Northern Vance Baseball Team Thanked
Donald and Maggie Anthony of Roanoke Rapids, came to Northern Vance High School on May 5 to meet with members of the Vikings baseball team and offer them a face-to-face special thank you.
On April 15, Donald Anthony became ill after the Vikings played a game in Chapel Hill. Emergency response personnel had to be called to the scene to take care of Anthony and transport him to a nearby hospital.
The Vikings’ players and coaches joined the players and coaches from Chapel Hill in kneeling as a group and offering prayers for Anthony.
The Anthonys’ grandson, Justin, had just pitched in the game to lead Chapel Hill to a win over the Vikings. Despite their loss, the Vikings’ players showed great sympathy and caring for Anthony and his family members who were at the game.
Once he was released from the hospital and strong enough to travel, Anthony said he wanted to visit Northern Vance High School and thank the players and coaches in person.
With great emotion, he talked to the players and coaches in the school’s media center.
“I can’t thank you enough for the great caring you showed that night,” Anthony told them. “You are truly fine young men and, if you continue on your present path, I know you will be successful in life.”
Anthony stayed for about 20 minutes to talk individually with the players and coaches. In addition to the players, on hand for his visit were Principal Larry Webb, Athletic Director Jeff Tate, Head Coach Benji Nelson and Assistant Coach Kevin Boone.
Nelson presented Anthony with a Vikings t-shirt and baseball cap, as well as a framed copy of the article that appeared in The Daily Dispatch, Henderson’s newspaper, about the teams’ fellowship that night after Anthony collapsed at the end of the game. Around the border of the framed article were the names of each of the Vikings’ players and their jersey numbers.
The Anthonys also posed for several pictures with the players, coaches and school officials.
(Press Release provided to WIZS News by Vance County Schools)
MEEKS TO RETURN TO CAROLINA FOR SENIOR SEASON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016
CHAPEL HILL – University of North Carolina junior forward Kennedy Meeks will withdraw from the 2016 NBA Draft process and return to UNC for his senior season in 2016-17.
The Charlotte, N.C., native has averaged 9.4 points and 6.5 rebounds and shot 55.4 percent from the floor in 104 games over his first three seasons.
“I’m thankful I had the chance to explore my draft options, but I’m excited about the opportunity to rejoin my teammates and work toward having another outstanding season at UNC,” says Meeks. “I appreciate the support my coaches and teammates gave me during this process as we gathered information about my professional opportunities at this time. The feedback on what I have to work on so that I can have a great senior year, help my team have a great season and be ready to take that next step is invaluable.”
Meeks has started 77 games, including 28 in 2015-16 when the Tar Heels won 33 games, the ACC regular season and Tournament championships and won the NCAA East Regional. He averaged 13.3 points in UNC’s NCAA Tournament wins over Indiana, Notre Dame and Syracuse, and needs only 19 points to become the 73rd 1,000-point scorer in Carolina history.
“Kennedy did the right thing in taking the time to see where he stood with the NBA Draft at this point in his career, an opportunity we encourage all of our players to take,” says Carolina head coach Roy Williams. “I think Kennedy’s made the right decision in returning to school to finish his degree and put himself in better position toward playing professional basketball, which is his dream. If he works hard this summer, he can have a big-time senior season and also help our team reach its goals.”
(Thanks to STEVE KIRSCHNER, University of North Carolina, Senior Associate A.D. for Communications for the press release)
VGCC holds Banquet to honor Student-Athletes
Vance-Granville Community College celebrated Vanguard student-athletes at its annual Athletics Banquet, held on April 18 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus.
VGCC Director of Student Activities & Athletics Jeffrey Allen started the event by praising the hard-working students for meeting their academic requirements while also keeping up with a packed schedule of home and away games, and, in many cases, jobs and other responsibilities.
