Duke Voice Bob Harris ACC Legend

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— Information courtesy of the Atlantic Coast Conference and theacc.com

Full Press Release

Bob Harris, Broadcaster, Duke (1976-2017) – The first full-time broadcaster to be recognized as an ACC Football Legend, Harris retired last spring after more than four decades as “The Voice of the Blue Devils,” providing football and basketball play-by-play to radio listeners. The Albemarle, North Carolina, native is a four-time recipient of the North Carolina Broadcaster of the Year honor from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Harris is also a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 2006) and the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame (1993). In 2009, he was honored with the ACC’s prestigious Skeeter Francis Award, which is presented annually to individuals for distinguished service to the league. In 2016, Harris received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, an honor conferred by the Governor of North Carolina for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and its communities.

West Craven @SGHSVikingFB (South Granville)

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— by Jeff Jenkins, WIZS

West Craven at South Granville — Friday, November 16, 2017

Looking very much like a Team of Destiny, the undefeated Vikings of South Granville started their 2AA playoff run last Friday with a 41-21 victory over Washington County in Creedmoor. Washington was the #14 seed in the 2AA East bracket, with an overall regular season record of only 4-7; but to their credit, the 21 points they scored on the Vikings was 2.5 times the average points allowed by South Granville per game this season, and they held the Vikings to 8 points for the entire second and third quarters. But South Granville scored 20 points in the final quarter to put the game away, gaining 503 total yards in the process, with 446 of those yards on the ground from scrimmage.

This Friday, the #3 seed Vikings will keep the home field advantage when they face the #6 seed, West Craven. The visiting Eagles, from Vanceboro (just north of New Bern) are in the same conference as Washington, the Eastern Carolina 2A, and will have about a 300 mile round trip tonight. The Eagles finished the regular season 6-5 overall, but took their league championship with a 5-1 conference record and a 25-23 upset win over Kinston, which finished 9-3 on the season after losing their first round playoff game last week. West Craven scored 47 points in their regular season win over Washington, but they averaged only 24 points per game on offense on the season as a whole, including last week’s 28-7 opening round win over Richlands. The Eagle defense has allowed 23 points per game, revealing a weakness on defense that South Granville will try to exploit with their bruising ground game.

So tonight will be a battle of two conference champions, and the South Granville Vikings should keep that in mind. However, that is about all these teams seem to have in common, since, South Granville is 12-0 on the season, averages scoring 43 points per game, and allows their opponent to score under 9 points per outing.

High School Football Recap and Playoffs

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— by Jeff Jenkins

Following a close 20-14 Optimist Bowl victory over Northern Vance last Friday night, Southern Vance finished the 2017 football season with a 6-5 overall record — the Raiders’ first winning season since 2011 ! Although the Raiders’ 5-3 Northern Carolina 2A Conference record was not quite good enough for a playoff berth, first year head Darry Ragland and his team hope to carry some momentum into the offseason, with plans to rebuild around a crop of young players who will return without their senior leaders: QB Elijah Stewart, WR Kyree Ford, RB Tyrese Henderson, and wounded warrior Zamari Ellis, who missed the entire season with a foot injury.

Meanwhile over at Northern Vance, first year head coach Antwain Cook and his Vikings will remember the 2017 season as one of mostly disappointments, but with evidence of better things to come. Their offense, which had to completely regroup after Elijah Stewart and Kyree Ford transferred to Southern Vance, was shut out in 3 of their first 4 games, but improved over the last two-thirds of the season, scoring points against Warren County, Roanoke Rapids, and Bunn, and collecting their two wins against Louisburg (17-14) and Webb (33-13). Almost as sweet as another win, the Vikings led Southern Vance 14-0 at the half of last week’s Optimist Bowl, and the outcome was closer than most anyone predicted!

