From staff reports
On Friday, Feb. 4, North Rowan is hosting an alumni basketball celebration.
At halftime of the North Rowan-East Montgomery boys game, the 1986 state championship team will be honored on the 25th anniversary of a banner season.
The 1986 Cavaliers (29-2) were coached by Bob Hundley. The leading scorers were Antione Sifford, Jimmy Kesler, Ralph Kitley, Tim Mitchell and Eric Hill.
Kesler was the county player of the year for 1985, while Sifford earned that honor in 1986.
Both of North’s losses in the 1985-86 season were by a single point. The Cavaliers fell to 4A South Meck 71-70 in their third game, then won 17 in a row before losing 58-57 to CCC rival Thomasville. North rebounded from that setback with 10 straight victories, including a 72-66 win against Albemarle in the regional final and a 74-69 triumph against Ayden-Grifton in the state championship game.
All former North Rowan players are invited to attend, reminisce and reconnect with former teammates and coaches.
For details, contact North boys coach Andrew Mitchell or Sallie Hundley at 704-636-4420 or e-mail hundleysw@rss.k12.nc.us.
• Prep indoor track
West Rowan’s Jamarian Mabry finished second in the long jump at the Virginia Tech High School Invitational held over the weekend. Mabry soared 21 feet, 83/4 inches.
North Rowan’s Sam Starks took fourth place in the long jump with an effort of 21-21/4.
West Rowan’s Daishion Barger placed fifth in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.51 seconds.
West’s William Camps was seventh in the triple jump (42-3).
North’s Tinka Bush was 12th in the girls long jump (16-7).
• College basketball
Doug Campbell (Salisbury) had a tremendous game for Rio Grande on Saturday, scoring 29 points in an 88-70 loss to West Virginia Institute of Technology.
Campbell shot 8-for-16 from the field and 10-for-11 from the foul line and made three 3-pointers.
• College track
Western Carolina’s Ryan Pless (East Rowan) placed fifth in the weight throw and sixth in the shot put in the Clemson Invitational held over the weekend.
• Charlotte’s Makenzie Mullinax (South Rowan) was seventh in the women’s pole vault at the Clemson Invitational.
• Ross Oden (East) placed 10th in the 5000 meter run at the Clemson Invitational.
• Two area athletes recently broke school records for Lenoir-Rhyne’s program.
Freshman Tavis Bailey (A.L. Brown) set a mark with a shot put of 50 feet, 51/4 inches, while sophomore Alex Folk (Davie) set a mark in the women’s high jump (5-01/4).n Martial arts
Dillingham Martial Arts students Uzochi and Chidera Dimkpa represented the Dillingham Martial Arts program in the World Games in Sacramento, Calif.
Uzochi entered the competition as a wild-card contender in the intermediate sparring division for ages 9-10.
Uzochi sparred through the division undefeated and fought a double- elimination match to win the competition’s final fight and assume the world title in his age division.
Chidera Dimkpa finished fifth in the Creative Forms category and sixth in the Sparring category.
• Christian Deneen, a student at Knox Middle, has completed his first degree black belt.
• Dillingham Martial Arts is a program that includes character development through self-discipline, self-respect, self-control and respect for others. The program, now in its fifth year at City Park Recreation Center is led by Sensei Larry Dillingham and his wife Sandy.
Larry is a fourth degree black belt in sparring and a five time tri-state champion and brings more than 30 years of competitive and instructional experience to this program.
Classes are held at City Park Recreation Center, 316 Lake Drive, every Tuesday and Thursday. Youth and Teen classes are held from 5:30-7 p.m. and adult classes are held from 7-8 p.m. The cost per month is $50 with a one-time registration fee of $10 for new members.
Call (704) 216-PLAY or go to www.salisburync.gov/pkrec for more information.
• Senior YMCA hoops
Sacred Heart White 41, St. John’s 24
Brian Bauk scored 18 points to lead Sacred Heart White.
Greg Tonneson scored 12 for St. John’s, and Andrew Purcell scored 10.
Love Christian 40, 1st Baptist 37
William Brown’s 13 points led Love Christian Center.
Joel Brittain had nine points for First Baptist.
Young Life 41, Sacred Heart Blue 36
Jay Watkins scored 19 points as Young Life knocked off Sacred Heart Blue.
Roy Dixon scored 11 points for Sacred Heart. Riley Gallagher scored 10, and Spencer Carmichael had nine.
The regular season ends tonight. Playoffs start Thursday.
• Youth wrestling
Rowan County Youth Wrestling League held its 6th annual Rowan County Championships at West Rowan Middle on Saturday.
The East Rowan team won the regular season and the dual team playoffs to finish the season with a 10-0 record. See Scoreboard for top three finishers in each weight class.