against Concordia — and his son’s first collegiate appearance. “I needed the time to calm myself down.”

Didn’t work.

Eric Richmond still got to campus in plenty of time. With Akeem still in classes, Eric slowly worked his way to his son’s dorm — and waited.

There would be a lot of waiting on this day. And strangely, that seemed to be OK with Eric. Even with the biggest game of his son’s life looming in mere hours.

But maybe that’s why it was OK to wait.

Akeem’s classes were done around lunchtime, and for the first time in weeks, Eric saw his son. It would be difficult for Sanford to recognize Akeem now. He’s still 6-foot-1, but he’s bench-pressing 275 pounds. For a kid who was never a big weight-lifter, he’s one of the workhorses in the Rams’ locker room. He also isn’t quite as cocksure, suffering, Eric says, for time-to-time bouts with homesickness.

And so the two, inseparable for the first 17 years of the boy’s life, went to lunch, poked at their food — and talked.

“He said he was excited, but nervous about his first game,” Eric says. “You know me, I’m always trying to gauge what he’s feeling and thinking. He was nervous.”

A couple of hours later, they headed to the arena for the Rams’ shootaround. Eric waited and watched some more. More armchair psychoanalyzing from Eric, he watched as Akeem lofted jumpers and moved effortlessly on the floor. The scoreboard may not have been on, but time was ticking down.

“I saw him after the shootaround. He just wanted to get it started, to get it over with,” Eric says. “I was biting my nails.”

Still a couple of hours before the game, Eric walked around the arena, through the seats to the mezzanine. He looked at old photographs, at memorabilia. But it’s not clear if he really saw anything.

“I looked around the arena, and all of could think about was, after all these years, since he was 5 or 6, it has finally come down to this. It was real.”

Eric tried the car again. It bought him time at the beginning of the day, maybe it would bring him clarity and ease now, less than two hours before tipoff. He sat in the car, memories of his boy playing like a movie in his head.

“I just sat there,” Eric says. “I was just so anxious. I saw fans beginning to walk in, so I figured I should go on ahead and go in.”

School officials brought Eric to his seat — directly behind coach Jim Baron and the Rams’ bench. He was closer to his son than he was at any of Akeem’s high school games at Southern Lee, when he would sit just four rows up in the bleachers. How strange that is. Closer to his son in this moment, in a town so far away from home.

The team came out and began the warmup drills. There was a murmur to the crowd, that familiar tone of people making small talk and settling in, all done to the soundtrack of Top 40 tunes being played over the PA. Eric heard none of it.

“During warmups, I was so nervous. But I’m always nervous. It never mattered if Akeem was playing a team his team was supposed to beat, I was always nervous. But this was a different kind of nervous this time.”

And then came horror.

“I saw him run off the floor (to end warmups), and I could see it. I could tell he was nervous.”

The next time Eric saw his son, it wasn’t in person. It was on the big screen hovering over the floor. Akeem Richmond, the second-leading scorer in North Carolina basketball history, the prize recruit for a Rhode Island team that won 20 games a year ago and narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament, was holding a basketball waiting to lead the Rams onto the floor.

“When he came out, the moment was finally there,” Eric says.

Well, not quite. Eric and Akeem would have to wait a bit more for The Moment.

The game began with Akeem on the bench. Five minutes in, though, Baron called him over. It was time.

“I heard Coach say, ‘C’mon Akeem,’” Eric says. “He got up and jogged to the scorers’ table. My heart just dropped.”

Almost as a gift to his father — and maybe to himself — Akeem didn’t make anyone wait for long. Fifteen seconds after he walked into his first college game, Akeem got the ball on the wing and pulled up from behind the 3-point line.

Swish.

“Nothing but the bottom of the net,” Eric says. “I knew then, everything was OK.”

It was more than OK. Richmond played much of the game, hit 5 of 8 3-pointers, drilled a buzzer-beater to end the first half and led the Rams with 19 points over Concordia in a 93-54 victory. He may as well have been wearing a Southern Lee uniform.

“He was shooting it farther and farther out,” Eric says. “Even the bench guys started getting excited. When the ball left his hands, they already had their arms in the air. Three-pointer!”

“We want him to score the ball,” Baron said after the game. “That’s what he can do.”