AND NOW the playoffs begin, with undisputed Northern Carolina 2A Conference champs South Granville (11-0) seeded #3 in the 2AA East, Bunn (8-3) at #8, and Roanoke Rapids at #13. Granville Central, only 5-6 overall, but the NCC’s 1A champs (via their win over Louisburg) is seeded #4 in the 1AA East and has a Bye this Friday, while all three 2A teams play their first round this Friday.

Check out this same spot on the Web next week for a report on which NCC teams survive the first round.

VGCC announces 2017-18 Vanguards Basketball schedule

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— courtesy VGCC

Click Here for Full Schedule

The Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team is scheduled to play at least 28 games during the 2017-2018 season, including 11 home games. This is the program’s second season under the leadership of head coach DeMarcus Oliver.

The Vanguards compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, which includes 11 two-year colleges in North Carolina and Virginia.

For VGCC, the regular season starts with a visit on Nov. 8 to Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., to play the Falcons’ JV squad. The Vanguards’ first opponent at home will be Patrick Henry Community College, on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. All of VGCC’s home games are scheduled to be played at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. There is no charge for admission.

The second home game, on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., will be the annual “Vanguard Night” game. VGCC will host Wake Tech Community College in that contest, which features special activities and attracts a large crowd of students, faculty and staff.

For the third straight year, VGCC will travel to the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill to play the UNC Tar Heels JV squad. That game is scheduled to take place Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Last season, the Vanguards defeated the Tar Heels for the first time.

The regular season is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 24, with VGCC’s final scheduled game on the road at Guilford Technical Community College. After the regular season ends, the Vanguards are scheduled to participate in the NJCAA Division II Region X tournament. The first two rounds of the tournament are to be played at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Va., on March 3-4. The semifinals and finals will follow at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, on March 9-10.

For more information, contact VGCC Coordinator of Student Activities & Athletics Jermiel Hargrove at (252) 738-3246 or hargrovej@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

@NorthernVanceFB @SVHS_Athletics

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It’s the big game, the Optimist Bowl, and you need to be there in person at Southern Vance High School.  Like and share on Facebook, Tweet your friends, bring a neighbor.  And, if you can’t make it to the game, be sure to listen live on 1450 AM WIZS and online at wizs.com.  Click on Listen Live!

Pregame show at 6:45 p.m. and the kickoff follows at 7 p.m.

Scouting Report by Jeff Jenkins

Northern Vance at Southern Vance — Friday 11/3/2017

Friday’s Optimist Bowl will feature the leading passer in the Northern Carolina 1A/2A Conference, Southern Vance’s Elijah Stewart (1999 yards), and the league’s leading receiver, Raider WR Kyree Ford (692 yards). On top of that, Southern RB Tyrese Henderson is number 2 in rushing yardage (1065), Number 5 in total TDs (12), and number 4 in total points scored (80). Raider DB Malik Boyd has 4 interceptions – good enough for 3rd in the conference. With an even 5-5 overall record, and a 4-3 winning record in the conference (currently 5th place), a win tonight for Southern Vance will probably not lift them into the playoffs, but a Raider victory would result in an overall winning record for the first time since 2011, as well as taking the Optimist trophy back from the Vikings, who won the match-up 27-6 last year.

Northern Vance pales in comparison to these impressive stats: The Vikings and new head coach Antwain Cook had a difficult time overcoming the loss of Stewart and Ford, who both transferred to Southern Vance when former Viking offensive coordinator Darry Ragland took the Raider head coach position. Northern’s Coach Cook, who was the defensive coordinator for Northern before his promotion to the top job, did not find a consistent quarterback until sophomore Samien Burell took over the signal calling and the Vikings began to avoid shutouts (they failed to score in 3 of their first 4 games). Northern got their first victory in week 7 over 1A conference member Louisburg, failed to defeat the other 1A member Granville Central the next week , but then caught fire last week for their second win, a 33-13 thrashing of J. F. Webb in Oxford. This surge of offense is great for the 2-8 (2-5) Vikings, but it remains to be seen whether it will be too little / too late against the Raiders. Both teams allow opponents an average of 28 points per game, but Southern scores 30 per game, while Northern has averaged just under 10 points per game.