Women’s volleyball coach Christopher Young started the presentations of awards by recognizing his players. He presented the award for “Most Outstanding Player” to Kara Reese of Henderson for the second straight year. Meanwhile, Jesse Edwards of Henderson received the “Vanguard Leadership Excellence” award. Other volleyball team members recognized included Avery Allen, Morgan Carter, Melissa Elliott, Kiyanna Kearney, Caitlyn Robins and Rachel Thomas.
Next, Vanguards men’s basketball head coach DeMarcus Oliver presented awards to members of his team. Raekwon Hall of Raleigh received the “Most Outstanding Player” award. Tyrek Beverly of Oxford received the “Vanguard Leadership Excellence” award. Oliver also recognized players Antonio Adams, Joseph Avery, Hunter Carter, Mycal Elam, Donal Gooch, Dy’quan Marrow, Anthony Mims, Alcyone Moore, Christopher Pernell, Tyquon Reid and Wesley Whitley.
For the first time, members of the “Vanguard Spirit” Pep Squad were also recognized. Tina Ragland, who (along with fellow VGCC staff member Glynnis Wilson) serves as one of the advisers for the squad, presented the “Most Outstanding Team Member” award to Seniqua Turner of Henderson, and the “Vanguard Leadership Excellence” award to Latessa Wilkerson of Henderson. Three other squad members were recognized: Brooklyn Davis, Jakara Steed and Bali Reavis.
Allen recognized three students for their service as support staff for the VGCC athletics program this year: Keyante’ Lindsey, Jasmine Richardson and Angelique Taylor.
In closing remarks, Stacey Carter-Coley, VGCC’s vice president of employee and public relations, congratulated the student-athletes on making “great progress, both on and off the court.” She added, “You are now part of Vance-Granville Vanguards history, and are setting the bar higher for those who come after you…We find inspiration in your determination to achieve professional and personal success.” Carter-Coley thanked the athletes’ family members, coaches and staff for their support.
Current or prospective students interested in participating in VGCC athletics during the 2016-17 year should contact Jeffrey Allen at (252) 738-3405 or allenjl@vgcc.edu.
2016 ACC NFL Draft Notes
The 2016 NFL Draft kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. Check out these #ACCFootball draft notes supplied by @theACC.
In last year’s NFL Draft, the Atlantic Coast Conference had nine players chosen in the first round, which tied for the highest total nationally.
Over the past two years, the ACC has had 89 players chosen in the NFL Draft, the second-highest total of any conference in the nation.
Florida State’s 11 2015 draftees allowed it to set an NFL Draft record for the most players chosen in the three-year span. The Seminoles had 11 taken in 2013, seven in 2014 and 11 more last year for total of 29, besting the previous high of 28 set by Miami (2002-2004).
A very young league in 2015, the ACC returns many of its top performers in 2016. The number of highly talented returners and statistical leaders tells the story of why the conference not projected to have as high a total of draftees this year. The ACC is set to return nine of its top 10 rushers; nine of its top 10 passers; nine of its top 10 in receiving yardage and eight of its top ten in total offense. The ACC had a league-record seven 1,000-yard rushers in 2015 and all seven return in 2016.
In each of the last 11 NFL Drafts, the ACC has had at least 31 players drafted each year.
Over the last decade, the ACC has had 60 of its former players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, the second-highest total of any conference in the nation.
Miami has had a player chosen in ever NFL Draft since 1975, or 41 consecutive years. The Hurricanes look to continue that streak as cornerback Artie Burns is projected to be drafted in the first or second rounds.
Florida State and Virginia have had a player chosen in each of the last 32 drafts, or every year since 1984. Virginia Tech has had a player chosen in each of the last 22 NFL Drafts.
Over the last 11 NFL Drafts, or since the 2006 Draft, a total of 401 players have been drafted from the ACC, the second highest total of any conference nationally, and more than 80 draftees more than the next closest league.
Since the 2006 NFL Draft, the ACC has had 24 defensive ends or outside linebackers selected in the first two rounds, far and away the most of any conference. The next highest total was 18. (Using positions determined by the NFL for the draft).