“From the time he first got here this summer and we saw how he can shoot, we told him to take it when he has it,” said Rams forward Delroy James, who had 12 points that night.

With 56 seconds remaining, Akeem left his first college game for the last time.

The crowd rose to its feet and roared, chanting his name.

That was Akeem’s moment, possibly the first of many. His father, though, still had to wait for his.

After meeting with the local press and finishing up his other postgame duties, Akeem retired to his dorm room with his dad. They talked with ease and watched the highlights on local television and hit the Web in search of the first news articles. It was 4 in the morning before either of them began to slow down. In just a few more hours, Akeem would be recognized at breakfast by fellow students and little old ladies in Rams gear alike.

The chants of the name he gave his son more than 18 years ago still ringing in his heard, Eric set out for Boston and his flight home. His rotator cuff, which would go under the knife in six days, was sore. But his heart was booming. He doesn’t have to wait anymore.

“I know now,” Eric says, holding on to the precious moment every dad hopes to one day feel. “I know he’s going to be fine.”

N.C. First Round Football Playoff Scores

designatedhitter — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:38:25 +0000

Area Teams

2-AA Playoffs

No. 5 Northwood 28, No. 12 Northeastern 6

Story by Ryan Sarda

PITTSBORO — Tra Chandler broke free on a 92-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the Northwood football team.

The senior had 162 yards of rushing and two touchdowns to lead the Chargers to the 28-6 victory over Northeastern on Friday night in the first round of the 2-AA East State Playoffs.

The Chargers (11-1), a No. 5 seed in the playoffs, came up with a huge defensive play on 4th-and-goal by recovering a fumble on the 8-yard line to set up Chandler’s long run.

“It was a nice win for us,” said Northwood coach Bill Hall. “They had as good a defense as we’ve seen all season long. We wanted to get out on them early and try our best to hold them. They had a heck of a football team and it’s nice to get a win.”

The first three scores for the Chargers came in the first quarter. For the rest of the game, the Chargers were forced to hold off several scoring opportunities by the Eagles.

“I thought we played well for the most part,” said Hall. “We did a good job of holding them. They had several chances to put more points on the board, but we were fortunate enough to hold them.”

The Chargers limited the Eagles to 176 yards, with just 68 yards coming on the ground. Prior to the game, Hall knew that the Eagles liked to run the ball and shutting the running game down was his top priority.

“Those guys can run the heck out of the ball,” said Hall. “They rotate three quarterbacks in and out and have a talented tailback. Our defense did its job of holding them to limited yards.”

The Chargers got on the board early when Shane Peppers scored on a 1-yard run. On their next possession, Chandler broke free on a reverse play and scored from 66 yards out.

Sam Griffin led the Chargers through the air. The senior was 6-of-16 for 124 yards and a touchdown. He also threw two interceptions. Late in the first quarter, Griffin found Ridge Smith for a 42-yard touchdown pass, which put Northwood up 21-0.

3-AA Playoffs

No. 2 Gray’s Creek 27, No. 15 Western Harnett 10

HOPE MILLS — The second chance didn’t go much like the first.

Western Harnett’s hopes of pulling off a first-round stunner in the state 3-AA playoffs were dashed after Gray’s Creek cruised to a 27-10 victory over the Eagles on Friday night.

On Oct. 23, Western Harnett hosted fellow Cape Fear Valley Conference program Gray’s Creek and nearly pulled off the upset, falling 10-7 on a late field goal in Lillington. In that game, the Eagles fumbled twice inside the Bears’ red zone.

There were no such late-game heroics needed for the CFV champion Bears this time around. Gray’s Creek 10-2), seeded second, led 14-3 at the half and was never seriously threatened after that.

Western Harnett (4-6), seeded 15th in the playoffs, was also playing short-handed. The Eagles were without 1,000-yard rusher Shaun McLean, who was lost for the year with two weeks left in the regular season after he was injured as a victim of a physical altercation off campus. McLean rushed for 116 yards on 27 carries in the teams’ meeting.

The Eagles made the postseason for the second straight season, the first under new coach George Coltharp.