In the past 10 years, this rivalry has been pretty close: Southern Vance holds a 6-4 lead in the series for that period, but Northern has the largest margin of victory with a 42-0 victory in 2008. Since 2013, the teams are locked at 2-2, with Northern holding the trophy from last year’s victory.

Back-to-Back South Boston Speedway Championships Was Tougher Than Layne Expected

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— courtesy South Boston Speedway by Mike Smith

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (October 30, 2017) – Johnny Layne coasted to his first track championship in 2016 behind a whopping seven wins. His second championship … well it was a little more difficult.

Layne claimed the 2017 South Boston Speedway Budweiser Pure Stock championship for back-to-back titles. This season’s win total? One. Last year’s point margin? Ninety points. This year’s championship margin? Seven. But in the end, the margin means little. What means a lot to Layne is that he captured back-to-back championships”

“That was my thing this year, to go for the championship again,” said Layne. “I wanted to win back-to-back.”

He admits, though, he thought it would be a little easier.

“We were surprised that last year didn’t help us this year,” Layne said, referring to the seven wins in 2016. “The competition was different this year. It was better. Last year was easier. This year we only had one win. But it meant more this year because of the competition.”

Layne said he and his team had a difficult time adapting to the new racing surface at South Boston Speedway this season.

“It was a surprise how tough it was for us this season. Everybody picked up a lot (of speed) on the new pavement and us not much,” said Layne.

“It was like the new track came to them and not to us. It definitely had us scratching our heads and finally we figured out the car was tight with the new track. Once we figured that, then we took off.”

Layne was also hampered by early-season engine issues.

“I had some motor problems that put us behind. It was a new motor, but we still had problems with it,” said Layne.

Once the motor issues were solved, Layne knew the only way he would be able to race his way back into the championship picture was to make the most of South Boston’s passing points system, which allows drivers to drop to the rear of the field at the start of a race and pick up additional points for each car passed.

“I went to the rear in a lot of the races to get extra points to catch up. It was tough at times,” he said.

In the final race of the season Layne was trying to get his second win of the year when he was involved in a final-lap wreck on the front stretch.

“In the last race when we figured that I had enough points to win (the championship) I tried to pass for the lead on the last lap and it didn’t come out my way,” said Layne, whose sponsors include Mills Tree Service, McBride’s Designs, Liberty Mini-Market, Hershberger Home Improvement and Wilborn Brothers Auto Repair. “I spun and backed it into the retaining wall. I had about 20 feet to go (to the start-finish line. I just made it go that far before it stopped.”

Layne isn’t exactly sure what he’s going to be doing in 2018, but don’t be surprised by another repeat performance.

“We actually have some sponsors that say they want me to go for a third championship in a row,” Layne said. “I don’t know that anyone has ever done that in Pure Stock before.”

South Boston’s 61st season will open on Saturday, March 24 with twin 100-lap races for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman event, a 30-lap Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Hornets race.

For the full 2018 South Boston Speedway schedule, visit www.southbostonspeedway.com.

(South Boston Speedway is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Orange County Speedway Championship Race, Saturday, October 28

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Orange County Speedway Championship Race, Saturday, October 28

