Staff report

KERNERSVILLE — While most high school sports fans were worried about the football playoff pairings on Saturday, South Rowan’s boys cross country team was worrying about the 3A Midwest Regional.

The Raiders turned in a remarkable effort without one of their top runners.

South didn’t have Brian Hickman, who has been the “2” runner for South in important meets such as the Rowan County Championships.

Led by individual champion Eli Julian, a junior, South still finished runner-up in the 3A Midwest Regional and returns to state competition.

South’s boys were the only team qualifier from the county schools in boys or girls.

“With Brian, we probably win the regional, but the goal isn’t winning the regional — we were running for the chance to compete in the 3A State Championships,” South coach Tyler Downs said. “Not many PRs for us, but the regional is all about getting places, not about getting PRs. Getting that ‘1’ from Eli was beyond massively helpful for our team, but all of our guys ran well and executed the game plan.”

Juniors Bricen Burleson (11th), Aaron Jones (21st) and Grayson Cromer (24th) did what Downs needed them to do.

But it takes five for the team score.

Downs said the biggest hero on Saturday was sophomore Mateo Diaz Ruiz. He broke 19 seconds and finished 34th. His effort as the “5” moved South comfortably into the top four teams that qualified for the state event. Lake Norman Charter, which finished ahead of South in the South Piedmont Conference Championships, was one point behind the Raiders in the team scoring.

“Mateo ran phenomenally and had a huge day,” Downs said. “His primary sport is wrestling, but he does soccer, cross country and track as secondaries, and I’m blessed to get to coach him once a week. He has extreme mental grit and drive and he told me after the race that cross country is the most mentally challenging sports there is.”

Downs believes Julian is one of a half-dozen runners with a shot at the 3A individual state championship.

South also should do well in the team scoring. While he didn’t run in the regional, since South qualified for “States” as a team, Hickman will be eligible to compete in this Saturday’s event that will be held at Ivey Redmon Park in Kernersville, the same site where the 3A Midwest Regional was held.

South will hit the course at 2:40 p.m.

“Brian Hickman can run in the state, just a matter of filling out a substitution form,” Downs said.

Rowan runners were strong in the 3A Midwest Regional. The top seven individuals not on the qualifying teams also get to compete in the state event.

Carson’s Jorge Clemente-Garcia and James Anderson and West Rowan’s Ethan Wilson qualified, along with Northwest Cabarrus’ Owen Evans.

In the girls ranks, Carson’s Makayla Borst and Emily Landaverde, West Rowan’s Katie Roberts, South Rowan’s Madison Beaver and Northwest’s Taylor Hyman and Gatsby Goode  advanced from the 3A Midwest Regional as individuals.

The girls will run at 4 p.m. in the 3A State Championships.

•••

Gray Stone, which has some Rowan girls, placed second in the 1A Midwest Regional, so it will be running in the state event as a team. That race has a 3:20 start time.

Salisbury freshman Christyonna Lewis was the final individual qualifier from the 2A Midwest Regional. West Davidson’s Maggie DeRemer and Marley Gouker also got in. The 2A girls will run early in the day at ‘States” at 10:20 a.m.

 

HS basketball

Salisbury’s Jayden “Juke” Harris announced his final 12 schools on Monday, although he also announced his recruitment was still open.

Harris is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound junior shooting guard who is ranked among the top 50 players nationally in the Class of 2024.

He’s ranked among the top five players in the state in his class and is rated as the No. 1 shooting guard.

His final 12 includes Clemson, Wake Forest, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Houston, Georgetown, Mississippi State, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Harris has made official visits to Houston and Tennessee, as well as several unofficial visits. He has an official visit scheduled at Virginia Tech in early January.

He’s enjoying the recruiting process. A commitment isn’t expected until 2023.

•••

Salisbury’s girls will be strong again. They won the Triad High School Fall League championship for the second straight time.

 

HS football

Salisbury junior receiver/DB Deuce Walker has been offered by Duke, Charlotte and Campbell.

He projects as a college defensive back.

 

HS girls tennis

Salisbury’s big home playoff match was rained out on Monday.

Undefeated and top-seeded Salisbury is now scheduled to play East Surry (15-1) in the third round of the 2A dual team playoffs today at 4 p.m.

Salisbury’s doubles team of Millie Wymbs/Cora Wymbs was named All-State by the NCHSAA after reaching the semifinals of the individual state championships.

 

HS boys soccer

Salisbury’s first-round playoff match at East Davidson was postponed on Monday. The Hornets will play tonight.

•••

South Rowan finished the season with a first-round playoff loss at CATA on Monday.

The 24th-seeded Raiders finished 14-8-1.

 

NFL

Philadelphia’s Javon Hargrave turned in a monster game in a 35-13 win against Pittsburgh.

Hargrave was credited with two sacks, one TFL and eight tackles.

 

College cross country

Pfeiffer’s Madison Lowery (South Rowan) won the women’s USA South Championship with a 6K time of 22:28.

 

College women’s soccer

Second-seeded Catawba (15-2-2) plays sixth-seeded Wingate at 8 p.m. on Friday at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte in a South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinal.

Top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne plays Limestone in the other semifinal.