PREP SCORES

CLASS 4-AA

EAST

(1) Wake Forest-Rolesville 55, (16) Clayton 0

(11) Raleigh Leesville Road 20, (6) Raleigh Broughton 13

(3) Fayetteville Britt 63, (14) Cary Panther Creek 34

(5) Fuquay-Varina 27, (12) Raleigh Millbrook 13

(7) Lumberton 14, (10) Hope Mills South View 0

(8) Garner 21, (9) Raleigh Wakefield 17

2) Wilmington Hoggard 7, (15) Cary 0

WEST

(1) Matthews Butler 47, (16) West Charlotte 20

(10) Charlotte Providence 26, (7) Charlotte Vance 9

(12) East Mecklenburg at (5) Greensboro Page, ppd.

(3) Charlotte Mallard Creek 28, (14) Huntersville Hopewell 7

(4) Charlotte Olympic 54, (13) North Mecklenburg 14

(6) Charlotte Independence 56, (11) East Forsyth 14

(8) West Forsyth 14, (9) Lake Norman 12

CLASS 4-A

EAST

(5) New Hanover County 24, (12) Holly Springs 0

(7) Southeast Raleigh 36, (10) Greenville Rose 3

(8) Raleigh Athens Drive 35, (9) Person County 17

WEST

(10) High Point Central 14, (7) Kernersville Glenn 13

(14) Watauga County at (3) Jamestown Ragsdale, ppd.

(15) Greensboro Smith at (2) Greensboro Dudley, ppd.

(4) Asheville Reynolds 42, (13) East Gaston 9

(5) Alexander Central 38, (12) Indian Trail Porter Ridge 21

(6) Monroe Sun Valley 10, (11) North Davidson 6

(9) Western Guilford at (8) Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor, ppd.

CLASS 3-AA

EAST

(12) Fayetteville Byrd 28, (5) Fayetteville Westover 21

(14) Burlington Williams at (3) Wilson Hunt, ppd.

(16) Eastern Guilford at (1) South Johnston, ppd.

(4) West Brunswick 34, (13) Chapel Hill 0

(8) Rocky Mount 24, (9) South Central Pitt 20

WEST

(1) Northern Guilford 63, (16) Asheboro 14

(11) Asheville Erwin 49, (6) Charlotte Catholic 28

(12) Anson County 21, (5) Waxhaw Marvin Ridge 7

(13) Shelby Crest at (4) Northeast Guilford, ppd.

(3) Kannapolis Brown 30, (14) Concord Robinson 14

(9) Harrisburg Hickory Ridge 25, (8) North Forsyth 6

CLASS 3-A

EAST

(14) Southern Guilford at (3) Havelock, ppd.

(5) Eastern Alamance 45, (12) Mayodan McMichael 7

(6) East Rowan 14, (11) South Brunswick 11

(7) Western Alamance 21, (10) Washington 6

(9) China Grove Carson 14, (8) Thomasville Ledford 13

WEST

(1) Lenoir Hibriten 42, (16) Charlotte Harding 6

(10) R-S Central 28, (7) South Rowan 21

(4) Waynesville Tuscola 17, (13) Hickory 10

(5) Lawndale Burns 34, (12) West Henderson 31

(6) Franklin 13, (11) Gastonia Huss 7

CLASS 2-AA

EAST

(1) East Duplin 41, (16) St. Pauls 7

(4) South Granville 35, (13) South Lenoir 7

(5) Pittsboro Northwood 28, (12) Elizabeth City Northeastern 6

(6) Bunn 21, (11) Richlands 19

WEST

(1) Shelby 40, (16) Claremont Bunker Hill 9

(4) Marshville Forest Hills 41, (13) Wilkes Central 7

(5) Canton Pisgah 35, (12) Black Mountain Owen 14

(7) Newton-Conover 38, (10) Monroe Piedmont 27

(8) Salisbury 35, (9) East Burke 6

CLASS 2-A

EAST

(1) East Bladen 42, (16) Carrboro 18

(15) Burlington Cummings at (2) Kill Devil Hills First Flight, ppd.

(4) Fairmont 22, (13) Franklinton 14

(7) Whiteville 19, (10) Farmville Central 15

(8) Louisburg 27, (9) Pasquotank County 13

WEST

(1) Boonville Starmount 20, (16) Surry Central 17

(10) Eastern Randolph 16, (7) Climax Providence Grove 0

(13) East Rutherford at (4) Thomasville, ppd.

(2) Burnsville Mountain Heritage 54, (15) Madison County 21

(9) Lexington at (8) Trinity, ppd.

