From staff reports

LATROBE, Pa. — Javon Hargrave (North Rowan) is having an outstanding preseason camp for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The defensive tackle is entering the fourth season of the four-year deal he signed in 2016 after he was drafted out of South Carolina State. He has been productive and has gotten better every year and would command quite a bit on the free-agent market.

The Steelers are expected to open talks with Hargrave about a contract extension shortly.

The 26-year-old Hargrave came to camp a little lighter after a lot of summer running and is currently at 305 pounds.

Local football

The Carolina Thundering Herd will be playing some Central Carolina Football League games at Catawba this season.

The Thundering Herd roster includes a number of former Rowan County players such as  Scotty Robinson, Aaron Holsey, Jaylen McDowell, Anthony Smith, Bobby Lee and Brandon Ford.

The Herd (2-0) won against the Catawba County Hornets on Saturday and beat the Rockingham County Grizzlies on opening day.

This is their first home game.

They play the Pee Dee Vikings at 7 p.m. at Catawba this Saturday. Admission is $10. Children 10 and under are admitted free.

Legion softball

Rowan County hosted a successful Junior Legion state tournament at East Rowan and Erwin, with 26 games played in three days.

This was the first Junior Legion state tournament for softball.

Rutherford won the championship, with Eastern Randolph the runner-up. Forsyth finished third, while Kannapolis placed fourth.

Rowan County won its first two games in the event,  before losing to Eastern Randolph and Forsyth.

Legion baseball

The Mid-Atlantic Regional starts on Wednesday in Asheboro. N.C. state champion Wilmington and  host Randolph County play in the last two games on Wednesday.

College baseball

Bryan Ketchie (West Rowan, Catawba) pitched eight innings on Sunday to lead the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks to a playoff win over the Newport Gulls in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

Ketchie allowed one run and five hits, while striking out six and walking none.Jackson Raper (Catawba) had two hits for the Sharks.

College football

North Carolina A&T is picked as the preseason No. 1 in the HBCU football poll conducted by  BOXTOROW.

Rounding out the top ten are Alcorn State, Southern University, Bethune-Cookman, Grambling, Florida A&M, Hampton, Alabama A&M, Praire View and Jackson State.

Local golf

The team of Don Carpenter and Azalee & David Huneycutt led the field in Sunday’s McCanless Couples play.

Ralph Carver, Calvin Smith and Walt Kincaid took  second place via a scorecard playoff.   Carver had longest putt. Mary  Seaford had closest to the pin.

Intimidators

Kannapolis beat Lexington 9-5 on Monday, with Ian Dawkins and Amado Nunez hitting home runs.