From staff reports

CHAPEL HILL — Vance Honeycutt (Salisbury) hit a grand slam in the first inning to get UNC started toward a 13-1 romp against the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday.

Honeycutt also had a double for the 12th-ranked Tar Heels (34-11).

Cameron Padgett (East Rowan) pitched five strong innings for his first win of the season. Padgett allowed four hits and one walk. He struck out three. He came out of the game after Charlotte’s first batter in the sixth got on base, and that base runner came around to score.

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Jackson Deal (South Rowan) got his 100th career hit for Methodist.

Deal has 55 hits this season and is batting .333 with 41 runs scored for the Monarchs (20-20).

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Jake Hunter (East Rowan) was the winning pitcher in relief for East Carolina in Sunday’s 8-3 win at Memphis.

Hunter (3-2) got eight outs while allowing one hit. He struck out four.

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Charlie Klingler (East Rowan) keeps hitting for High Point and took a .300 batting average into Wednesday’s game against Wake Forest.

Klingler has three homers, 14 doubles and 35 RBIs for the Panthers.

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UNC Pembroke freshman Morgan Padgett (East Rowan) is batting .294 with two homers and 16 RBIs.

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Cord Butler (A.L. Brown) has been dominant on the mound for NC Wesleyan and will take a 9-0 record into the USA South Tournament.

Butler has a 2.54 ERA and has struck out 90 batters in 71 innings and was named USA South Pitcher of the Year.

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Wake Forest’s Haiden Leffew (South Rowan) has experienced his ups and downs as a freshman, but he’s pitched in 15 games, including five starts, and has a 3-0 record.

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Five local players are fixtures in the Catawba lineup and have been part of a great season.

Bo Rusher (Salisbury) is batting .339 with seven homers and 54 RBIs. Dylan Driver (Carson) is batting .359 with four homers, 37 RBIs and 53 runs scored.

Logan Rogers (Carson) leads the Indians with 11 homers. He’s scored 48 runs while driving in 47.

Two-ay player Cole Hales (Carson) is batting .313 with two homers and 42 RBIs. Hales is 4-0 on the mound with three saves.

Payne Stolsworth (West Rowan) has been a standout for the Indians’ pitching staff. He’s 10-2 with 68 strikeouts.

Hayden Simmerson (Carson) is 3-2 with six saves. Casey Gouge (West Rowan) is 4-2 with one save.

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Cleveland Community College’s Aiden Schenck (East Rowan) is batting .281 with six homers, 11 doubles and 36 RBIs.

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Bryson Wagner (East Rowan) pitched seven complete games for Emory & Henry. He had 3 wins for the Wasps and struck out 82 batters.

Steven Smith (West Rowan) bated .240 for the Wasps. Smith hit five homers and scored 21 runs.

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CP Pyle (Carson) has enjoyed a stellar season for Brevard and is batting .347 entering the conference tournament. He’s hit two home runs. He’s scored 32 runs and has knocked in 27.

 

NCHSAA

With realignment of conferences and eight classifications coming in the 2025-2026 school year, the NCHSAA Board of Directors voted unanimously on Tuesday to adopt the “Big 32” model.

That means  the largest 32 schools will be in the 8A class. The remaining schools will go into the other seven classifications based on their enrollment.

All classification assignments will be made based solely on the average daily membership (ADM) numbers of a school. The Realignment Committee will use the ADM numbers from the 2024-2025 school year. Those numbers are released in the fall.

 

WEST AD

Mary Allison Melton has been named as West Rowan’s athletic director.

The West Rowan graduate is an EC teacher and varsity cheerleading coach and has been serving as assistant AD for the Falcons.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

East Rowan basketball standout Jonathan Wembolua, baseball standout Nate Hayworth and golf/basketball standout Hannah Waddell are winners of 2024 Ed Dupree Memorial Scholarships worth $2,000.

 

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

West Rowan announced that five football players have made college decisions.

Defensive linemen Diontae Montgomery and Dayvion McHenry and linebacker Kamron White are Guilford recruits.

Aubree Robinson, a DB who was the Post’s Special Teams Player of the Year as a senior, is headed to Catawba.

Linebacker Christian Addison committed to Greensboro College.

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North Rowan lineman Robert Caldwell plans to sign with Elizabeth City State on Thursday.

Jaemias Morrow, North’s record-setting running back, also is expected to sign on Thursday, with his destination TBA.

 

LOCAL GOLF

GARS members played at Pudding Ridge Golf Club.

Low ‘A’ Flight player was Larry Petrea with a net of  64.08.

Low ‘B’ Flight player was Ken Anderson with a net of 61.11. Low ‘C’ Flight player was Bobby Clark with a net of 59.95.

Low ‘D’ Flight player was Larry Luther with a net of 62.75.

Petrea shot a 73 to win low gross, while Clark won low net.

Super Senior winner was Jim Brown with a net of 66.51.

Three members shot better than their age. Jan Gunter, 77, shot a 75.  Gus Andrews, 79, shot a 78. Clark, 84, shot a 76.

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The McCanless Couples played a Captain’s Choice event.