— courtesy Orange County Speedway by Jim Cribbs

Making his first season start in the Orange County Speedway Championship Race, Josh Oakley over-powered the field green to checkered for the win in the Mike Bledsole Mechanical Heating and Air Late Model race. Points leader Terry Dease finished in second, with a slightly damaged car, to take home his second consecutive Late Model Track Championship.
Mike Chambers, making his first start of the season, qualified second, just in front of Dease and Daniel Moss. At the start, Chambers went fender to fender with Moss for second while Oakley motored away and Dease fell back several positions. Then it was Chuck Lawson and Chris Denny, who started on the third row, racing side by side for fourth. Twelve laps into the 75-lap race, Chambers spun his car in turn two and Denny spun avoiding Chambers. That allowed Lawson to grab second in front of Moss and Dease as the caution flag flew..
On the restart, Oakley led the way, followed by Lawson, Moss, Dease and Mason Hudson in his first start of the year. On lap 28, Hudson almost takes it three-wide with Dease and Lawson, followed by contact between the cars of those two, putting Lawson’s machine in the turn three wall. Dease continued but Lawson, none too pleased, used his car to block the car of Dease when Dease came back around under caution. Lawson then pulled his damaged car to the garage..
At the finish, Oakley and Dease had the top two spots, Moss was third, with Hudson, Denny and Chambers occupying fourth through sixth. Camden Gullie, after extensive repairs from a practice crash, took seventh, the last car on the lead lap.

The top two points leaders in the Limited Sportsman division, Daryl Carver and Brent Evans, Jr, started side by side in row two for their 35-lap race with pole-sitter Daniel Moss and Tracey Chambers taking the green in the front row. Chambers fell behind Moss at the start but stayed on Moss’s bumper, taking the lead ten laps later then defending that top spot for her first ever win in this division. Her last OCS win was sixteen years ago while racing in the Mod4s.
Points leader Carver held on to take the second spot to win this year’s track championship, his second overall. Evans, Jr finished in third, followed by Jerry Hinesley in fourth. Moss apparently wore his tires out in the fight with Chambers, settling for a fifth-place finish. Brothers Corey and Ausin Purnell completed the night in the next two spots respectively.

Hill’s Complete Carpet Care Super Mini-Trucks had plenty of twists and turns as points leader John Comstock, with four season wins under his belt, fell out of the 20-lap event at the halfway point with motor problems. Jeffrey Martin, who came into the race just behind Comstock in the points, snatched the lead from pole-sitter Kiser Martin at the green, then held the lead through numerous restarts, only to see Devin Parrot nip him for the win at the checkered flag. However Comstock’s misfortune appeared to hand this year’s track championship to five-time season winner Jeffrey Martin.

Smokey Dave’s BBQ Mod4s got off to a confusing start with the two points leaders parked after a handful of laps. Pole-sitter Corey Purnell picked up his third season win, and in a strange turn of events, took this year’s track championship for that division. After the green flag flew to start the 25-lap race, officials black-flagged points leader Dennis Capps, and Harold Sumney, third in points, went out with mechanical problems. Purnell, starting the race second in points between those two, had his own problems, spinning on a lap eleven restart after contact with the car of Timmy Wilder. Purnell, fifth on the restart, charged through the field for his third win of the season. Wilder held on to take second, followed by Randy Ayers and Michael Dudley in third and fourth.

The Allison Legacy Series 35-lap race appeared to be no contest with Justin Taylor, second in points, taking a commanding lead at the green and staying there until lap 20 when lapped traffic changed the complexion of the race. Brent Suggs used that traffic to slip by Taylor and hold on for the win. Taylor battled Suggs right up to the end but settled for second place. Kyle Campbell took third in the race which awarded him the 2017 track championship for the miniature NASCAR look-alike machines.

The Carolina Collectors Auto Fest Vintage Sportsman 12-lap race was won by James Brown. He was heard to say after the race “I feel good”. No, not really. Lorne Long started on pole but front brake problems sidelined that car. Jacob Clayton took the lead from there but his car left the race at the midway point. From there Brown held on for the win but was aggressively challenged in the last few laps by Kenneth Smith, the second-place finisher. Paul Blalock finished third.

The final results of the 25-lap Pure Stock race have not been finalized as a result of post-race inspections. It does appear that Greg Autry, who lead from start to finish, was the winner in his first season appearance at OCS. Danny Winstead and Bobby Clayton came into the race tied in the championship points. But then those two crashed into each other avoiding the spinning car of Troy Sandefur. Winstead continued but Clayton’s day was done. The final points rundown is yet to be released.

