From staff reports

Michigan and Delaware  high schools have flipped from earlier decisions to play 2021 football and will now play this fall.

Minnesota announced a similar decision on Monday.

Colorado is now giving schools the option of fall or spring play. Washington is taking a long look at flipping back.

On the other side of the COVID-19 situation, New York has decided to push back the start of football from fall to March.

Twenty-seven states have played football games so far this fall, with seven more set to kick off soon.

Wisconsin is set to begin tonight (Wednesday). South Carolina is scheduled to start Friday.

Some of the recent waffling is due to more encouraging COVID-19 numbers.

“It’s different than  three weeks ago,” Michigan’s high school AD Mark Yul said.  “It has been, nationwide, a very successful start to the year.”

Restrictions placed on football teams have included coaches wearing masks, longer sidelines, individual water bottles, one captain per coin toss, no team benches, sharing towels or handshakes, along with regular sanitation spraying and temperature taking.

On Aug. 12, the NCHSAA announced  a plan to delay sports and play condensed seasons.

NCHSAA football is set to start  with practices on Feb. 8, with contests in a shortened seven-game schedule kicking off Feb. 26.

Volleyball and cross country contests are set to start in November, with swimming in early December.

   

GARS

GARS members played at the Revival at the Crescent this week.

Low ‘A’ Flight player was Phil Cauble with a net of 67.30.

Low ‘B’ Flight player was Ray Pope with a net of 61.95.

Low ‘C’ Flight player was Buddy Barger with a net of 66.36.

Low ‘D’ Flight player was Ralph Luther with a net of 63.51.

Larry Petrea and  Pope shot 75 to tie for low gross score. Luther won low net score.

Bob Niekras, 78, shot 77. Buddy Barger, 86, shot an 84. J.C. Ritchie 95, shot an 88.

McCanless Couples

In a Captains Choice event, the team of Ralph Carver, Calvin Smith and Susan Wydner took first place.

Lenny Mauseli and Bev & Ty Cobb took second.

Mauseli had closest to the pin.

Wachovia Cup

Salisbury placed sixth in the 2A Wachovia Cup standings announced for the 2019-20 school year.

Spring sports did not factor in.

Carrboro edged Croatan for the championship.

  

1 – Carrboro – 300

2 – Croatan – 292.5

3 – NC School of Science & Math – 275

4 – North Lincoln – 272.5

5 – Durham School of the Arts – 252.5

6 – Salisbury – 225

7 – Lake Norman Charter – 222.5

8 – First Flight – 192.5

9 – Shelby – 185

10 – Reidsville – 172.5

Elks Hoop Shoot

The NC Elks will not hold a Hoop Shoot contest in 2020-21 but they hope to return in 2021-22.

Showcase baseball

Chance Mako (East Rowan), Haiden Leffew (South Rowan) and Morgan Padgett (East Rowan) combined on a weekend shutout for the 2023 South Charlotte Panthers.

Mako, a N.C. State commit, fanned six in three hitless innings.

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East Carolina commit Jake Hunter (East Rowan) and JD Basinger (East Rowan) combined on a no-hitter and nine strikeouts for the South Charlotte Panthers 2021 squad.

UNC commit Vance Honeycutt (Salisbury) stole three bases and scored five runs as the Panthers won three games.

College baseball

Surry Community College won 12-11 against Dry Pond Baseball.

Jason Bebber (South Rowan) had two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored. Bebber had the game-winning hit in the seventh.

Travel softball

Ellen Yang (Salisbury) and Abbey Nixon (Carson) drove in two runs each in a 10-3 win by Team NC.

Basketball

Salisbury’s Cameron Stout (Class of 2022) was a team MVP at the Phenom All-American Camp.

Stout scored 16 and 10 in two games on Sept. 19.

College football

Jake Brandon (A.L. Brown) is a graduate assistant at Louisville.