CLASS 1-AA

EAST

(1) Southwest Onslow 64, (16) Clinton Union 21

(14) Rocky Point Trask 13, (3) East Columbus 9

(4) Pender County 49, (13) Perquimans County 7

(5) Ayden-Grifton 27, (12) Dixon 7

(8) Warsaw Kenan 34, (9) East Montgomery 6

WEST

(4) Swain County 34, (13) West Wilkes 7

(7) West Montgomery 34, (10) Kernersville McGuinness 21

(8) Murphy 34, (9) North Rowan 6

CLASS 1-A

EAST

(4) Wallace-Rose Hill 46, (13) Northampton-East 0

WEST

(10) North Duplin 14, (7) Cherokee 7

(2) Elkin 52, (15) Union Academy 0

(3) Robbinsville 63, (14) South Davidson 16

(4) Princeton 28, (13) Hayesville 25

The rich will get richer

designatedhitter — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:05:27 +0000

This is Harrison Barnes. If you haven’t heard of him by now, you probably have by now. The consensus top high school recruit in the country chose North Carolina today over Duke, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kansas.

It’ll be a one-and-done, but what a one that might be.

From ESPN.com’s Chad Ford:

If prep players were eligible for the NBA draft this year, Barnes would be a serious contender for the No. 1 spot. In 2011, I think he’s a lock barring some sort of major injury. A number of scouts who have seen him play think he has a Kobe-esque quality to his game. From the tape I’ve seen of him, I understand why they feel that way.

According to ESPN Scouts Inc., Barnes is a good athlete with deceptive speed and quickness off the dribble. He’s likely to play either the No. 2 or No. 3 spot. His offensive game is polished, with a deadly mid-range jumper and step-back fall-away jumper. Overall, on the offensive end, Barnes isn’t flashy, but his efficiency and production are high-level. He’s also expected to be a defensive boost.

“He’s the most complete offensive player in the country,” Scouts Inc.’s national recruiting director, Paul Biancardi, said.

And from me:

Barnes is as polished as Barack Obama, and there were a few clues leading up to his Skype announcement that he would likely be headed to UNC. He’s as smooth an offensive player there is, but he’s also a guy who wants to play 94 feet. Right away, you have to imagine that that eliminated Duke and UCLA. The spread-the-floor, halfcourt style of basketball doesn’t attract kids like Barnes anymore. He knows by going to Chapel Hill that he will get an opportunity to score, and score often. He would’ve had the same opportunity at Kansas.

But listen to the kid. Really listen to him. And then read about him. He’s learning to play golf because he knows it’s the game of business giants. He’s already thinking about what to do with the money he’ll earn — most likely in two years once he declares of the 2011 NBA Draft — and as articulate and poised as he is, when he brings up the academic side of things, you actually believe him. While this probably kept Duke in the running, UNC’s high-ranked business school had to play a big part. At least it’s nice to think so.

One other thing. Barnes’ arrival comes on the day the Heels’ also signed point guard Kendall Marshall. Sure, Duke may have a higher-rated point guard in the same class with Kyrie Irving, but Marshall is considered the best passer in high school in the country. He’s a facilitator, and scorers who run the floor like that. A lot.

And let’s not kid ourselves what sells here. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the New York Yankees of college basketball. The Heels hold the top brand in the sport, have two national titles in the last five years and send player after player into the top 20 of the NBA Draft. The program sells itself, but coach Roy Williams is also the land’s top recruiter. Put those two things together, and it’s easy to see why the Heels are ranked sixth this season — in what is supposed to be a rebuilding year.

The rich definitely got richer today. In fact, the better way to put it may be that the richest got richer.

Now the pressure is on.

The PODcast, Nov. 11, 2009

designatedhitter — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:14:51 +0000

Sanford’s only sports talk radio show — featuring the triumphant return to the studio of Ryan Sarda – caps the Southern Lee soccer season and delves into the lousy ACC football season, the lousy Carolina Panthers season and the lousy Kitty Corner segment. Wait, not lousy, another Kitty Corner segment.

My little blogger

designatedhitter — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:40:25 +0000

Check this out.