(Orange County Speedway is an advertising client of WIZS.)

Orange County Speedway Limited Sportsman race and unofficial race results from last Saturday

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Orange County Speedway Limited Sportsman race and unofficial race results from last Saturday

— courtesy Orange County Speedway by Jim Cribbs

The Heaven’s must have been smiling when Daryl Carver took the checkered flag at the end of the hard-fought 75-lap Limited Sportsman race at Orange County Speedway Saturday night for his fourth season win. The Donnie Carver Memorial Race was named in honor of his late uncle, a great friend and supporter of OCS for many years. Donnie Carver was a NASCAR official, including flagman, for many years. The actual flags used for the race were his very own.
Daryl Carver’s victory was well deserved, having started fifth as a result of a pre-race draw for starting positions. That same draw shoved pole-sitter, Daniel Moss, back to a seventh-place start where contact with the car of Austin Purnell on lap 5 put him out of the race. The luck of the draw went to Brandon Baker and Tracey Chambers, the two front-row starters. Baker bolted past Chamber at the green to take the lead.
Daniel Schadt appeared to have the car to beat, moving from sixth to the second in the first few laps of the race, then passing Baker for the lead ten laps later. From there, those two staged a fierce battle for the lead until a lap 50 competition caution. On the ensuing restart, fourth-place Carver methodically worked his way past third-place Corey Purnell, then past Baker for second. Passing Schadt for the lead was no easy task for Carver as those two traded sheet metal several times after the restart.
The defining moment of the race may have been contact between the cars of Chambers and Baker on lap 60, bringing out the seventh caution flag and putting Baker out of the race. Chambers was able to continue, finishing the night in sixth. The following restart renewed the side by side race between Carver and Schadt with Carver getting by eight laps from the end, relegating Schadt to a second-place finish, followed by Corey Purnell in third. Jared Fryer in his first OCS race this year took fourth, with Brent Evans, Jr behind him. Seventh through ninth went to Jared Gillis, Jerry Hinesley, and Austin Purnell respectively, all three having recovered from spinouts during the race but all three on the lead lap.

Donnie Carver Memorial Race, Limited Sportsman, 75 laps
1) Daryl Carver
2) Daniel Schadt
3) Corey Purnell
4) Jared Fryer
5) Brent Evans, Jr
6) Tracey Chambers
7) Jared Gillis
8) Jerry Hinesley
9) Austin Purnell
10) Brandon Baker (-15)
11) Richard Hayden (-51)
12) Daniel Moss (-70)
PASS Touring Series Super Late Models, 150 laps
1) Tate Fogleman
2) Matt Craig
3) Kyle Plott
4) Dave Farrington, Jr
5) Kodie Conner
6) Trevor Noles (-1)
7) Jordan McCallum (-2)
8) Casey Roderick (-2)
9) Jody Measamer (-2)
10) Roy Hayes, III (-2)
11) Kyle McCallum (-3)
12) JP Josiasse (-3)
13) Tyler Church (-56)
14) Jay Fogleman (-103)
15) Donnie Carlton (-132)
16) Ryan Moore (-132)
Southern Modified Racing Series, 75 laps
1) David Bohn
2) Burt Myers
3) Jeremy Gertsner
4) Jason Myers
5) Tim Brown
6) George Brunnhozel, III
7) Josh Nichols
8) Gary Putnam
9) Tom Buzee
10) Brandon Ward

(Orange County Speedway is an advertising client of WIZS.)

@NorthernVanceFB @JFWWarriors

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Scouting Report by Jeff Jenkins

Listen live to 1450 AM and click on Listen Live on wizs.com for the play by play of tonight’s game.  Northern Vance at J.F. Webb.  Airtime is 6:45 p.m.  Kickoff is at 7 p.m.  The stream also works on your phone, tablet and smart TV.  Tunein Radio is also an option.  Search for WIZS.