Clemson has had at least four selections in the NFL Draft each of the last seven years, the only ACC school that can make that claim. Clemson’s seven-year run of at least four players drafted is the longest by an ACC school since Florida State had at least four selected 10 consecutive years from 1992-2001.
In 2015, 30 players were drafted from the ACC’s Atlantic Division, including 11 from Florida State, 10 from Louisville, five from Clemson, three from Boston College and one from Wake Forest. That total ranked ahead of the individual totals of four FBS conferences.
When Virginia Tech’s Kendall Fuller is drafted this week, he will become the fourth Fuller brother to have played at Virginia Tech and be drafted into the NFL. Older brother Vince was a fourth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2005. Older brothers Corey, who was selected in the sixth round by Detroit in 2013 and Kyle, who was tabbed on the first round by the Chicago Bears in 2014, have also been drafted.
(Thanks to Mike Finn, Associate Commissioner, Football Communications, for the notes!)
Granville Chamber to host 3rd annual golf tournament
The Granville County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 3rd Annual Golf Tournament Thursday, June 9th, at Henderson Country Club, 300 Country Club Drive, Henderson. Registration will begin at 12 noon, with a 1:00 pm shotgun start for the 4-man Captain’s Choice tournament.
Corporate sponsorships of $450 offer a hole sponsorship and a 4-man team. Hole sponsors are $100, and individual players pay $100 to play. All players receive 18 holes of golf w/cart, dinner and concessions. Mulligans and tee busters will be $10 per player.
There will be contests for 50/50 raffle, closest to the pin challenge, longest drive and hole-in-one shootout. Prizes and participant goodie bags are being provided by local Chamber members. Volunteers are needed throughout the afternoon of June 9th, beginning at 12 noon. Time slots are 12 noon ‘til 2:30 pm and 2:30 ‘til 5 pm. Come enjoy the afternoon with golfers, Henderson Country Club staff and other Chamber volunteers for this, the third annual event.
Please contact the Chamber to play in the tournament or to volunteer – Toni Anne at 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com or Wanda at 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com.
Kersey Coordinator of BB Officials @theACC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2016
@theACC
https://theacc.co/mbb16kersey0419
ACC NAMES BRYAN KERSEY COORDINATOR OF MEN’S BASKETBALL OFFICIATING
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that long-time collegiate basketball official Bryan Kersey has been named the league’s Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating.
For the past 30 years, Kersey has served as an NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Official, and has been a regular in both the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Overall, he has officiated in 20 NCAA Tournaments, including six Regionals, three Regional Finals and the 2015 NCAA Final Four. He has officiated 27 years in the ACC and has worked 21 ACC Tournaments, including seven championship games, and has called four NIT Finals.
“I am pleased to have Bryan step into this role as he brings a wealth of on court experience, superb knowledge surrounding all aspects of officiating the college game, and excellent professional business and management experiences,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “He grew up around officiating as his dad, Jess, was a 33-year official in the NBA. He is a man of integrity and has earned great respect throughout the ACC and nationally from his peers, coaches and administrators. He has the opportunity to further enhance our officiating program from a technology perspective, a teaching perspective, and most importantly, on the floor.”
“Bryan has demonstrated throughout his career a caring and respectful attitude towards college basketball and its communities,” said Paul Brazeau, ACC Senior Associate Commissioner for Men’s Basketball. “His long-time love for the game, and officiating in particular, remains evident. The ACC and all those affiliated with college basketball will be strengthened through Bryan’s stewardship and dedication.”
In addition to his ACC affiliation, Kersey has also officiated in the Big East, Big 12, American, Atlantic 10 and Colonial Conferences. A resident of Carrollton, Virginia, he is the president of Kersey, Sealey, Clark & Associates in Newport News, Virginia.
About the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, now in its 63rd year of competition and 15 members strong, has long enjoyed the reputation as one of the strongest and most competitive intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest continue to build upon the cornerstones on which the league was founded in 1953 with a consistent balance of academics, athletics and integrity. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow @theACC on Twitter and on facebook.com/theACC.