N.C. state football playoffs — First Round Pairings

designatedhitter — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:25:20 +0000

First-round pairings for N.C. High School Athletic Association football playoffs:

CLASS 4-AA
EAST

(16) Clayton at (1) Wake Forest-Rolesville

(9) Raleigh Wakefield at (8) Garner

(12) Raleigh Millbrook at (5) Fuquay-Varina

(13) Durham Jordan at (4) Southern Pines Pinecrest

(14) Cary Panther Creek at (3) Fayetteville Britt

(11) Raleigh Leesville Road at (6) Raleigh Broughton

(10) Hope Mills South View at (7) Lumberton

(15) Cary at (2) Wilmington Hoggard

WEST

(16) West Charlotte at (1) Matthews Butler

(9) Lake Norman at (8) West Forsyth

(12) East Mecklenburg at (5) Greensboro Page

(13) North Mecklenburg at (4) Charlotte Olympic

(14) Huntersville Hopewell at (3) Charlotte Mallard Creek

(11) East Forsyth at (6) Charlotte Independence

(10) Charlotte Providence at (7) Charlotte Vance

(15) Northwest Guilford at (2) Richmond County

CLASS 4-A
EAST

(16) East Wake at (1) Southern Durham

(9) Person County at (8) Raleigh Athens Drive

(12) Holly Springs at (5) New Hanover County

(13) Fayetteville Pine Forest at (4) Fayetteville Sanford

(14) New Bern at (3) Apex Middle Creek

(11) Pembroke Swett at (6) Durham Hillside

(10) Greenville Rose at (7) Southeast Raleigh

(15) Fayetteville 71st at (2) Harnett Central

WEST

(16) Asheville Roberson at (1) Winston-Salem Reynolds

(9) Western Guilford at (8) Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor

(12) Indian Trail Porter Ridge at (5) Alexander Central

(13) East Gaston at (4) Asheville Reynolds

(14) Watauga County at (3) Jamestown Ragsdale

(11) North Davidson at (6) Monroe Sun Valley

(10) High Point Central at (7) Kernersville Glenn

(15) Greensboro Smith at (2) Greensboro Dudley

CLASS 3-AA
EAST

(16) Eastern Guilford at (1) South Johnston

(9) South Central Pitt at (8) Rocky Mount

(12) Fayetteville Byrd at (5) Fayetteville Westover

(13) Chapel Hill at (4) West Brunswick

(14) Burlington Williams at (3) Wilson Hunt

(11) Southern Nash at (6) Erwin Triton

(10) Pikeville Aycock at (7) Orange County

(15) Western Harnett at (2) Hope Mills Gray’s Creek

WEST

(16) Asheboro at (1) Northern Guilford

(9) Harrisburg Hickory Ridge at (8) North Forsyth

(12) Anson County at (5) Waxhaw Marvin Ridge

(13) Shelby Crest at (4) Northeast Guilford

(14) Concord Robinson at (3) Kannapolis Brown

(11) Asheville Erwin at (6) Charlotte Catholic

(10) Gastonia Ashbrook at (7) Belmont South Point

(15) Weddington at (2) Gastonia Forestview

CLASS 3-A
EAST

(16) Currituck County at (1) Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons

(9) China Grove Carson at (8) Thomasville Ledford

(12) Mayodan McMichael at (5) Eastern Alamance

(13) Southern Vance at (4) West Craven

(14) Southern Guilford at (3) Havelock

(11) South Brunswick at (6) East Rowan

(10) Washington at (7) Western Alamance

(15) Jacksonville White Oak at (2) Hertford County

WEST

(16) Charlotte Harding at (1) Lenoir Hibriten

(9) Northwest Cabarrus at (8) Concord

(12) West Henderson at (5) Lawndale Burns

(13) Hickory at (4) Waynesville Tuscola

(14) West Iredell at (3) Asheville

(11) Gastonia Huss at (6) Franklin

(10) R-S Central at (7) South Rowan

(15) Morganton Freedom at (2) West Rowan

CLASS 2-AA
EAST

(16) St. Pauls at (1) East Duplin

(9) Kinston at (8) High Point Andrews

(12) Elizabeth City Northeastern at (5) Pittsboro Northwood

(13) South Lenoir at (4) South Granville

(14) Wilson Beddingfield at (3) Reidsville

(11) Richlands at (6) Bunn

(10) Hillsborough Cedar Ridge at (7) Jacksonville Northside

(15) West Stanly at (2) SouthWest Edgecombe

WEST

(16) Claremont Bunker Hill at (1) Shelby

(9) East Burke at (8) Salisbury

(12) Black Mountain Owen at (5) Canton Pisgah

(13) Wilkes Central at (4) Marshville Forest Hills

(14) Ashe County at (3) East Lincoln

(11) Charlotte Berry Academy at (6) West Stokes

(10) Monroe Piedmont at (7) Newton-Conover

(15) South Iredell at (2) Catawba Bandys

CLASS 2-A
EAST

(16) Carrboro at (1) East Bladen

(9) Pasquotank County at (8) Louisburg

(12) Northwest Halifax at (5) Siler City Jordan-Matthews

(13) Franklinton at (4) Fairmont

(11) Newport Croatan at (6) Tarboro

(10) Farmville Central at (7) Whiteville

(15) Burlington Cummings at (2) Kill Devil Hills First Flight

WEST

(16) Surry Central at (1) Boonville Starmount

(9) Lexington at (8) Trinity

(12) Brevard at (5) Polk County

(13) East Rutherford at (4) Thomasville

(14) West Davidson at (3) Winston-Salem Carver

(11) Maiden at (6) Lincolnton

(10) Eastern Randolph at (7) Climax Providence Grove

(15) Madison County at (2) Burnsville Mountain Heritage

CLASS 1-AA
EAST

(16) Clinton Union at (1) Southwest Onslow

(9) East Montgomery at (8) Warsaw Kenan

(12) Dixon at (5) Ayden-Grifton

(13) Perquimans County at (4) Pender County

(14) Rocky Point Trask at (3) East Columbus

(11) Gates County at (6) East Carteret

(10) Dunn Midway at (7) Southeast Halifax

(15) South Robeson at (2) Goldsboro

WEST

(16) North Wilkes at (1) Albemarle

(9) North Rowan at (8) Murphy

(12) Avery County at (5) Bessemer City

(13) West Wilkes at (4) Swain County

(14) Mitchell County at (3) Hendersonville

(11) East Wilkes at (6) East Surry

(10) Kernersville McGuinness at (7) West Montgomery

(15) Cherryville at (2) Monroe

CLASS 1-A
EAST

(16) Swan Quarter Mattamuskeet at (1) Manteo

(9) Plymouth at (8) Jamesville

(12) Chocowinity Southside at (5) Williamston

(13) Northampton-East at (4) Wallace-Rose Hill

(14) Robersonville Roanoke at (3) Weldon

(11) Northampton-West at (6) Jones County

(10) Columbia at (7) North Edgecombe

(15) Pinetown Northside at (2) Creswell

WEST

(16) Goldsboro Rosewood at (1) Mt. Airy

(9) West Columbus at (8) North Stokes

(12) Alleghany County at (5) Hobbton

(13) Hayesville at (4) Princeton

(14) South Davidson at (3) Robbinsville

(11) Roseboro Lakewood at (6) South Stanly

(10) North Duplin at (7) Cherokee

(15) Union Academy at (2) Elkin

2009 N.C. football playoffs brackets

designatedhitter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:28:10 +0000

The NCHSAA has finalized the brackets. Here they are (for some reason, Firefox is having a hard time posting these; working on it…):

2-AA

EAST

1 E Duplin 11-0 — 16 St Pauls 2-9
8 TW Andrews 7-4 — 9 Kinston 9-2
5 Northwood 10-1 — 12 Northeastern 7-3
4 S Granville 8-3 — 13 S Lenoir 7-4
3 Reidsville 11-0 —14 Beddingfield 6-5
6 Bunn 8-3 — 11 Richlands 5-6
7 Nside Jax 8-3 —10 Cedar Ridge 7-4
2 SW Edgecombe 11-0 — 15 W Stanley 5-6
WEST
1 Shelby 10-1 — 16 Bunker Hill 4-7
8 Salisbury 7-4 — 9 E Burke 8-3
5 Pisgah 7-4 — 12 Owen 6-5
4 Forest Hills 8-3 — 13 Wilkes C 6-5
3 E Lincoln 9-2 — 14 Ashe 6-5
6 W Stokes 7-4 — 11 Berry Acad 7-4
7 Newton Conover 10-1 — 10 Piedmont 7-4
2 Bandys 10-1 — 15 South Iredell 4-7