Note: Southern Vance is off this week, preparing for its final regular season game next week: the annual Optimist Bowl against Northern Vance. The Raiders will also be awaiting word on whether they will make the playoffs, which may well depend on the outcome of the Southern-Northern game. MEANWHILE . . .

Northern Vance at J. F. Webb
Friday 10/27/2017

The Vikings and Warriors enter Friday night’s match up in Oxford in the same position they have been in for many years: struggling to avoid a last place finish in their conference. Northern Vance is 1-8 overall and 1-5 in the Northern Carolina 1A/2A, while Webb is 2-7 overall (thanks to a nonconference victory over 1A KIPP Pride) and also 1-5 in the NCC. Both teams got their one conference win over 1A Louisburg, and both teams missed their best chance at another conference win by falling victim to scrappy 1A Granville Central — the Panthers beat Webb 20-14 and Northern was shut out last week at home 21-0.

Webb’s Warriors have an edge over the Vikings on paper, scoring an average 17 points per game and allowing 29. In spite of some lopsided losses and a season opening shutout loss, the Warriors have not been shut out in league play, and they came within 4 points of upsetting Warren County (losing 28-25). Even though Northern can move the ball, they struggle to put points on the board, repeatedly stalling in opponents’ red zones. The Vikings average under 7 points per game, and their defense, although capable of stopping passing attacks, still allows 30 points per game, mostly on the ground. The Vikings have been shut out 4 times this season, twice by conference opponents.

Northern has won this matchup the past three seasons, but this might be Webb’s year to break that streak. Although Louisburg seems destined to lock up last place in the Northern Carolina, the loser of Friday’s game in Oxford will likely finish last among the 2A members.

South Boston Speedway

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Crute Accomplished The Improbable With South Boston Speedway Hornets Division Championship

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (Oct. 26, 2017) – Tyler Crute knew exactly what he had to do in the final Budweiser Hornets race of the season at South Boston Speedway. And he did it.

Not that it was a simple task. He entered the 10th and final Hornets race of the season trailing Kevin Currin by 14 points in the championship chase. Impossible? No. Improbable? Yes. But none of that meant anything to the 26-year-old driver from Alton.

He dropped to the rear of the field at the start of the race to pick up as many passing points as possible and proceeded to march through the field for the victory and a two-point championship margin over Currin, who finished fifth.

“Win the race. That’s all I wanted to do … to do the best I could do,” said Crute. “I was down by 14 going into the race, so that was all I could do.”

Crute wound up with five victories on the season but could never shake Currin. Crute said he had a “dry spell” in the middle of the season. It wasn’t very dry, though. He finished out of the top five only twice all season, a seventh in the third race of the year and an 11th in mid-July.

“We had a dry spell where I worried too much about points and not enough about winning,” said Crute. “The last race, I said if I’m gonna win this thing, I have to get in the right mind set and that’s what I did.”

It was Crute’s first full season in a stock car. He ran a partial schedule in 2016 after making the move from go-karts. He struggled in his debut season with three blown engines.

“I was really surprised with the season we had after last year,” said Crute. “We were a lot better this year. We had better equipment and good sponsors, really good sponsors.”

Those sponsors included Blue Wing Creek Land and Timber, JMS Volvo, Dan and Mae Trucking and Tollerson Service Center. He also credits his crew, Chris Wilkinson and Justin Bailey, for much of his success.
And of course, his wife Jessica, who Crute says offers unlimited support and patience.

Crute isn’t sure if he’ll be back to defend his championship in 2018 or not. He knows the family will be moving back to go-karts next year, not with him behind the wheel but his young son.

“I’m still undecided for next year,” Crute explained. “I know my son is going to race go-karts. That’s my number-one priority and daddy will run if he has time for it.”

South Boston’s 61st season will open on Saturday, March 24 with twin 100-lap races for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman event, a 30-lap Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Hornets race.

For the full 2018 South Boston Speedway schedule, visit www.southbostonspeedway.com.

(South Boston Speedway is an advertising client of WIZS.)