Brunnhoelzl Wins NWSMT Race; Thaxton, Bowling Split LMSC Twinbill
George Brunnhoelzl III picked up his second win of the season on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour Saturday afternoon, winning the South Boston 150 at South Boston Speedway.
The West Babylon, New York resident took the lead from Andy Seuss with 26 laps to go and sped to a 1.237-second win over Burt Myers of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.
Seuss, of Hampstead, New Hampshire, finished third, with Kyle Bonsignore of Bay Shore, New York and Danny Bohn of Freehold, New Jersey rounding out the top five finishers.
There were six lead changes among four drivers, with Brunnhoelzl leading 68 of the race’s 150 laps.
Brunnhoelzl averaged 77.060 mph in the race that was slowed by three cautions that consumed 14 laps.
Thaxton, Bowling Top Field In Late Model Stock Car Division Twinbill
Defending South Boston Speedway NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division Champion Matt Bowling of Ridgeway, Virginia and South Boston, Virginia resident Austin Thaxton split wins Saturday in twin 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division races.
Bowling now has won three of the season’s first five Late Model Stock Car Division races at South Boston Speedway, with Thaxton having won the other two.
Thaxton started fifth in the first race and took the lead from Bobby McCarty of Summerfield, North Carolina on lap 49 and survived two restarts in the last four laps to hold off McCarty for the win.
Defending NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Lee Pulliam of Alton, Virginia was battling McCarty for second place on the final lap when contact between the two cars sent Pulliam’s car into a spin in the second turn, forcing the oncoming cars behind him to have to scramble to avoid hitting him.
Former NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia avoided Pulliam’s spinning car and finished third, with Mark Wertz of Chesapeake, Virginia and Danny Willis Jr. of South Boston, Virginia rounding out the top five finishers.
Pulliam’s car was not damaged in the mishap, and he recovered to finish 13th.
Bowling started eighth in the second race after having finished in that spot in the opener, and threaded his way through the pack to take the lead from four-time NASCAR Whelen All American Series National Champion Philip Morris of Ruckersville, Virginia on lap 63.
With no cautions to hinder the action the rest of the way, Bowling held on and sped across the finish line .760-second ahead of Morris to take the win.
Pulliam started 13th in the nightcap and raced his way to a third-place finish, with Thaxton finishing fourth and Landon Huffman rounding out the top five finishers.
There were four lead changes among four drivers in the first 75-lap race and three lead changes among four drivers in the second 75-lap race.
Garnett Wins Hornets Division Race
Todd Garnett of Drakes Branch, Virginia took the lead from Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia on the fifth lap and won Saturday’s 15-lap Budweiser Hornets Division race.
Kenny Mills of Alton, Virginia finished second, with Drew Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia, Currin and Justin Dawson of Nathalie, Virginia completing the top five finishers.
Next Race At South Boston Speedway
An action-filled seven-race card will be featured when NASCAR racing returns to South Boston Speedway Saturday night, April 16, with the NASCAR Late Model 100 racing program.
A 100-lap race for the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors headlines the seven-race card that includes twin 25-lap Limited Sportsman Division races and twin 15-lap Pure Stock Division races. Fans will also see a 50-lap Modified race and a 15-lap Hornets Division race.
Registration opens at 2:30 p.m., pit gates open at 3 p.m. and practice will start at 4 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m., qualifying starts at6 p.m. and the first race gets the green flag at 7 p.m.
Adult General Admission tickets are $10 each, with youth ages 7-12 admitted for $5 and kids ages six and under being admitted free with a paid adult.
For additional information about the NASCAR Late Model 100 racing program or any other events at South Boston Speedway, please visit the speedway’s website at www.southbostonspeedway.com or telephone the speedway at 434-572-4947 or 1-877-440-1540.
Allen to Return for Junior Season #GoDuke
April 6, 2016
DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore All-American Grayson Allen will return to Duke University for his junior season in 2016-17, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Wednesday.
In 71 games in a Duke uniform, Allen has averaged 13.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 40.3 percent from outside the arc and 83.9 percent from the free throw line. He will enter the 2016-17 campaign just 68 points shy of becoming the 65th 1,000-point scorer in program history.
