From staff reports
South Rowan track and cross country coach Bob Marchinko won his third straight N.C. State Marathon championship at Kitty Hawk.
He ran the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 31 minutes on Sunday, averaging 5:46 per mile.
Marchinko also won his fifth straight Run For Your Life Grand Prix series championship. The Grand Prix is a series of nine races of different distances from 5K to 15K. He won the final 15K at Lake Norman in October in 48:06.
– Rowan Rampage rules CCFL
The Rowan Rampage’s 30-14 victory over the Carolina Eagles in Saturday’s CCFL championship game will be aired on Channel 7 in the near future.
Owner-coach Larry Bryant said he’ll announce the date as soon as it is cemented, and he’ll also announce the names of the dozen Rampage players who will play in the upcoming CCFL All-Star Game at Concord’s Webb Field.
D’Andre Hopper was 18-for-29 passing for 179 yards and rushed 13 times for 92 yards to lead the Rampage on Saturday. He also kicked a field goal and three PATs as the Rampage (11-2) scored the most points in its three-year history.
Justin Davis accounted for 184 all-purpose yards, Will Himes made two interceptions and six tackles, and De’Arron Cole, a teenage Albemarle phenom, contributed 21/2 sacks.
Hopper’s 14-yard scoring run broke the ice.
An interception by Himes and key catches by Travis Gist and Hakim Pearce set up another scoring run by Hopper that gave the Rampage a 14-7 lead at the half.
In the fourth quarter, Hopper hit pass plays to D.J. Lyles for 18 yards and Davis for 36 down to the Carolina 1. From there, Hopper scored a TD on a sneak to snap a 14-14 tie.
An interception by Corby Jones and rugged runs by Will Evans and Brandon Walker set up Hopper for a 31-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining. That kick gave Rowan a 23-14 lead.
Lionel Vincent’s 71-yard interception return for a score then sealed the championship.
The CCFL trophy will be on display at the Forum Gym later this week.
– McCanless ace
Darren Jenkins of China Grove made a hole-in-one on the 155-yard No. 3 hole at McCanless on Saturday.
Jenkins used an 8-iron. It was his second career ace and first since 2003. He enjoyed quite a round while playing with Steve Fulghum. Jenkins birdied the final three holes.
– Prep football
Davie County’s original pairing was against Hopewell in the first round of the 4AA state playoffs, but the War Eagles were later matched against Butler.
Incorrect records were submitted by several 4A leagues and forced seeds to be restructured late Saturday. Davie’s seed dropped from 11th to 12th, and it’s now traveling to play No. 5 Butler in Matthews. The switch wasn’t great news for Davie. Hopewell is 7-4. Butler is 10-1 and lost only to Independence.
– SAC athletics
Carson-Newman topped Catawba on penalty kicks in the SAC women’s soccer championship game. Paige Harrington’s goal for Catawba kept the Indians in a 1-1 tie through regulation and the overtime periods.
* Tusculum topped Wingate 1-0 for the SAC men’s soccer championship.
* Carson-Newman (7-3) and Tusculum (8-3) received bids to the D-II football playoffs.No. 6 seed Carson-Newman plays at No. 3 seed Valdosta State Saturday. No. 4 seed Tusculum (8-3) plays host to No. 5 Albany State.
– College cross country
Pfeiffer’s men’s cross country team finished 18th in the Southeast Regional on Saturday morning at Wingate.
A.J. Pearson (East Rowan) led the Falcons. He ran 36:39.
– Abdalahs running
Marianne Abdalah and Rene Abdalah of Salisbury won silver medals at the N.C. AAU Cross Country Championships held at Frank Liske Park on Saturday.
Marianne, 9, was second in the bantam division in a 3K race.
Rene, 7, was second in the primary division in a 2K race with a personal best of 9:42.
Both Abdalahs won their divisions in the recent Jack O’ Lantern Jaunt two-mile race in Concord.
Rene also finished second in the Gastonia Eagles AAU Meet and won the Angel Elite AAU Meet in Lumberton.
Marianne was second in the Gastonia meet and third at Lumberton.
Marianne will be compete in the Foot Locker Championships in Charlotte on Nov. 29. Both girls have qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Games to be held Dec. 6 in Danville, Ala.
Dr. Marvin and Kim Abdalah are the parents and coaches of the runners.
– College football
South Carolina punter Spencer Lanning was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week recently when he averaged 45.0 yards on eight kicks against Tennessee.
Lanning is from Rock Hill but has family ties to North Rowan.