“I talked with my parents and prayed about this decision, and I had the feeling that it was right,” Allen said. “I love Duke and I’ve made relationships with my teammates that will last forever. Coming back next season to play with them is important to me. Earning a Duke degree has always been a dream of mine, so I’ll also be working to get closer to that goal.”
Named a second-team All-American by The Sporting News, a third-team honoree by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and a John R. Wooden Award All-American following his stellar sophomore season, Allen is one of 31 Duke players to earn All-America honors under Krzyzewski’s tutelage.
A psychology major from Jacksonville, Fla., Allen was also honored as a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American during the 2015-16 campaign.
He is the sixth Duke student-athlete to earn on-court All-America honors and Academic All-America recognition in the same season, joining Mike Gminski (1978, 1979, 1980), Jim Spanarkel (1978, 1979), Shane Battier (2000, 2001), Mike Dunleavy (2002) and Mason Plumlee (2013) in that exclusive group.
“We are thrilled that Grayson will be back with us next season,” said Krzyzewski. “Following the season, he put a lot of thought into an important decision that will impact the rest of his life. In the end, he chose to remain at Duke, where he will pursue an undergraduate degree and develop even more as a man and basketball player. Grayson’s passion and commitment to our school and his teammates have been very apparent in our discussions with him.
“On the court, Grayson is a warrior, as I’ve said many times,” Krzyzewski continued. “He has untapped potential, both on and off the basketball court. I have loved coaching Grayson and I’m going to love coaching him next season.”
Allen led Duke and ranked fifth among major-conference players in scoring with an average of 21.6 points per game. His +17.2-point scoring improvement from a year ago set a new ACC record for year-to-year scoring increase. He scored in double figures 34 times in 36 games this season, including 19 20-point efforts and four games with more than 30 points.
He finished the season on a streak of 25 consecutive games with double-figure points and was not held to fewer than 15 points in 18 regular-season ACC games this season. Allen’s 779 points in 2015-16 were good for seventh place on Duke’s single-season scoring chart, and his scoring average of 21.6 was the 15th-best in a single season in program history.
With 779 points, Allen turned in the second-highest scoring season by a sophomore in Duke history, trailing only the 841 that Jason Williams scored as a sophomore in 2001.
Allen shot 46.6 percent from the floor, a team-high 41.7 percent from three-point range and 83.7 percent from the free throw line. He averaged 4.6 rebounds to go along with team highs of 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. He averaged 36.6 minutes per game in 2015-16, playing 1,317 minutes to rank 10th on Duke’s single-season chart.
He ranked second in the ACC in scoring, third in minutes played, fourth in three-point percentage and three-pointers per game (2.50), fifth in free throw percentage, eighth in steals (1.31) and 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.76).
Allen was just the ninth Duke player to lead the Blue Devils in both scoring and assists in the same season, as well as just the seventh Duke player to average better than 20 points per game and hand out 100 assists in a season. He averaged 7.0 free throw attempts per game on the season, and his 211 made free throws on the campaign tied for the sixth-most in a single season in Duke history.
Allen was named a first-team All-ACC selection by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA) on March 6, giving Duke a first-team all-league member for the 19th time in the last 20 seasons. The following day, he secured first-team All-ACC and Co-Most Improved Player honors from the league’s coaches.
Allen was named a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, awarded to the National Player of the Year by the USBWA, as well as the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award. He was recognized as an All-District III performer by the USBWA and an All-District 2 honoree by the NABC.
One of the breakout performers of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Allen helped lead Duke to its fifth NCAA championship with an average of 12.5 points on 50.0 percent shooting in two Final Four games. He was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team after scoring 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the national championship game against Wisconsin, sparking a Duke rally from a nine-point deficit to its second national title of the decade.
For full comments from Grayson Allen, please click here.
#GoDuke
(Press Release provided by Cory Walton, Senior Associate Sports Information Director | Duke Athletics)